Comments on: New Tool: Portfolio MER Calculator http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/ Where personal finance & frugal living are sexy, delicious, and fun. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:39:00 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Fox http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/comment-page-1/#comment-26818 Fox Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:37:02 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/#comment-26818 Hi Ken, I initially created the "Portfolio MER Calculator" to see the full impact of fees on my own mutual funds. After playing with the results, I decided to share my tool with others. I'm not surprised that mutual fund companies don't share this data with investors. This calculator uses the proportions (portfolio %) of each fund and the portfolio total amount to calculate the actual dollar amount in each fund. The MER for each of these is then used to calculate the expense for each fund. These are added up to give you the total yearly expense, which in turn is used to calculate an average MER. The tool does not take growth throughout the year into account, and also assumes that the portfolio percentages add up to 100%. Hi Ken,

I initially created the “Portfolio MER Calculator” to see the full impact of fees on my own mutual funds. After playing with the results, I decided to share my tool with others. I’m not surprised that mutual fund companies don’t share this data with investors.

This calculator uses the proportions (portfolio %) of each fund and the portfolio total amount to calculate the actual dollar amount in each fund. The MER for each of these is then used to calculate the expense for each fund. These are added up to give you the total yearly expense, which in turn is used to calculate an average MER.

The tool does not take growth throughout the year into account, and also assumes that the portfolio percentages add up to 100%.

]]> By: Ken Kivenko http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/comment-page-1/#comment-26805 Ken Kivenko Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:07:07 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/#comment-26805 I think your calculator helps in protecting investors. Can you provide implicit assumptions behind it and the algorithm? Ken Kivenko Chair, Advisory Committee SIPA I think your calculator helps in protecting investors. Can you provide implicit assumptions behind it and the algorithm?

Ken Kivenko
Chair, Advisory Committee SIPA

]]> By: fox http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/comment-page-1/#comment-98 fox Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:45:21 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/#comment-98 Thanks for your kind comment DC! I am beyond thrilled you found value in the MER Calculator! Indeed, it's amazing how those MERs add up. Thanks for your kind comment DC! I am beyond thrilled you found value in the MER Calculator! Indeed, it’s amazing how those MERs add up.

]]> By: DC http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/comment-page-1/#comment-97 DC Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:34:45 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/12/new-tool-portfolio-mer-calculator/#comment-97 Great tool! A real eye opener, and makes me really want to move towards lower MER index funds (currently in the process of opening a TD e-Series Account!) Thanks for your work! Great tool! A real eye opener, and makes me really want to move towards lower MER index funds (currently in the process of opening a TD e-Series Account!) Thanks for your work!

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