How Destiny Capital Is Paid (and How Our Fees Work For You)

Why fees matter for your retirement or exit plan 

When you’re trusting someone with your life savings or the proceeds from a business sale, “How are you paid?” is not a side question; it’s central to whether you feel clarity, confidence, and control. You deserve to know exactly what you’re paying, what you’re getting in return, and how your advisor’s incentives line up with your goals. 

At Destiny Capital, we keep our fee structure straightforward, transparent, and aligned with the people we serve: those faced with financial complexity in the Denver/Golden area and beyond. 

Key takeaways

• We are a fee-only wealth advisory firm; we are compensated directly by clients, not by product commissions or kickbacks. 
• Our core advisory fee is based on a percentage of assets under management (AUM) and typically declines at higher asset levels. 
• Your fee covers both investment management and ongoing financial planning within our Personal Wealth Operating System™ (PWOS™). 
• We explain your fee in plain English before you become a client and show it on your statements. 
• There are no hidden commissions; if a third party could ever be involved, we disclose that clearly and in advance. 

What does “fee-only, fiduciary” mean in practice? 

Many people hear terms like “fee-only,” “fee-based,” and “commission” and understandably wonder what they really mean. A fee-only advisor is compensated exclusively by clients; we do not receive commissions or incentives from product providers such as mutual fund companies, annuity issuers, or insurance carriers. 

This structure matters because it reduces conflicts of interest and helps keep our recommendations focused on your long‑term plan, not on which product pays the highest commission. As a registered investment advisor (RIA), Destiny Capital also acts as a fiduciary, which means we are obligated to put your interests first and to disclose how we are compensated in a clear, understandable way. 

Our core fee: a percentage of assets under management (AUM) 

Most Destiny Capital clients pay an advisory fee based on assets under management (AUM) – the investment assets we manage and oversee for you. Industry‑wide, many advisory firms cluster around 1% AUM on mid‑six‑ to low‑seven‑figure portfolios, with tiered schedules that range roughly from 0.75% to 1.5% depending on asset level and complexity. Often these firms focus on investment management with little or additional planning. 

At Destiny Capital, our initial tier (up to $1 million in assets under management) is priced at 1.5% annually, then steps down at higher asset levels, because that fee is designed to cover not just portfolio management, but comprehensive planning: retirement income design, tax‑aware strategies, estate review, business‑owner and equity planning, proactive tax planning and ongoing coordination with your other professionals. 

In other words, you are not paying 1.5% just for investment selection – you are paying for a dedicated team that runs your Personal Wealth Operating System™ in the background so you can make major life and business decisions with clarity, confidence, and control. 

Here’s how an AUM fee works in plain English: the fee is calculated as a percentage of the eligible assets and typically charged quarterly, often deducted directly from your investment accounts so there is no separate invoice to manage. We show you the amount so you can see clearly what you’ve paid and what services are included. 

While we do offer other options such as a one-time plan flat fee, we find that most clients benefit from a comprehensive structure.

What your fee includes:

Your advisory fee is not just for picking investments – it is designed to support a coordinated, structured approach to your entire financial life through our Personal Wealth Operating System™ (PWOS™). Typical services covered by the fee include: 

• Customized investment management aligned with your risk tolerance, time horizon, and cash‑flow needs 

• Retirement income planning, including Social Security timing and tax‑aware withdrawal strategies 

• Tax‑aware portfolio decisions, such as asset location and tax‑loss harvesting where appropriate 

• Proactive tax planning based on your comprehensive financial picture 

• Estate reviews and recommendations, in coordination with your attorney 

• Ongoing progress reviews and plan updates, typically at least annually and often more frequently 

• Coordination with other professionals such as your CPA and estate attorney so your plan, tax strategies, and documents work together 

Our goal is that you always understand not just what you are paying, but the ongoing planning and decision‑making you receive in return. 

How our fee structure supports retirees and pre‑retirees: 

For retirees and pre‑retirees, the main concern is usually, “Will our lifestyle last, and can we draw income in a tax‑efficient, risk‑aware way?” An AUM‑based fee allows us to integrate investment management and retirement planning into one coordinated service so we can focus on your spending plan, withdrawal sequence, and risk management without tracking hourly bills. 

Because the fee is a known percentage, you can estimate it as part of your annual retirement budget and see how it changes as markets and your account values move. As your portfolio grows over time, your blended fee rate may decrease due to tiered pricing, which helps align our long‑term incentives with the growth and preservation of your wealth. 

How our fee structure supports entrepreneurs and business owners:

Business owners often experience uneven cash flow, concentration in their company, and complex tax considerations. For this group, we understand that an AUM fee structure can be challenging, as some entrepreneurs don’t find inside traditional AUM models or have a large allocation of investable assets. We do offer a fixed-fee option for those who have heavy planning needs but don’t yet need investment management or ongoing planning.  

When appropriate, we can pair a planning-focused fee with an AUM fee, which allows us to coordinate AUM‑based advice on your investable assets with planning focused on tax preparedness, business equity, stock options, liquidity planning, and exit readiness. Throughout, our aim is to keep your fee predictable, transparent, and integrated into your broader Personal Wealth Operating System™. 

Common questions about fees:

“How much do you charge on the first $1 million?” 

For most Destiny Capital clients, the advisory fee for the first tier of assets under management (up to $1 million) is 1.5% annually, with lower percentages at higher asset levels. This tiered schedule reflects the level of ongoing work we do—integrating investment management, retirement income planning, business‑owner strategy, tax‑aware decisions, and coordination with your CPA and attorney into one comprehensive relationship. 

“Do you earn commissions from investments you recommend?” 

No. As a fee‑only firm, our compensation comes from the advisory fee you pay us, not from commissions on investment or insurance products. This structure is designed to reduce conflicts and keep our recommendations focused on your long‑term plan. 

“How will I see what I’m paying?” 

Your fee is disclosed in your advisory agreement, on required regulatory documents, and on your account statements and reports, where you can see both the percentage and the dollar amounts deducted. During our meetings, we are happy to walk through your fee line by line so you always understand how it is calculated and what it covers. 

“Do you charge extra for meetings, calls, or plan updates?” 

No. Routine meetings, check‑ins, and plan updates are included in your advisory fee; you do not receive a separate invoice every time you call with a question or need to revisit your retirement income plan. If a special project were ever to involve a different pricing approach, we would outline that clearly and get your approval in advance. 

How our fee structure fits into your Personal Wealth Operating System™ (PWOS™) 

Your wealth touches every part of your life—retirement timing, lifestyle spending, taxes, estate planning, and (for many clients) the future of a business or real estate portfolio. Our Personal Wealth Operating System™ (PWOS™) is built to structure and simplify these moving parts so you can make decisions with clarity, confidence, and control. 

The advisory fee funds the ongoing work of this system: monitoring, rebalancing, tax‑aware adjustments, coordination with other professionals, and proactive planning meetings as your life and the markets evolve. Instead of paying separately for each component, you pay one transparent fee that supports a coordinated roadmap toward a Remarkable Retirement. 

What to do next:

If you’re evaluating advisors or simply want a clearer view of what you are paying today, a transparent fee conversation is a good place to start. We are happy to walk through our fee structure, compare it to what you currently pay, and show how it would integrate into your retirement or business‑owner plan. 

Talk with our team to see if we’re a good fit and to understand, in plain English, how our fee structure would apply to your situation. 

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment or tax advice. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Consult professionals who understand your situation before making decisions.