Mutual fund
Mutual funds are a wonderful tool for the average investor. They have numerous advantages over individual issue stocks or bonds. Fist of all, they leverage the investing power of hundreds of investors. That means that you are able to start investing for less than many investment vehicles would allow. Investment companies must also insure “suitability” for each investment for each client, or the SEC will not allow the transaction. Suitability is found by ensuring the investment meets the clients risk tolerance and income. Since multiple stocks are held by a mutual fund, the risk of one of those companies completely folding up and closing it’s doors is distributed among the other stocks. This means you wouldn’t feel it as bad as say, if you owned $10,000.00 worth of that company’s stock. You also need to watch your investments, and reallocate them every now and again ( most financial advisors say at least every six months ), this can get costly when dealing with a stock broker in buy/sell fees. Mutual funds employ a fund manager who will buy and sell stocks within the fund’s portfolio, according to the fund’s investment style and focus. Instead of buy/sell fee’s, the fund will charge an annual fee called a 12(b)1 fee. They are listed in the fund’s prospectus and typically hover around 1%, much less then the cost of live trades. They must also distribute the majority of any profits from these sales, at least annually. This is called a capital gains disbursement. They are taxable, but you can either choose to take them or reinvest them into the fund. Also, most people have jobs and families and don’t have the time to do extensive market research into every investment they purchase. This is the sole function of the mutual fund manager and his team, effectively placing a professional in your corner. There are two types of funds you need to be aware of. The first is the open ended mutual fund, these allow you to buy or redeem shares at your discretion. The second is the closed end fund. These will only allow you to buy shares when they first open, but you can sell them when you want. It is also important to remember that, though they help to mitigate risk, mutual funds are still investments in the stock market and as such are subject to market volatility. It is always recommended to do your own due diligence and consult with a professional before purchasing any investment.
