The Fee You Ignore

An expense ratio is the annual fee a fund charges, shown as a percentage of your investment. It sounds tiny — what is 1% really? But fees compound. Over 30 years on a $100,000 portfolio, the gap between a 0.04% and a 1% expense ratio can quietly cost you well over $100,000 in lost growth. Checking the expense ratio before you invest is the single easiest way to keep more of your own money.