Media Mention: Overpaying for Financial Advice? A Financial Planner's Guide to Fees
- Carson McLean, CFP
- Jul 23
- 1 min read
We’re proud to share that Carson McLean, CFP®, founder of Altruist Wealth Management, was featured in Kiplinger Personal Finance to discuss one of the most quietly expensive line items in retirement: financial advisor fees.
In the article, Overpaying for Financial Advice? A Guide to Fees, Carson explains why even savvy, high-net-worth retirees often don’t know what they actually pay their advisor each year—and how that lack of transparency can quietly cost them hundreds of thousands over time.
The feature highlights key issues with traditional asset-based fees (AUM), including:
Why quoting fees as a % hides the real cost
How those costs scale disproportionately for retirees
The simple math behind compounding fee drag
The growing appeal of the flat-fee fiduciary model
“Most people don’t understand what they’re paying — and that’s not their fault. The industry made it hard to see.” — Carson McLean, CFP®
The article also includes practical questions retirees should ask to evaluate whether they’re overpaying—and what other options exist.
Read the full article here: