The short answer
Most Las Vegas financial advisors charge one of three ways: a percentage of assets under management (AUM), typically 0.5% to 1.25% annually depending on portfolio size; a flat annual or quarterly retainer, commonly $2,000 to $10,000 per year for comprehensive planning; or an hourly consulting rate, generally $150 to $400 per hour for a defined project like a retirement projection or a one-time financial plan.
There's no single "right" number — the fee structure that fits you depends on how much you're investing, how often you need active management, and whether you want ongoing planning or a one-time roadmap.
Why AUM fees drop as your balance grows
Most AUM-based advisors use a tiered schedule: 1% or more on the first several hundred thousand dollars, stepping down to 0.75% or lower as your balance crosses into seven figures. A $500,000 portfolio at 1% costs $5,000 a year; the same advisor might charge 0.65% on a $2 million portfolio. Always ask for the full tier schedule, not just the headline rate, since the effective percentage you pay can shift meaningfully as your balance grows.
Fee-only vs. fee-based vs. commission — the distinction that matters most
A fee-only advisor is paid exclusively by the fees you pay them — no commissions from the products they recommend — and is legally held to a fiduciary standard, meaning they're required to act in your best interest. A fee-based advisor charges fees but can also earn commissions on certain products, which introduces potential conflicts of interest. A pure commission-based advisor is compensated by the financial products they sell you, which is where the incentive to recommend a product because it pays well, not because it's the best fit, becomes a real risk.
Nevada doesn't require advisors to disclose this distinction prominently, so it's worth asking directly: "Are you a fiduciary at all times, or only when giving investment advice?" A hedge in that answer is itself useful information.
What drives cost beyond the fee structure
CFP (Certified Financial Planner) credentials, specialization in a niche like retirement income planning or small-business owner exit strategy, and firm size all affect price. A solo advisor with lower overhead often charges less than a wirehouse-affiliated advisor working out of a national firm, though the wirehouse may offer a broader in-house product shelf. Neither structure is automatically better — it depends on whether you value personal attention or institutional resources more.