What effect do high fund expenses typically have on investment returns?

High fund expenses typically reduce overall returns over time due to the way fees and expenses accumulate. When an investment fund charges high management fees, operating expenses, or other costs, these expenses are deducted from the fund’s returns before they reach investors. As a result, the net return that an investor sees is lower than the gross return generated by the fund's investments.

Over time, the impact of these expenses can compound, further diminishing the growth of an investment. For example, if a fund generates a return of 6% but has expenses that take away 2%, the investor effectively only sees a return of 4%. This difference can lead to substantial variations in portfolio performance, especially over long investment horizons where compound growth can amplify the effects of reduced returns.

In contrast, while some might think that high expenses could somehow enhance returns through better management or investment strategies, research has shown that, on average, funds with lower expenses tend to perform better than those with higher expenses after accounting for the costs. Hence, the reduction of overall returns over time as a direct consequence of high fund expenses is a well-established principle in investment management.