The short answer
An AI receptionist for financial advisors built on HighLevel Voice AI costs about $0.24 per answered call, or $19 a month for 80 calls averaging 3 minutes, phone line included. Roughly 16 of those calls (20%) would come outside office hours, which is where an AI answering service earns its keep. Emergencies, complaints and anything needing judgment should go to a person.
What the AI should handle
Book an introductory meeting
Asks how the caller heard about the firm, whether a client referred them, and what they want help with in a sentence, then books a meeting on the right advisor's calendar.
Route money movement requests
Records that a client wants a withdrawal or transfer and transfers the call or sends an urgent task to client service, without taking account numbers or confirming anything.
Answer firm logistics
Gives office hours, address, parking, meeting options and a plain description of how the firm is paid, using approved wording, and offers to send the firm's disclosure brochure.
Route worried clients quickly
When a client calls about the market, takes a message, books a call with their advisor, and says the advisor will talk it through, without commenting on markets or investments itself.
What to send to a person
- Any investment, tax or retirement recommendation
- Withdrawals, transfers and trades
- Changes to beneficiaries or account ownership
- Complaints, which the firm needs to log and review
HighLevel's voice agents can transfer a live call, create a task, or trigger a workflow that texts the owner. Set the handoff rules before the agent goes live.
Cost per call and per month
Assumptions for a typical advisory firm: 80 calls a month answered by the AI, averaging 3 minutes. Phone minutes are billed per call and rounded up, so each call bills 3 phone minutes at $0.01165.
| Setup | AI cost | Phone line | Per month | Per call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay per use, Standard voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $16.32 | $2.80 | $19 | $0.24 |
| Pay per use, ElevenLabs voice, GPT-4.1 Mini | $21.12 | $2.80 | $24 | $0.30 |
| Pay per use, speech-to-speech (OpenAI) | $48.00 | $2.80 | $51 | $0.63 |
| AI Employee Unlimited, $97 flat | $97.00 | $2.80 | $100 | $1.25 |
The breakdown of every Voice AI charge is in our Voice AI pricing guide. Agencies can price this as a monthly service with the calculator's Price a client tab, preloaded for a advisory firm.
Compared with staff time
Those 80 calls take about 4 hours of talk time a month. At the US median receptionist wage of $18.27 an hour (May 2025, Bureau of Labor Statistics), that talk time alone is worth about $73, before hold time, breaks, benefits and the calls that come in after hours. An AI receptionist does not replace a good front desk; it catches the overflow and the evenings, and frees staff for the people in front of them.
Sample call
AI AGENTThank you for calling Clearwater Wealth Partners. I'm the firm's virtual assistant. How can I help today?
CALLERMy friend Tom Avery works with Sarah and said I should talk to her about retiring next year.
AI AGENTThank you, I'll note that Tom referred you. Sarah starts with a 30-minute introductory meeting to understand your situation. Would you like that in the office or by video?
CALLERVideo. Should I roll over my 401k first?
AI AGENTThat's something Sarah will want to cover with you directly, since I can't give investment advice. She has Tuesday at 10 or Wednesday at 2. Which suits you?
CALLERWednesday at 2.
AI AGENTYou're set for Wednesday at 2 with Sarah. I'll email the video link and a short list of statements that help to have on hand.
CALLERPerfect.
Prompt tips
- Tip 1Give the AI one approved sentence for declining investment questions and tell it to use that sentence every time rather than improvising.
- Tip 2Have compliance review the full prompt and knowledge base before launch, and keep the approved version with its date as you would any other client communication.
- Tip 3Tell the AI never to take account numbers, balances or Social Security numbers, and to route anything involving moving money to client service.
Rules to watch
No advice from the AI. The SEC marketing rule bars adviser advertisements containing untrue statements, claims the adviser cannot substantiate, or benefits described without fair and balanced treatment of the risks. Keep the AI to scheduling and logistics, give it approved wording for describing services, and have it decline any question about what to buy, sell or hold.
Keeping written communications. Advisers Act Rule 204-2 requires keeping written communications relating to advice and recommendations, and the SEC has flagged texting and messaging apps as a recordkeeping risk. Before texting clients from HighLevel, confirm with compliance that those messages are captured, or keep texts to scheduling only.
FINRA rules for registered reps. Advisors who are also registered representatives follow FINRA Rule 2210, which requires communications to be fair and balanced and bans promissory or exaggerated claims and performance projections. Retail communications generally need principal approval before use, so route email campaigns through that review.
General information, not legal advice.
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Questions
Can an AI receptionist give financial advice?
What does AI call answering cost an advisory firm?
Should AI receptionist calls be recorded at an advisory firm?
Can the AI handle a client who is upset about the market?
Sources
- SEC: Investment Adviser Marketing, small entity compliance guide
- SEC risk alert: Observations from investment adviser examinations relating to electronic messaging
- FINRA Rule 2210: Communications with the public
- HighLevel AI voice agents overview (help center)
- HighLevel AI product pricing (help center)
- HighLevel pricing
- HighLevel AI product pricing (help center)
- AI Voice Agents overview
- HighLevel Phone System pricing and billing guide
- BLS Occupational Outlook: Receptionists (May 2025 pay)