How We Charge

Fixed fees. Clear outcomes.

We price the planning, not your pot.

Money decisions are easier when you know the cost up front. At Ella Rose Financial, we agree a fixed fee for the initial advice and ongoing planning work we’ll deliver throughout the course of the year, so you can judge value on the service, not on the size of your investments.

If your investment portfolio grows in value, or you choose to gift, spend, or de-risk, our fee doesn’t change. That keeps our incentives aligned with yours.

How we set your fee

Your fixed fee reflects scope and complexity, not portfolio size. We consider the areas you want help with (e.g. retirement modelling, pensions and investments, IHT/estate planning, school fees planning, business exits), the number of entities involved, and the level of ongoing support you’d value. Everything is agreed in writing before work begins.

What’s included

  • Discovery meeting(s) and a tailored financial plan

  • Detailed cashflow modelling including various scenarios and stress testing

  • Recommendations and next steps, coordinated with your other professionals

  • Implementation of any advice, inclusive of all associated administration

  • Annual planning meeting and mid year check ins (for ongoing clients)

  • Annual suitability review of your financial products (eg pensions & investments) and your underlying investment portfolios

  • Clear reporting and action tracking

What’s not included: third-party costs (platform, fund and investment manager charges), product/provider fees, and any one-off project work you later choose to add, we’ll disclose all additional advice fees where relevant so there are no surprises.

Your ERF advice fee is agreed up front and is separate from any platform, product or investment manager charges. Some of those costs are built into the fund or product price and won’t show as a separate line, however we’ll always translate percentages into pounds and pence, and total them, so you can see the full cost of investing and who it’s paid to before you decide.

Fixed fee vs % of AUM — what’s the difference?

Most advisers charge a percentage of assets under management (AUM), for example, 1% a year of the value of the investments they oversee. It’s the standard model in our industry and can suit some clients because the cost flexes with portfolio value. Our model mirrors other professional services, whereby you pay for the work, not a percentage of assets.

When you compare like for like, fixed fees can be lower or higher than a % of assets, depending on your portfolio size and the scope of work.

Our principle is simple: we price the planning, not the pot.

Your fee is agreed up front, clear and transparent, and doesn’t rise just because markets rise. It only changes if the scope of work changes (plus our standard 3% annual increase).

With a % of AUM model the cost can increase even when the work stays the same. For example, a 1% fee on £1,000,000 is £10,000; if markets rise 10%, that fee becomes £11,000. With a fixed fee, the cost stays as agreed.

For balance: a % fee can be lower in some situations, and a fixed fee isn’t always cheaper. However you will always benefit from clarity and transparency with a fixed fee approach.

Case Study 1

From university fees to gifting: consistent advice, fixed fee

Who: James & Priya, professionals in their late 40s with combined pensions/ISAs of £750,000.


Need: A plan for university fees, retirement at 58, and modest gifting to adult children.


Typical AUM model (elsewhere): 1.00% on £750,000 = £7,500 p.a. (and rising as markets grow).


ERF approach: We agreed an ongoing fixed-fee planning service (illustrative range £3,000-£4,000 p.a., depending on scope). We built a clear cashflow plan, set up a tax-efficient portfolio with regular contributions, modelled university fee payments, and coordinated with their solicitor on wills and powers of attorney.

Even as their portfolio grew, our fee didn’t. Because we don’t price advice as a percentage of assets under management. It also stayed the same when they later chose to gift to their children to help with day to day living costs.

Illustrative only. Actual fees depend on scope and complexity; third-party/product charges are separate.

Case Study 2

Preparing for a business exit: fixed fee planning before the sale, not just investing the proceeds

Who: Laura, mid-40s business owner, considering a sale in the next 12–24 months.


Need: She wasn’t sure what the exit would mean for her and her family: how much she needed after tax, how the deal should be structured to meet their goals, and what life would look like post sale.

ERF approach: We agreed an initial project fee for pre-exit planning, followed by a fixed annual retainer. We built a cashflow plan to calculate Laura’s “number” (the minimum net proceeds required), modelled different deal structures (e.g., upfront cash, earn-out, rollover) and the tax and timing implications, and mapped how the proceeds would support family priorities, gifting and long-term security.

Armed with this, Laura entered negotiations confidently, knowing what she needed and why.

She felt empowered throughout, because she’d engaged before the money hit the bank, rather than waiting to invest afterwards.

Why this matters: We’re financial planners, not investment managers. Our fixed-fee model means we can support you pre-exit with advice tailored to your family, not just once investable assets appear. Some firms use percentage of AUM pricing and may engage primarily post-sale due to minimum portfolio sizes; others offer pre-exit planning too, models vary.

Our focus is simple: price the planning, not the pot, keep fees clear and predictable, and put your objectives at the centre of our advice.

Illustrative only. Actual fees depend on scope and complexity; third-party/product charges are separate. This is information, not personal advice.

Why choose fixed fees?

  • Predictable: you know the cost in monetary terms before we begin.

  • Aligned: Advice anchored to your goals, not to fluctuating asset values.

  • Focused on you: we encourage clients to use money purposefully, whether that’s spend, gift, or invest, without worrying the adviser’s fee will fluctuate.

Contact us for a no obligation conversation and to explore how the fixed fee approach may be right for you.

Important fee information

Fees vary with the level of advice and ongoing service. Full details of service levels and charges are set out in our Client Agreement, which we’ll issue on enquiry.

We agree a fixed fee in writing before work begins. Fixed fees only change if:

  • the scope of work changes; or

  • when our standard 3% annual increase applies.

How fees are paid: you can pay our advice fees personally or, if you prefer and your provider/platform allows, have them deducted from your investments. If taken from investments, this will reduce the value of your holdings and may affect future growth; the tax treatment can also differ. We’ll explain the options so you can choose what’s right for you.

Any platform, product or investment manager charges are separate and will be disclosed before you decide.

There may be some instances where VAT applies. You will be informed of this at outset.

Examples on this page are illustrative and not a personal fee proposal.