Ratios over that are generally considered high. A good ratio is generally viewed as one between 0.5% and 0.75%, balancing cost and value. Note that, because portfolios of actively managed funds must be managed in real time, those funds usually have greater expense ratios than passively managed funds.
It can depend on the type of fund. Equity mutual fund expense ratios average 0.42%, according to 2023 data from the Investment Company Institute. Hybrid funds average 0.58% and bond funds average 0.37%. 4 A mutual fund expense ratio that is at or below the average is ideal.
According to Morningstar, the average ETF price is 0.45%. So, at first sight, any ETF expense ratio above that value has to justify its costs with an outstanding performance.
A fund with a high expense ratio could cost you 10 times – maybe more – what you might otherwise pay. Typically, any expense ratio higher than 1 percent is high and should be avoided.
Key Takeaways
A reasonable expense ratio for an actively managed portfolio is about 0.5% to 0.75%, while an expense ratio greater than 1.5% is typically considered high these days. For passive funds, the average expense ratio is about 0.12%.
Investors generally look for a 'good' expense ratio when selecting MFs. Good expense ratios can vary depending on whether the fund is actively or passively managed. Typically, expense ratios between 0.5% and 0.75% are considered 'good' for actively managed funds. Ratios above 1.5% are considered high.
Generally considered cost-efficient if the expense ratio is below 0.2%, with some options as low as 0.03%.
Fund B has an expense ratio of 0.75%. Again, this tells us that it is likely an actively managed fund and that we pay $75 for every $10,000 we invest. While that doesn't sound like a lot, it can add up over the course of 30 years, or once you have hundreds of thousands of dollars invested.
From the investor's perspective, an effectively managed portfolio's expense ratio should be between 0.5% and 0.75%. A high expense ratio is one that is larger than 1.5 percent. This means that for every $100 you invest in the fund, you can expect to pay no more than $1 in fees and expenses.
SPY is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.0945%, versus 0.03% for VOO. SPY is up 28.31% year-to-date (YTD) with +$7.13B in YTD flows. VOO performs better with 28.36% YTD performance, and +$103.99B in YTD flows.
Imagine, for example, that a fund carries an expense ratio of 0.25. That means that for every dollar you invest into the fund, you will pay 0.25 percent in fees each year. In other words, for every $10,000 you invest in the fund, you'll be on the hook for $25 worth of fees.
For a typical 401(k) plan, the expense ratio should be no higher than 2% and more likely in the 1.0% to 1.5% range. The lower the expense ratio the better, with higher fees eating into profits.
50% of your net income should go towards living expenses and essentials (Needs), 20% of your net income should go towards debt reduction and savings (Debt Reduction and Savings), and 30% of your net income should go towards discretionary spending (Wants).
Invesco QQQ's total expense ratio is 0.20%. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate, and shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be higher or lower than performance quoted.
The SPY comes with an 0.09% expense ratio, which is the ETF equivalent of fund management fees. An investor who invests $100,000 into the SPY ETF must pay $90 as management fees.
Generally, low-cost equity ETFs will have a net expense ratio of no more than 0.25%. Low-cost equity mutual funds will have expense ratios of 0.5% or lower. Low-cost bond ETFs often have expense ratios under 0.2%, while low-cost bond mutual funds typically have an expense ratio of 0.4% or lower.
Lower Expense Ratio Means Larger Profit
A $10,000 investment in Fund A, whose expense ratio is only 0.15%, will grow to $57,435 (before fees) over the course of 30 years. A total of $2,389 in fees will be taken out during that time so that the net earnings on the initial $10,000 investment total $45,046.
For instance, if an index fund charges an expense ratio of 0.35% and you invested $15,000 for the entire year, you would pay $52.50 in fees.
Low expense ratio: VOO has an expense ratio of 0.03%, one of the lowest among S&P 500 ETFs. This is cost-effective as the value of the investment grows over time.
Is 0.8 expense ratio high? For an actively managed fund, a 0.8% TER is considered relatively low. However, always compare TERs within similar fund categories. An index fund with a 0.8% TER might be considered slightly high compared to others in the same category.
If an expense ratio was . 08%, that would only be $8 for every 10,000 invested.
Investors usually look for a company to have a debt ratio between 0.3 (30%) and 0.6 (60%). From a pure risk perspective, debt ratios of 0.4 (40%) or lower are considered better, while a debt ratio of 0.6 (60%) or higher makes it more difficult to borrow money.
So, if a scheme charges 0.2% as expense ratio, what it essentially means is that 0.2% of AUM will be used to cover operating and administrative expenses of the funds.