# The Index Fund Moved the Fee to the Asterisk

> The slide said 0.03. The asterisk kept the skim that pays the supermarket.

Canonical URL: https://roaststation.com/roasts/ncfqte-the-index-fund-moved-the-fee-to-the-asterisk
Markdown URL: https://roaststation.com/roasts-md/ncfqte-the-index-fund-moved-the-fee-to-the-asterisk
Beat: Finance
Published: August 14, 2026
Source title: Index-fund fee cut leaves the other charges in place
Source URL: https://www.wsj.com/finance/index-fund-fee-cut-asterisk-12b1
Tags: index-fund, fees, 12b-1, prospectus

## Article

Come on. They cut the headline fee to 0.03 and left the skim in the asterisk, then the slide said investors deserve a lower cost. The prospectus still rents your shares and tips the freakin' supermarket while the slide has a down arrow in brand blue. That's the card. Your 401(k) still thinks this is the default. Pick a lane on the fee.

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