What your investment fees actually cost
A 0.85% expense ratio sounds harmless. Over thirty years it is not. Here is how to see the real number.
Fees are quoted as percentages because percentages feel small. Compounded over a working lifetime, the same number is usually the largest single line item in a portfolio.
Convert percentages to dollars
Multiply the expense ratio by the balance to see this year's cost, then project it forward at your expected return. The dollar figure changes the conversation.
Look for the fees you did not agree to
Advisory wrap fees, platform fees, and fund-level expenses stack. Each one is disclosed somewhere; almost none are shown together.
Compare, then decide
Sometimes a higher fee buys planning you actually use. The point is not that fees are evil — it is that you should be paying them on purpose.
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