Cost counts! And how you pay is every bit as important as how much you pay! The methodology under which you pay should align with the specific objectives you set out to your advisor. That is, if you don’t need brokerage account advice and management but want an objective perspective on other areas of your personal financial life, a flat fee option is likely best. If you do need brokerage account management, then an asset-based fee puts you and your advisor on the same side of the table because the more there is to manage, the more time it takes an advisor to properly manage it.