"You're not charging for access to services. You're charging for a coordinated outcome. That's not what a traditional advisor does. That's what a Family CFO does."
Traditional advisors charge AUM and call it comprehensive. The client gets a portfolio review and an annual statement. You're doing the opposite: charging for comprehensive coordination, with AUM management included as one of the tools deployed. That inversion changes everything about how you're perceived and how sticky you become.
Done correctly, the retainer model does three things simultaneously: it produces predictable monthly cash flow, it creates deep client retention (they can't easily recreate this coordination elsewhere), and it positions you as a Family CFO — a category with no direct competitors — rather than another advisor charging a fee.
Each contract documents two revenue streams separately: (1) the planning retainer fee, and (2) the AUM management fee embedded within it. The client experiences one relationship and one billing relationship. Your financials show two segregated revenue lines — one priced at a 6–8× planning multiple, one priced at a 10–15× AUM multiple. This is the difference between a $35M exit and a $70M exit on the same revenue base.
Each tier is designed around a natural client threshold — not arbitrary price points. The client moves up as their complexity, AUM, and business involvement grows. Carey manages tier relationships; Dana architects complex cases; Ryan manages all AUM.
| Service Component | Foundation $36K/yr |
Architect $60K/yr |
Principal $120K/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax Architecture Analysis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Income Architecture Audit™ (12-point) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Freedom Index™ Scoring | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 90-Day Priority Plan™ (quarterly) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Advisor Coordination (CPA, attorney) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coordination calls per year | 4 / year | 12 / year | Unlimited |
| ValuCompass™ Business Advisory | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Exit Tax Planning & Pre-Sale Structuring | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Annual Board of Advisors Strategy Meeting | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| AUM Management (Ryan) | 75 bps add-on | 50 bps included | 40 bps included |
| Multi-entity & Family Coordination | — | — | ✓ |
| Direct Dana Cornell Access | — | — | ✓ |
| Estate & Legacy Planning Coordination | — | — | ✓ |
| Priority 24-Hour Response | — | — | ✓ |
Each scenario below shows the blended economics per client per year. AUM fees are documented separately from planning retainers in all contracts — this segregation is critical for exit valuation.
Assume 50 clients at Year 3: 20 Foundation, 25 Architect, 5 Principal. Here's how a rollup buyer values each revenue stream:
| Revenue Stream | Annual Revenue | Exit Multiple | Exit Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning retainers (all tiers) | $2,145,000 | 7× | $15,015,000 |
| AUM fees (Foundation — 75bps) | $112,500 | 12× | $1,350,000 |
| AUM fees (Architect — 50bps) | $375,000 | 12× | $4,500,000 |
| AUM fees (Principal — 40bps) | $160,000 | 12× | $1,920,000 |
| Total — 50 Retainer Clients | $2,792,500 | Blended 8.2× | $22,785,000 |
50 retainer clients generates ~$22.8M in exit value on its own — before tax plan revenue, before WAN, before acquired advisor books. Add $300M AUM from book acquisitions at 85 bps × 12× = another $30.6M. Total blended exit value: $50M–$70M from a business with 50 planning clients and $300M AUM. The retainer model isn't just good for cash flow — it's the architecture of the exit.
Every retainer agreement should contain two clearly separated fee disclosures. This is not complex — it's a standard wealth management engagement letter with an addendum. Your compliance counsel should review before use.
Your CPA files. We engineer. The difference is $40,000–$150,000+ annually in legal savings most business owners never find because no one is looking for them.
Most portfolios are built to grow. Very few are built to replace your income. We measure your Freedom Index™ — then close the gap systematically.
Your business is probably your largest asset. We run ValuCompass™ — a professional valuation plus 18-driver improvement roadmap — so it's worth what it should be when you're ready to exit.
We sit at the center of your advisory team — aligning your CPA, attorney, and investment advisor around a single architecture. One point of accountability. No more gaps.
Every engagement starts with a Wealth Diagnostic — a no-obligation analysis of your tax, income, and business value gaps. Most clients identify $50,000–$200,000 in annual structural inefficiency in the first meeting.