What are the circumstances where we might be exposed to paying capital gains, or losses, on this transaction?

Consider doing a trustee-to-trustee IRA account transfer, and you will avoid the issue.

Do we pay EJ a fee for the sale? What is the standard fee?

Possibly, depends on the Fund (front-end/back-end fees) and brokerage.


We know to put the IRA funds back into another IRA account.

Okay. EJ will probably charge some kind of "account closing" fees.
I put that in " " , because it might come in various names or flavors-
closing fees, transfer fees, etc. For the IRA, I believe one can pay
these fees out-of-pocket and thus keep all one's IRA money working for them.