Exit load is a fee (typically 0.5–1%) charged by a mutual fund when you redeem (sell) units within a specified period—often 1 year. It discourages short-term trading and compensates the fund for the cost of your early exit.

For FIRE Investors

FIRE is a long-term game. If you’re investing for 15–30 years, exit load rarely applies—you’ll hold well beyond the load period. Index funds and ELSS often have no or minimal exit load. When choosing funds, check the exit load structure, but for buy-and-hold FIRE portfolios, it’s usually not a major factor.