Fee-Based Financial Advisor in Wichita, KS

There are two ways financial advisors get paid. Understanding the difference could save you a significant amount of money. StewardRight is fee-based — you pay us, not the products we recommend.

Commission-Based vs. Fee-Based: What's the Difference?

Commission-Based

  • Advisor earns money when you buy a product
  • Commission often embedded — you may not see it as a line item
  • Creates structural incentive to recommend higher-commission products
  • Annuities, life insurance, and mutual funds often carry significant commissions

Fee-Based (StewardRight)

  • You pay us directly for advice and management
  • Fee structure is clear and disclosed upfront
  • Our income doesn't change based on what we recommend
  • Fiduciary obligation — we're legally required to act in your interest

Why Fee-Based Advice Matters

Commission-based compensation isn't inherently unethical. But it creates a structural incentive to sell — and in financial services, the products that pay the most commission aren't always the ones that are best for you.

Annuities, in particular, are a product category with notoriously high commissions. That doesn't make every annuity a bad product. But it's worth knowing that when someone recommends an annuity to you, there's a financial incentive behind that recommendation. A fee-based fiduciary either has no stake in that decision — or discloses any stake they do have.

For Wichita clients navigating major financial decisions — rollovers from Spirit AeroSystems or Textron Aviation 401(k) plans, early retirement offers, large insurance purchases — the value of unconflicted advice is highest exactly when it's hardest to find.

How We Charge

StewardRight uses a transparent fee structure. For investment management, we typically charge an annual fee as a percentage of assets under management. For comprehensive financial planning, we offer flat-fee and retainer-based arrangements depending on the scope of services.

We'll tell you exactly what you'll pay in our first conversation — before you commit to anything.

What You Get With a Fee-Based Advisor

When you work with a fee-based advisor, you're paying for time, expertise, and a fiduciary obligation — not for product recommendations. What that looks like in practice:

  • A financial plan built around your actual goals, not around a product lineup
  • Investment management driven by your needs, not by fund company relationships
  • Insurance guidance that tells you what you actually need — not what pays the most commission
  • Honest answers when the right move is to stay the course, change nothing, or reverse a previous decision

Get Unconflicted Advice

StewardRight, LLC · 515 S Main St, Suite 103 · Wichita, KS 67202 · (316) 768-7526

Serving Wichita, Andover, Derby, Bel Aire, Goddard, and surrounding communities.

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First call is free. We'll explain exactly how we charge and what you get.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Look at their fee structure, their credentials (CFP® is the gold standard), and their fiduciary status. Ask how they're compensated for specific services — an advisor who earns fees AND commissions should clearly disclose the commission arrangements. StewardRight discloses all compensation in our first conversation.

For most people, yes. Research consistently shows that working with a financial planner improves long-term financial outcomes. The cost of bad advice — from a conflicted recommendation or a missed opportunity — typically exceeds the cost of good advice.

AUM-based fees typically range from 0.5% to 1.5% annually, depending on portfolio size and the scope of services included. We provide a clear fee structure in our first conversation — no surprises.

Both are possible. We work with clients on an ongoing basis for comprehensive planning and investment management, but we also offer project-based engagements for specific planning needs — a retirement decision, a rollover, a business exit.

Pay for Advice. Not for Products.

Schedule a free call with a fee-based, fiduciary advisor in Wichita, KS.

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