Investment fees are the silent wealth killer. A seemingly small difference — say 1.50% total fees versus 0.60% — doesn't sound like much. But over 25 years on a $250,000 portfolio with $12,000 in annual contributions, that 0.90% difference can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. The reason is compound growth: fees don't just take a cut of your returns each year, they reduce the base that compounds in every subsequent year.

There are two main types of fees this calculator models. Advisory fees are what your financial advisor charges for managing your portfolio — typically between 0.25% and 1.50% per year, depending on the firm and your account size. Fund expense ratios are embedded inside the mutual funds or ETFs you own — these range from 0.03% for low-cost index funds to over 1.00% for actively managed funds.

Together, these two fees make up your total annual cost of investing. Our calculator compounds both fees monthly against your portfolio growth, showing you year-by-year milestones so you can see exactly when the gap starts to widen — and how much retirement income you're giving up (calculated using the 4% safe withdrawal rule).

The Numbers Most Advisors Won't Show You

On a $500,000 portfolio paying 1.50% in total fees, you're paying $7,500 per year. That's $625 every month — before you've earned a dollar in returns. And as your portfolio grows, so does the dollar amount of fees you pay. A portfolio that grows to $1.5 million is now paying $22,500 per year in fees. The question isn't whether fees matter — it's whether you're getting enough value to justify what you're paying.

Important Disclaimers

This calculator projects growth using a fixed annual return minus fees, compounded monthly. It does not account for taxes, inflation, market volatility, or sequence-of-returns risk. Lower-fee options may differ in service level, investment approach, and portfolio composition. This tool is educational — not a recommendation to change advisors or investment strategy.