Hidden 401(k) Fees Are Stealing Your Nest Egg

There's an old poker truism: If you look around the table and can't tell who the sucker is, it's you. Sadly, this truism may be apt when it comes to some investors' 401(k) plans.

Americans have more than $1.75 trillion invested in 401(k) plans, yet most people spend more time fretting over $1.50 withdrawal fees at the ATM than the expenses that can easily cut their nest egg in half in three decades. While the tax-deferred virtues of 401(k) and other defined-contribution plans have led some to perceive these plans as "free," the reality is quite different.

Increasingly, the employer that sponsors the plan opts out on footing the bill -- effectively passing the expense on to you. Meanwhile, outside consultants collect substantial fees for their advisory role with the plan, while fund firms levy costly fees to manage your holdings -- not to mention paying brokers who execute their trades at nearly three times more than it would cost to make a trade in a Schwab(SCH Quote) individual account. Many times these fees won't show up on your 401(k) statements -- and if they do, they won't be clearly presented. ...