Investment Return After Fees Calculator
Net return after fees eat into gross return.
Calculate net investment return after fund fees, platform fees, and other charges. Enter gross return and principal to see net return and fee drag.
What this tool does
Enter gross return and total fee percentage. The tool shows net return and fee drag.
Enter Values
Formula Used
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Disclaimer
Results are estimates for educational purposes only. They do not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
7% gross return minus 1.5% total fees = 5.5% net. Over 30 years on 100,000: gross 761,000; net 498,000. Fees eat 263,000 — 35% of the gross outcome. Small-sounding fees compound into large long-term costs.
Run it with sensible defaults
Using gross return of 7%, total fee of 1.5%, principal of 100,000, years of 30, the calculation works out to 5.50%. Nudge the inputs toward your own situation and the output recalculates instantly. The defaults are meant as a starting point, not a recommendation.
The levers in this calculation
The inputs — Gross Return %, Total Fee %, Principal, and Years — do not pull with equal force. The rate and the time horizon usually dominate — compounding means a small change in either reshapes the final figure more than a similar shift in contribution size. Test this by doubling one input at a time.
How the math works
Simple subtraction of fees from gross return. Future values computed on both for comparison. The working is transparent — you can verify every step yourself in the formula section below. No black box, no opaque "proprietary model".
Why investors run this
Most people's intuition for compounding is wrong — not because the math is hard, but because linear thinking doesn't account for curves. Running numbers through a calculator like this one is the cheapest way to recalibrate that intuition before making an irreversible decision about contribution rate, asset mix, or retirement age.
What this doesn't capture
Steady-rate math ignores real-world volatility. Actual returns are lumpy; sequence-of-returns risk matters most in drawdown; fees and taxes drag on compound growth; and behaviour changes in drawdowns can reduce outcomes below the projection. Treat the number as one scenario, not a forecast.
Net return after fees produces a figure based on the inputs provided.
Inputs
This example uses typical values for illustration. Adjust the inputs above to match a specific situation and see how the result changes.
Sources & Methodology
Methodology
Simple subtraction of fees from gross return. Future values computed on both for comparison.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
Typical fee drag?
Why do small fees matter?
How to minimise?
What's not in gross return?
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