Tough Retirement Questions: How can I find out what fees I am paying in my 401(k) plan?


This post is part of a series where retirement expert Dan Solin offers simple answers to the ten toughest retirement questions. See all 10.

Q: How can I find out what fees I'm paying in my 401(k) plan?

A: There is over $6 trillion invested in 401(k) plans.

It is a pot of gold that sends advisors, insurance companies and the mutual fund industry into a feeding frenzy of fee gouging.

Most 401(k) plans are polluted with unnecessary fees, some of which are disclosed and many of which are not.

It is a national disgrace that is imperiling a secure retirement for millions of hard working employees.

Ask your Human Resources Department or Plan Administrator for a breakdown of all fees in your plan. If they can't -- or won't -- give it to you, ask them to order a fee audit, where specially trained accountants can make this determination.

Remember, all costs in these plans directly affect your returns. You have a right to know what they are.

Dan Solin is the author of The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read (Perigee Books 2006) and The Smartest 401(k) Book You'll Ever Read (Perigee Books, June 24, 2008)

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