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Mutual Fund Calculator

Project mutual fund growth with expense ratios eating into returns over time. See exactly how much of your gain a 1% vs 0.05% fee costs over decades.

Inputs

Index funds: 0.03-0.10%. Active funds: 0.50-1.50%.
Future value (after fees)
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Total contributed
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Future value at 0% fee
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Cost of fees over period
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Fee cost as % of would-be gain
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About Mutual Fund Calculator

Why fees compound

Each year, fees skim a percentage of your balance, not your contribution. Over decades, even 0.5% extra fee on $500k = $2,500/year forever. A 1% vs 0.05% difference can shave $200k+ off a 30-year retirement portfolio.

Index vs active

Index funds match a market index (S&P 500, total stock). Active funds try to beat the market. After fees, most active funds underperform their benchmark — Standard & Poor’s SPIVA report consistently shows 80%+ of active funds losing to their index over 15 years.

What to look for

Expense ratio under 0.20% for index funds. No load (no upfront sales charge). No 12b-1 fees. Diversified holdings. Long fund history (10+ years). Vanguard, Fidelity, Schwab, iShares all offer competitive index funds.