Edward Jones vs Ameriprise Fees: 2026 Comparison

Edward Jones and Ameriprise do not have one universal fee that applies to every client. For one current, directly comparable example, Edward Jones’ March 2026 Advisory Solutions Fund Models schedule lists a maximum 1.35% program fee plus a maximum 0.05% platform fee on the first $250,000. Ameriprise’s current Managed Accounts brochure says its negotiable advisory-fee component can be as high as 2.00%, with a program-specific platform fee and, when applicable, a manager fee added.

Bottom line: do not compare an Edward Jones headline rate with an Ameriprise headline rate and assume that is the total cost. Compare two written proposals for the same balance and service scope, then add product expenses, planning fees, transaction costs and account/service fees that apply.

Edward Jones vs Ameriprise fees at a glance

Cost question	Edward Jones	Ameriprise
Investment-advisory structure	Multiple programs with separate schedules; Advisory Solutions Fund Models is a wrap-fee program.	Managed Accounts use an annual asset-based wrap fee with components that vary by program.
Current disclosed example	Fund Models: up to 1.35% program fee plus up to 0.05% platform fee on the first $250,000.	Managed Accounts: negotiable advisory fee up to 2.00%, plus a platform fee and any applicable manager fee.
Underlying investment expenses	Fund and ETF expenses can apply in addition to the advisory fee.	Investment costs, including fund expenses, apply in addition to the asset-based fee.
Financial planning	Depends on the selected service and agreement; obtain the applicable planning disclosure.	Ongoing planning can carry a separate annual fee unless the client selects an eligible consolidated advisory-fee relationship.
Brokerage alternative	Transaction-based brokerage costs differ from advisory pricing.	Brokerage accounts may charge commissions, sales charges and other product or transaction fees.
Can the quoted rate vary?	Yes. Program, asset tier, householding, reductions and the written agreement matter.	Yes. The advisory portion is negotiable, and program, assets, strategy, products and services affect the result.

Figures above were checked against firm disclosures available August 1, 2026. They are not quotes for your account and do not compare every program offered by either firm.

Edward Jones advisory fees

Edward Jones is both a broker-dealer and an investment adviser. Those are different relationships with different pricing and legal obligations. The firm offers several advisory programs, so a rate from one program should not be applied to every Edward Jones account.

The current Advisory Solutions Fund Models Schedule of Fees, revised March 2026, says:

the program fee is assessed at a maximum annual rate of 1.35% on the first $250,000;
the separate platform fee is assessed at a maximum annual rate of 0.05% on the first $250,000;
both schedules decline marginally across higher asset tiers; and
Edward Jones may discount or reduce the fee and may combine eligible related accounts for the calculation.

At the published maximum rates, a $100,000 Fund Models account would have $1,400 in annual program-plus-platform fees before any applicable underlying fund expenses or other costs. That is an illustration of one disclosed program, not an estimate for every Edward Jones relationship.

The corresponding Fund Models brochure explains that aggregate fees may be higher or lower than buying similar investments or services separately. It also describes affiliated mutual funds and related conflicts that a prospective client should review rather than treating the wrap fee as the only economic consideration.

Ameriprise advisory fees

Ameriprise also offers brokerage, investment advisory and financial-planning relationships. Its current Managed Accounts Client Disclosure Brochure describes the asset-based fee as three possible components:

a negotiable advisory fee, up to a maximum annual rate of 2.00%;
a platform fee whose rate varies by program; and
an applicable manager fee for certain programs or strategies.

The brochure says the negotiated advisory component can vary with total assets, service level and strategy. It also notes that similarly situated clients may pay different rates. Therefore, “Ameriprise charges 2%” is as incomplete as claiming every client pays a low advertised rate: 2.00% is the disclosed maximum for one component, not a universal all-in charge.

For SPS Advisor accounts, the brochure also discloses a 0.03% quarterly Investments and Infrastructure Support Fee, together with a related credit mechanism. Other programs have their own platform and manager-fee terms.

