How to avoid exit fees
Avoiding exit fees is not that difficult if you can wade through all the account documents you've been given with your investment. First of all, check for the exact dates after which your investment will be free of all or most exit fees. Mark them on your calendar so you know exactly when you can cash out if you should choose.
Some exit fees can't be avoided, and in those cases, your best bet is to plan for them and budget them into your investment as a known expense. This way, you won't be counting on, say, a 6% yield when you've got exit fees that reduce that figure to 4%. Knowing that you have an exit fee on the horizon can help you choose investments that make more sense for your investing goals.