Fee-only: Fee-only financial advisors are paid directly by you, the client, for their services. You can choose to pay in a wide variety of ways (a good thing). You can choose an advisor that is paid hourly, with a retainer (money paid up front to secure services, typically a few thousand dollars annually)—if they buy and sell investments for you—as a percentage of that money aka assets under management (AUM), or as a flat fee.