Costs that sit outside the headline advisory rate

Underlying fund and product expenses

Mutual funds, ETFs and other products can have their own expenses. These reduce investment performance even when they are not shown as a separate deduction on the account statement. Ameriprise explicitly states that investment costs are in addition to the asset-based fee; Edward Jones likewise directs clients to the applicable program brochure and investment prospectuses.

Financial-planning fees

Ameriprise’s Financial Planning Service brochure says ongoing planning carries a financial-planning fee. A managed-account asset-based fee can be separate and additional, although an eligible client may choose a consolidated advisory-fee relationship.

Do not assume that “advisory fee” automatically includes a written financial plan, tax coordination, estate-planning coordination or every annual meeting. Ask both firms to identify the services included in the quoted rate and anything billed separately.

Trading and execution costs

A wrap fee can cover many routine agency transactions, but it does not necessarily eliminate every trading cost. Ameriprise discloses potential third-party execution costs for certain step-out trades. Edward Jones program brochures should be reviewed for the selected strategy and account.

Brokerage, retirement-account and service fees

A brokerage account is not priced like a managed advisory account. Commissions, sales loads, surrender charges, custodial fees, transfer charges, wires, returned checks or other service fees depend on the account and product. Use each firm’s current account agreement, service-fee schedule and product prospectus rather than a generic comparison-table number.

How to compare two actual proposals

Ask each advisor for a one-page annual-cost calculation using the same account balance and expected holdings. It should separately show:

advisory or program fee in both percentage and dollars;
platform fee;
manager or strategist fee;
financial-planning fee;
weighted average fund or product expense ratio;
expected transaction or step-out costs;
IRA, custody, transfer and service fees;
cash balance included in the asset-based fee;
discounts, householding and the asset level at which pricing changes; and
compensation the firm, affiliates or advisor receives from recommended products.

Then calculate:

Estimated annual cost = direct advisory/program fees + planning fees + product expenses + expected transaction costs + account/service fees.

A lower rate is not automatically better if the services or portfolios differ. Conversely, a broader service promise does not establish value unless the agreement identifies what will actually be delivered.

Questions to ask the advisor

Are you acting as an investment adviser, broker, or both for this recommendation?
Which exact program and disclosure brochure govern my account?
What is my all-in estimated first-year cost in dollars?
What is expected to change in later years?
Is financial planning included, separately billed or consolidated?
Which fees are negotiable, and what discount is written into my agreement?
Do affiliated products or third-party payments create a conflict?
What would the same portfolio cost in a brokerage account or another advisory program?
What charges apply if I transfer or terminate the relationship?

Edward Jones vs Ameriprise fee FAQ

Which firm is cheaper?

There is no responsible firm-wide winner without two account-specific proposals. Edward Jones publishes a maximum 1.35% program fee plus a maximum 0.05% platform fee for the first $250,000 in one current Fund Models program. Ameriprise discloses a negotiable advisory component up to 2.00%, plus program-specific platform and possible manager fees. Different programs and negotiated rates can change the result.

Does an asset-based fee include fund expenses?

Not necessarily. Both firms’ disclosures require attention to underlying investment expenses. Those costs reduce returns even when paid indirectly through a fund rather than deducted as a separate line item.

Does Ameriprise charge separately for financial planning?

It can. Ameriprise describes an annual financial-planning fee and a separate managed-account asset-based fee, while also offering an eligible consolidated relationship. The signed agreement determines which applies.

Is Edward Jones always 1.35%?

No. The 1.35% figure is the maximum first-tier program fee in the March 2026 Advisory Solutions Fund Models schedule. A platform fee applies, higher tiers decline, discounts can occur, and other Edward Jones programs use other schedules.

Where can I verify the firms?

Review each firm’s current brochures and relationship summary, and check regulatory records through the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure record for Edward Jones and Ameriprise Financial Services record.

Reviewed August 1, 2026. This independent educational comparison is not affiliated with either firm and is not investment, tax or legal advice. Fees, programs and disclosures change; use the current proposal, agreement, brochure, fee schedule and prospectus for your account.

For a one-fund retirement option, our 2026 target-date fund comparison explains fees, glide paths, target years, account availability, and rollover tradeoffs.