Comparing investment company fees

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - Tracy from Whitehouse want to know, "How do you get the true costs of fees to compare investment companies?"

Comparing company fees is not as easy, as say looking at the same car at two different lots and going with the one that's less expensive.

It's more like comparing two completely different vehicles and going with the one that has the features you like better. Even if it ends up costing more, you might be getting better value.

You see, Company A and Company B will usually have unique financial plans for you, which means different investment products or methods. You need to understand the products and the fees associated, before you can make an apples to apples comparison.

For example, brokerage accounts are generally "transaction based" with a commission charged for every trade, or they are "fee based" with a percentage of the value of the account. How much money you have and your financial goals will determine which billing system is better for you.