When it comes to investing in the stock market there are few things we can control. Of course you can diversify your investment holdings to try to reduce volatility, and it certainly makes sense to consider the tax implications of using different investments. For example it wouldn’t make any sense to hold tax free municipal bonds inside your tax deferred IRA accounts. 


One of the items that is often overlooked are the fees you pay within your mutual fund or exchange traded fund (ETF). One of my favorite tools for helping our clients understand the fees and expenses of mutual funds and exchange traded funds is a website called www.personalfund.com  If you have never taken the time to understand the true costs of owning a mutual fund, then I’d encourage you to visit their website and do a little research on the different funds you currently own or are thinking about buying.