Expense Ratio History

ABALX expense ratio history

AMERICAN BALANCED FUND, Class A

Fund company
American Funds
Type
Mutual fund

0.55%

In basis points
55 basis points
Yearly cost per $10,000
$55
Prospectus dated
1 March 2026, filed with the SEC; rounded to 0.01%
Last change
Cut from 0.56% on 1 March 2026

Fee over time

ABALX expense ratio: 0.63% until 1 Mar 2014, then 0.61%; 0.61% until 1 Mar 2015, then 0.59%; 0.59% until 1 Mar 2016, then 0.58%; 0.58% until 1 Mar 2017, then 0.59%; 0.59% until 7 Apr 2017, then 0.60%; 0.60% until 1 Mar 2018, then 0.57%; 0.57% until 1 Mar 2020, then 0.59%; 0.59% until 1 Mar 2021, then 0.58%; 0.58% until 1 Mar 2022, then 0.56%; 0.56% until 1 Mar 2023, then 0.57%; 0.57% until 1 Mar 2025, then 0.56%; 0.56% until 1 Mar 2026, then 0.55%; read at 0.55% on 1 Mar 2026.0.00%0.25%0.50%0.75%1.00%Feb 2011Sep 2013Apr 2016Nov 2018Jun 2021Jan 20240.63% before0.55% from 1 Mar 2026
ABALX expense ratio: 0.63% until 1 Mar 2014, then 0.61%; 0.61% until 1 Mar 2015, then 0.59%; 0.59% until 1 Mar 2016, then 0.58%; 0.58% until 1 Mar 2017, then 0.59%; 0.59% until 7 Apr 2017, then 0.60%; 0.60% until 1 Mar 2018, then 0.57%; 0.57% until 1 Mar 2020, then 0.59%; 0.59% until 1 Mar 2021, then 0.58%; 0.58% until 1 Mar 2022, then 0.56%; 0.56% until 1 Mar 2023, then 0.57%; 0.57% until 1 Mar 2025, then 0.56%; 0.56% until 1 Mar 2026, then 0.55%; read at 0.55% on 1 Mar 2026.0.00%0.25%0.50%0.75%1.00%Feb 2011Mar 2016Apr 20210.63% before0.55% from 1 Mar 2026
Solid line: the fee in effect after each recorded change. Dashed: the fee before it. Dots: prospectuses filed with the SEC and dates we read the fee from a source.

Share classes

The same fund is sold as 23 share classes, each with its own fee. Figures are from each class's latest prospectus in SEC filings, rounded to 0.01%.

TickerShare classFeeAfter waiversProspectus dated
ABALX (this page) Class A 0.55% — 1 Mar 2026
RLBAX Class R-1 1.32% — 1 Mar 2026
RLBBX Class R-2 1.33% — 1 Mar 2026
RLBCX Class R-3 0.89% — 1 Mar 2026
RLBEX Class R-4 0.60% — 1 Mar 2026
RLBFX Class R-5 0.30% — 1 Mar 2026
— — 1.35% — 1 Mar 2017
BALCX Class C 1.30% — 1 Mar 2026
BALFX Class F-1 0.61% — 1 Mar 2026
CLBAX Class 529-A 0.58% — 1 Mar 2026
— — 1.46% — 1 Mar 2017
CLBCX Class 529-C 1.35% — 1 Mar 2026
CLBEX Class 529-E 0.82% — 1 Mar 2026
CLBFX Class 529-F-1 0.66% — 1 Mar 2026
AMBFX Class F-2 0.35% — 1 Mar 2026
RLBGX Class R-6 0.25% — 1 Mar 2026
RAMHX Class R-2E 1.04% — 1 Mar 2026
RLEFX Class R-5E 0.39% — 1 Mar 2026
AFMBX Class F-3 0.25% — 1 Mar 2026
TAFBX Class 529-T 0.59% — 1 Mar 2026
TABFX Class T 0.55% — 1 Mar 2026
FBAFX Class 529-F-2 0.33% — 1 Mar 2026
FBONX Class 529-F-3 0.30% — 1 Mar 2026

Every figure we've recorded

DateFeeWhat happened
1 Mar 2026 0.55% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2026-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2026 0.55% Cut from 0.56% to 0.55%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2026-02-27
1 Mar 2025 0.56% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2025-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2025 0.56% Cut from 0.57% to 0.56%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2025-02-28
1 Mar 2024 0.57% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2024-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2023 0.57% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2023-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2023 0.57% Raised from 0.56% to 0.57%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2023-02-28
1 Mar 2022 0.56% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2022-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2022 0.56% Cut from 0.58% to 0.56%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2022-02-28
1 Mar 2021 0.58% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2021-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2021 0.58% Cut from 0.59% to 0.58%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2021-02-26
30 Oct 2020 0.59% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2020-10-30 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2020 0.59% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2020-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2020 0.59% Raised from 0.57% to 0.59%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2020-03-20
1 Mar 2019 0.57% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2019-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2018 0.57% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2018-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2018 0.57% Cut from 0.60% to 0.57%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2018-03-22
7 Apr 2017 0.60% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2017-04-07 (form 497), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 497
7 Apr 2017 0.60% Raised from 0.59% to 0.60%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 497) filed with the SEC on 2017-09-05
1 Mar 2017 0.59% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2017-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2017 0.59% Raised from 0.58% to 0.59%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2017-03-22
1 Jan 2017 0.58% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2017-01-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2016 0.58% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2016-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2016 0.58% Cut from 0.59% to 0.58%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2016-03-22
1 Nov 2015 0.59% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2015-11-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2015 0.59% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2015-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2015 0.59% Cut from 0.61% to 0.59%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2015-03-20
29 Aug 2014 0.61% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2014-08-29 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2014 0.61% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2014-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2014 0.61% Cut from 0.63% to 0.61%Prospectus date; the new figure appears in this filingSource: Prospectus (form 485BPOS) filed with the SEC on 2014-03-21
1 Mar 2013 0.63% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2013-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2012 0.63% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2012-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS
1 Mar 2011 0.63% In the prospectusTotal annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus dated 2011-03-01 (form 485BPOS), from SEC bulk data, which rounds to 0.01%Source: SEC EDGAR filing, form 485BPOS

What this fee costs

Change the amount, years or return. The estimate keeps the fee at 0.55% and the return steady each year, the same assumptions as the cost example in a fund's prospectus.

$691 in fees over 10 years

After fees, $10,000 grows to $15,435.

Fees paid on $10,000 at 5% a year
AfterFees paid
1 year$56
3 years$177
5 years$308
10 years$691

How we read this figure

The figure is the total annual fund operating expenses line of the fee table in the fund's prospectus, as tagged in the fund company's filing with the SEC. The SEC publishes these figures rounded to four decimal places, so 0.015% appears as 0.02%. The fund company's own page may show a more precise number.

SEC filings give 21 prospectuses for this share class since 2011. Each one is listed above with a link to the filing.

How we read fees

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