In this edition of The Motley Fool's "Ask a Fool" series, Motley Fool analyst Jason Moser takes a question from a reader who asks:
I have some cash to reinvest as the cash is sitting in my money market. I am 56 years old, and trying to set myself up for retirement. Recently an advisor gave me the Edward Jones prospectus that calls for a 1.4% load fee and monthly fees thereafter. My husband says this is too much money. What say you?
Fees can be an investor's worst enemy if not kept in check. Load fees and monthly fees thereafter will eat into your returns. Jason reminds investors only to invest in the stock market with money they won't need for at least five years. From there, one good place to start looking at different low-fee fund options is Vanguard. One of the keystones of the Vanguard philosophy is keeping costs for the individual investor low. On average, Vanguard mutual fund expense ratios are 82% lower than the industry average. While there are management, marketing, and administrative fees associated with any fund, Vanguard chooses to keep those fees low. Low fees and excellent performance over time win Vanguard loyal customers. Of course, Vanguard isn't the only option out there today, but it's certainly a good place to start shopping.
Watch the video below to find out more.
