Fee-Only vs. Fee-Based Financial Advisor: What's the Difference?

Align Your Retirement · Apr 1, 2026 · 17m · transcript

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Financial advisors aren't all paid the same way, and how your advisor is paid can shape the advice you get.

In this episode, I explain what fee-only means, how it differs from fee-based and commission-based, and what to ask before you hire anyone.

In this episode:

Fee-only vs. fee-based vs. commission-based, and why the difference matters

Why an advisor should be a fiduciary 100% of the time, not just for some accounts

How commissions can create conflicts you'd never see

The ways fee-only advisors are typically paid

5 questions to ask an advisor before you hire them

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