Fees

Betcha don’t know all the fees you’re paying – and we mean ALL the fees. Sometimes fees matter, sometimes they don’t. Here we reveal the latest on when fees count and where to find hard-to-find fees.

Exclusive Interview: Frontline Producer Explains Controversial 401k Documentary – The Final Take

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | May 3, 2013

As bad a some industry players are, it’s always caveat emptor. Both plan sponsors, in their role as fiduciaries, and 401k investors must assume personal responsible and be accountable for their own retirement.

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 401k, Alicia Munnell, Alison Farrin, BrightScope, Dan Egan, David Rae, Daylian Cain, disclosure, Eleanor Singer, fee, fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Frontlne, hidden fee, Hilary Martin, index fund, Journal of Communication, Martin Smith, Mike Alfred, PBS, plan sponsor, Profit Sharing Corporation of America, PSCA, retirement, Ryan Knutson, Savings, The Retirement Gamble, Tim Wochok, Vanguard | 4 Responses

Exclusive Interview: Frontline Producer Explains Controversial 401k Documentary – The Ugly

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | May 2, 2013

In choosing ratings points over debate points, Smith sacrificed the logic of the straight-forward for the pyrotechnics of a religious argument, and, in doing so, lost credibility with that portion of his audience that knew better.

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 401k, 401k Averages Book, Andrew Gracan, BrightScope, Dallas Salisbury, David Huntley, David Rae, Demos, disclosure, EBRI, Elliot Orsillo, Employee Benefit Research Institute, expense ratio, fee, fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Frontlne, hidden fee, index fund, John Bogle, Joseph Valleta, Martin Smith, Mike Alfred, nevin adams, PBS, plan sponsor, retirement, Robert Hiltonsmith, Roger Wohlner, Ryan Knutson, Savings, Teresa Ghilarducci, The Retirement Gamble, Tim Wochok, Vanguard | 2 Responses

Exclusive Interview: Frontline Producer Explains Controversial 401k Documentary – The Bad

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | May 1, 2013

In that drive for ratings points, producers often – willingly or unwillingly – must make a pact with the devil.

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 401k, bundled providers, conflict of interest, expense ratio, fee, fiduciary, Fiduciary Rule, Fiduciary Standard, Frontlne, hidden fee, Hilary Martin, Holmes Osborne, Martin Smith, MEP, Multiple Employer Plans, PBS, Phyllis Borzi, plan sponsor, Roger Wohlner, Ryan Knutson, suitability standard, The Retirement Gamble, Tim Wochok, Vanguard | 4 Responses

Exclusive Interview: Frontline Producer Explains Controversial 401k Documentary – The Good

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | April 30, 2013

If they only stayed on the straight and narrow path, they would have proved their point.

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 401k, Craig Morningstar, David Rae, Elliot Orsillo, expense ratio, fee, fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, Frontlne, hidden fee, Hilary Martin, John Bogle, Martin Smith, Neda Jafazadeh, PBS, plan sponsor, Roger Wohlner, Ryan Knutson, The Retirement Gamble, Thomas Balcom, Vanguard | 4 Responses

Finance Pros Sound Off on E*Trade Ad Controversy

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | February 20, 2013

A talking baby is cute, but is this a case of the pot calling the kettle black?

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 12b-1, Alexey Bulankov, David Rae, Dean Bahniuk, eTrade, hidden fees, Maxime Rieman, revenue sharing, Roger Wolhner | 2 Responses

401k Fee Disclosure: What 6 Months Tells Us

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | December 11, 2012

A warning is not the same as protection.

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 401k, 404(a)(5), 408(b)(2), Daylian Cain, DOL, Edward Marshall, ERISA, Fee Disclosure Rule, fiduciary, Marko Ungashick, NEPC Study, Pat Brault, Paula Hendrickson, plan sponsor, retirement, Robert Richter, Roger Wohlner, saving, Yale | 4 Responses

What’s a Fair Fee to Pay a Fiduciary

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | October 2, 2012

When it comes to fees, abide these 3 rules of thumb.

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Posted in Education, Fees | Tagged fee, fiduciary, Fiduciary Standard, trustee | 7 Responses

Experts Advise 401k Plan Sponsors on 408(b)(2) Fee Disclosure Template

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | July 31, 2012

Did the DOL miss the boat by not offering a definitive “apples-to-apples” comparison template?

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 401k, 408(b)(2), Brooks Mosley, Chace Cannon, Covered Service Provider, CSP, DOL, James Holland, Karen Matingou, Larry Karle, Mike DiCenso, Pete Swisher, Susan Conrad | 2 Responses

401k Plan Sponsors and the Mutual Fund Expense Ratio Wild Goose Chase

By Christopher Carosa, CTFA | July 3, 2012

Any talk of mutual fund expense ratios only diverts attention away from the true issue at hand – what are the true costs of those non-mutual fund products that make up nearly half of all 401k investments?

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Posted in Fees | Tagged 12b-1, 401k, Carhartt, David Abbey, DOL, expense ratio, Fee Disclosure Rule, fiduciary, ICI, load, mutual fund, passive-active | 3 Responses