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Don't let the brokerage fees bite

Those little brokerage fees may be eating away at your hard-earned returns. Here's how to get to the bottom of what your broker is really charging you.

By Gerri Willis, CNN

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- In an ideal world, stock brokers would be on your team, helping you earn huge returns. In the real world, their steep fees may be eating away at those very returns. With the Dow Jones Industrial Average on a roller coaster ride, the last thing you want to find out is that your broker is skimming off your money. Here's how to avoid being ripped off.

1: Uncover the fees

Opening a brokerage account can be a very smart move, but be aware of all the potential fees. Some brokerages will charge inactivity fees if you don't make a certain number of trades every quarter. This fee is usually $10 to $12.50, according to Robert Brokamp of the Motley Fool.

Other brokerages may charge transfer fees from $50 to $100 to discourage you from transferring to another broker. Now, almost all accounts have some kind of account maintenance fee.

Of course, watch out for minimum equity requirement fees. This is a fee you'll pay if you don't have a minimum balance in the account. Unless you have a significant amount of money to invest, these fees aren't usually negotiable.

2: Know the terms

All brokers are not investment advisors. And there's a big difference. Brokers are obligated to sell you a product that suits your needs. An investment advisor must look at your complete financial picture and act in your best interest.

Make sure you ask your broker what services you're getting and what the commissions and fees are.

3: Establish credibility

Make sure you find out if the broker is licensed or registered before making an investment. Go to the financial industry regulatory authority's web site at FINRA.org.

Here you can do a broker check to find out about any complaints - and how the charges were resolved.

It also helps if the broker has another designation - like CFP, Certified Financial Planner - because this insures that he is abiding by designated ethical standards.

4: Go with your gut

When it comes down to it, stock brokers are salespeople. If you feel pressured to buy a certain product, or you feel uncertain about the advice you're getting, it's time to shop for another broker.

If you feel you've been wronged, file a complaint with the branch manager, or take it up with the NASD or SEC. Of course, keep a written record of all of your correspondence, which is easily accomplished over e-mail. Top of page

Gerri's Mailbox: Got questions about your money? We want to hear them! Send e-mails to toptips@cnn.com or click here - each week, we'll answer questions on CNN, Headline News and CNNMoney.com.

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Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.