Investment Fee Calculator
See how much investment fees really cost you over time. A 1% fee can eat 25%+ of your returns over 30 years.
Starting balance or lump sum
How much you add each month
Estimated annual return before fees
Investment time horizon
Expense ratio or advisory fee (e.g., 0.03 for index fund, 1.5 for active fund)
Future Value (With Fees)
$1M
Future Value (Without Fees)
$2M
Total Fees Paid
$455,744
Returns Lost to Fees
27.9%
Fee Impact Over Time
Year-by-Year Breakdown
| Year | Balance (With Fee) | Balance (Without Fee) | Cumulative Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $65,184 | $66,079 | $895 |
| 2 | $81,224 | $83,321 | $2,097 |
| 3 | $98,170 | $101,809 | $3,640 |
| 4 | $116,071 | $121,634 | $5,563 |
| 5 | $134,982 | $142,892 | $7,910 |
| 6 | $154,959 | $165,686 | $10,727 |
| 7 | $176,064 | $190,129 | $14,065 |
| 8 | $198,359 | $216,338 | $17,979 |
| 9 | $221,911 | $244,442 | $22,531 |
| 10 | $246,792 | $274,578 | $27,785 |
| 11 | $273,077 | $306,892 | $33,815 |
| 12 | $300,844 | $341,542 | $40,697 |
| 13 | $330,178 | $378,697 | $48,519 |
| 14 | $361,166 | $418,538 | $57,371 |
| 15 | $393,902 | $461,259 | $67,356 |
| 16 | $428,485 | $507,068 | $78,583 |
| 17 | $465,019 | $556,189 | $91,170 |
| 18 | $503,613 | $608,861 | $105,248 |
| 19 | $544,384 | $665,340 | $120,956 |
| 20 | $587,455 | $725,902 | $138,447 |
| 21 | $632,956 | $790,843 | $157,887 |
| 22 | $681,023 | $860,478 | $179,454 |
| 23 | $731,802 | $935,147 | $203,345 |
| 24 | $785,445 | $1M | $229,768 |
| 25 | $842,114 | $1M | $258,954 |
| 26 | $901,979 | $1M | $291,150 |
| 27 | $965,221 | $1M | $326,624 |
| 28 | $1M | $1M | $365,667 |
| 29 | $1M | $2M | $408,593 |
| 30 | $1M | $2M | $455,744 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How Investment Fees Destroy Wealth
Even small fees compound into enormous losses over time. A 1% annual fee doesn't sound like much — but over 30 years, it can consume 25-30% of your total returns. A 2% fee can eat nearly half.
This is why low-cost index funds (0.03-0.10% fees) are the foundation of FIRE investing. Compared to actively managed funds charging 1-2%, the difference over decades is literally hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The math: $50,000 invested with $1,000/month contributions at 7% return over 30 years yields about $1,230,000 with a 0.05% fee, but only about $940,000 with a 1.5% fee. That's nearly $290,000 lost to fees.