DIY investors, watch out for these four surprise fees

Theprimereasontomanageyourowninvestmentsistosaveonfees. ButwhileDIYinvestingisunquestionablycheaperthanhavinganadviserrunyourportfolio,therearesomesurprisingfeesthatcancropupnowandthen.Herearefourofthemthatwerefactoredintotherecentlypublished2025GlobeandMailDigitalBrokerageRanking. AdminfeesforU.S.-dollarregisteredaccounts AllbrokersnowofferU.S.-dollarregisteredaccounts,whichallowyoutoreceivedividendsandholdcashinU.S.dollars.Withtheseaccounts,youpaytheusualforeignexchangecostswhenconvertingCanadiandollarsintoU.S.dollars.Afewbrokersalsochargequarterlyadministrationfees.Forexample,CIDirectTradingandQtradeDirectInvestingchargeUS$15perquarterforU.S.-dollarregisteredaccounts.Wealthsimplecharges$10permonthforU.S.-dollaraccountsofanytype,butyoucanavoiditwhenyourassetsheldacrosstheWealthsimpleproductlineuphit$100,000. Buyingandsellingmutualfunds Seekinglowfeesusuallymeanschoosingexchange-tradedfundsovermutualfunds,butthere’sasignificantchun