Reiner points out that investors and their advisers need to look at total transactions, transaction costs and holding period as they relate to expense ratios and performance differences.

FORBES: Pimco Total Return ETF Shines a Light on Transaction Costs

Unlike the results of stock picking, which are volatile and only weakly predictable from one period to the next, the expense burden is an ongoing drag and highly predictable.

FORBES: Hidden Expenses

It calls for companies to value stock options at the time they are granted and expense them over the vesting period.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Further, the AWC alleges that during the period from May 2008 through July 2008, Abern provided five Cambridge customers with variable annuity expense disclosure forms that contained inaccurate information, in that the forms understated the annual expenses that would be charged.

FORBES: FINRA Hits Stockbroker For Mortgage Refinance Proceeds Used To Purchase Variable Universal Life Policy

Nasdaq's selling, general and administrative expense fell by 22% between 2004 and 2007, while revenue quintupled during that period.

FORBES: About Robert Greifeld

Independent firms benefit from full expensing of their intangible drilling costs, while the integrated firms can expense only 70 percent of their IDCs and must write off the rest over a five- year period.

FORBES: Corporate Tax Reform and the Energy Sector