What is fixed financial planning?
Financial advice should be simple, transparent and fair. At Xentum, we believe the percentage-based charging model no longer serves clients well. That is why our service is built around fixed fee financial planning clear, consistent pricing that reflects real work and genuine value, not the size of your portfolio.
We are one of the UK’s leading advocates for transparent financial advice, helping people make informed decisions through our Movement of Clarity.
The big questions
Fixed fee financial planning means you pay for advice, not assets. Instead of a percentage that increases as your portfolio grows, you agree a transparent cost upfront. That fee covers the full planning process from discovery through to recommendations and review, with no hidden percentages, no commissions and no incentives that influence the advice you receive.
You know exactly what you are paying and why. The fee reflects the time, expertise and regulatory work involved, not market movements or investment balances. This creates a more honest relationship where the focus stays on your goals, your progress and the decisions that matter most to you giving you clarity, fairness and confidence from the start.
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1Question 01
What exactly am I paying for?
You are paying for professional advice, detailed planning and ongoing support, not for the size of your portfolio. The fee reflects the time, expertise and regulatory work required to build a plan that genuinely supports your goals.
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2Question 02
Why is a fixed fee fairer than a percentage charge?
A fixed fee is based on the work involved, not the value of your assets. It removes the imbalance where two clients with similar needs are charged differently and ensures every recommendation is made for the right reason.
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3Question 03
How do I know the advice is independent and unbiased?
Fixed fees remove the incentives that can influence advice. With no commissions or percentage-based income, the focus stays entirely on what is best for you, supported by our FCA regulation and transparent process.
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4Question 04
What should a fair financial planning fee include?
A fair fee covers the full journey: discovery, analysis, planning, recommendations and review. Everything is explained upfront, so you know exactly what you will receive and what it will cost before any work begins.
Why Percentage Fees Don’t Reflect Value Anymore
Percentage-based charging was created when advisers were mainly investment managers. The industry still uses the line “when you succeed, we succeed” as proof of alignment but in reality, it means the adviser’s income rises automatically when markets go up, even if nothing about the work changes. Modern financial planning deserves better than that.
Fixed fees remove that conflict and put the focus back where it belongs: on the client, the planning and the decisions that move a life forward
Compare fees with our free calculator
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1Question 01
Isn’t “when you succeed, we succeed” a sign of alignment?
Not really. It simply means the adviser earns more when your investments rise, even if they haven’t done anything extra to support you. It’s a commission by another name. Fixed fees break that link and ensure the planner is paid for their work, not your market performance.
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2Question 02
Does percentage charging change what advisers focus on?
Yes. Percentage fees encourage asset-first thinking because income depends on the portfolio. Fixed fees shift the focus back to you , your goals, your priorities and the decisions that matter most.
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3Question 03
Why do two clients with similar needs pay different fees?
Because percentage models charge based on wealth, not work. One client may pay double simply because they have a larger portfolio. Fixed fees bring fairness back by linking the cost to the complexity of the planning, not the size of the assets.
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4Question 04
Why is it hard to understand what you’re paying under a percentage model?
Because the fee changes with market movements, not with the work being done. When costs drift up and down unpredictably, clarity disappears. Fixed fees give you one transparent number from the start.
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5Question 05
Does percentage charging influence adviser behaviour?
It can. When income is tied to invested assets, advice can lean towards keeping money in portfolios, even when life goals require flexibility. Fixed fees support better conversations about spending, gifting, retiring earlier and making life decisions with confidence.
