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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here. Thank you all for the recommendations and help! Based on everything I’ve read, I’m trying to decide between one of the following:

1. Call Atwood (thank you to the PP for this recommendation! She sounds very promising) and pay by the hour before firing FA. Get her professional opinion on existing portfolio and take next steps she recommends. 
2. Fire FA immediately and tell him I want to self manage (Wells Fargo). Work with CPA to streamline investing and figure out tax advantageous plan. 
3. Open account with discount brokerage (Schwab, Fidelity, etc). and get them to move stuff over from WF on my behalf. Then fire FA. 
4. Ask FA to reduce fee to .35% AUM to match discount brokerage FA fees. (Husband suggested this and thinks we should hear him out, I don’t, especially considering all the fees we’re paying to be “diversified”.).

To be clear, I don’t want to look for a new FA that charges any kind of AUM fees. I really like the idea of the hourly help (Atwood) recommendation. I’m just not sure WHEN in this process I should fire my FA.

Thoughts? Thank you, DCUM! [/quote]

I'm the PP that recommended 1 and 2 so keep that in mind when you consider this sequence :-).  Keep in mind that neither I nor most people trying to help you here are financial advisors and you should apply your common sense filter on all recommendations.

Step 1 - Fire FA (You are paying at least $25/day); Move to self-managed within Wells Fargo. Don't overthink this. They don't really care and you'd be surprised that they won't even try to hold you back. That's what happened to me. Don't buy or sell anything new for now.
2 - Work with Atwood or any other advisor you like. Like other PPs recommended, call at least three and pick the one you are most comfortable with. Get a plan in place. Ask if they do tax planning as well and follow their advice.
3 - Make sure you sell all your mutual funds BEFORE you move out of Wells Fargo. Some brokerages charge a fee to move mutual funds to another brokerage. Once you move, you will pay a sales fee on those funds because they are not 'native' mutual funds. Your advisor may miss this aspect of things.
4 - Once all transactions are complete, contact a brokerage you like (e.g. Schwab or Fidelity). Lay down the rules, so to speak. Tell them that you will move to their shop and self manage IF they take care of all the paperwork, etc. to help you move funds out of Wells at no cost to you. Expect good service. Ask them to credit your transfer fees (which Wells Fargo will charge). Also check if they are running any promotions to get your money (https://www.bankrate.com/investing/best-brokerage-account-bonuses/) and make sure you to get it. It may work better if you just walk into one of their local offices and deal with all this after you have done your research.
5 - Execute the long-term investment plan that your advisor from (2) laid out for you.

Agree with the other PP about not working with current FA. They have already cost you a lot (not just the fees but the high cost funds). You don't owe them anything.

Good luck![/quote]

I posted just before this post.  Follow this PP's excellent advice as laid out![/quote]

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