All mutual funds are not created equal. Some offer fees that are much higher than others. Often, unfortunately, it can be difficult to figure out the costs charged in a mutual fund. Fortunately, using the tools below you can easily figure out what kind of fees are being charged in a mutual fund investment. A 20 year old with a $25,000 401(k) balance, who was charged 1% additional fees in a mutual fund (total return of 11% instead of 10%) could have nearly 2 million less in his 401(k) at retirement. Use the great tool below to learn more about the fees charged.
- http://apps.finra.org/Investor_Information/EA/1/mfetf.aspx is a great tool provided by FINRA that allows you to assess the fees in a 401(k) before investing in it.
- http://www.sec.gov/answers/mffees.htm is a great guide to understanding mutual fund fees.