Investment Fees Impact Calculator
See how ongoing management fees reduce your investment balance over time compared with a fee-free scenario.
Your results
Calculation breakdown
- Balance with fee
- compounds each year at (return − fee), plus contributions
- Balance without fee
- compounds each year at return, plus contributions
- Fee cost
- balance without fee − balance with fee
Worked example
Starting with $30,000, contributing $5,000 a year at a 7% expected return, a 1% annual fee over 20 years costs roughly $60,000 in lost balance compared with a fee-free scenario.
Assumptions
- Uses the fee rate you enter; check your fund's actual Product Disclosure Statement for the real figure.
- Assumes fees and returns compound annually with contributions added at year end.
- Does not model tax on earnings or contributions.
How this calculator works
Compound your starting balance and annual contributions at your expected return, with and without an ongoing percentage fee, to see the dollar impact of fees over your investment horizon. Even a small annual fee can meaningfully reduce a long-term balance through lost compounding.
Frequently asked questions
What fee rate should I use?
Check your fund's Product Disclosure Statement for the management expense ratio (MER) plus any platform or adviser fees.
Does this include entry or exit fees?
No, this models an ongoing annual percentage fee only; add one-off fees separately to your total cost comparison.
Why does a 1% fee make such a big difference?
Fees compound in reverse to returns, so a fee charged every year reduces the base amount that grows in every future year too.
Results are estimates only and are not financial, tax, legal or credit advice.