Investment Fee Calculator
Quantify how a higher expense ratio or advisory fee reduces your ending portfolio over decades compared with a low-cost option.
Your numbers
- Ending value, low fee
- $1,798,140
- Ending value, high fee
- $1,455,768
- Share of low-fee balance lost
- 19.04%
- 0.05% fee
- 1% fee
How the investment fee calculator works
We grow both portfolios with the same gross return but subtract each fee from the annual return, then compare the ending values.
Example
Using the default inputs (Starting balance: $50,000; Monthly contribution: $1,000; Gross annual return: 7.5%; Years: 30; Low-fee option: 0.05%; …), the calculator returns lost to higher fees of $342,372. Change any field above to see your own result and charts update instantly.
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Frequently asked questions
Do small fees really matter?
A 1% difference in fees can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over a career because it compounds.
What is a low fee?
Broad index funds often charge 0.03%–0.10%; many active funds charge 0.5%–1.5%.
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Estimates are for educational purposes only and are not financial, tax or legal advice. Results depend on your inputs and simplified assumptions; tax figures reflect 2026 federal rules and may differ from your situation. See our disclaimer. © 2026 FinanzCalc.