<prompt> Human: My financial planner has always seemed like a good guy. They are recommending A shares, and for portfolios less than 50,000, they are telling me the commission rate would be 5.75. This seems way too high to me. Any advice?EDIT: Thanks for the advice. Its very much appreciated, and Im learning a lot from rpersonalfinance.  <response>: Hes no more a financial advisor than a car salesman is an automobile advisor. You should really invest by yourself to save on the high amount of fees you are likely paying. I suggest starting with the sidebar. 