Guide to Mutual Funds (2024)

Learn about the different types of mutual funds, what they cost, how they work, how they’re taxed, and more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • When are mutual fund orders executed?

    Mutual fund orders are executed once a day, at 4 p.m. Eastern Time, and are typically posted by 6 p.m.

    Learn MoreWhen Are Mutual Fund Orders Executed?

  • How much money do I need to be able to invest in a mutual fund?

    Some funds have no minimum investment at all, though most set between $500 and $5,000 as the entry-level amount.

  • How are capital gains in mutual funds taxed in the U.S.?

    That depends on the fund type: stock funds are taxed at the capital gains rate, bond funds are taxed differently (some are tax-exempt), and international funds may depend on the issuing country’s tax rate and whether the U.S. has a tax treaty with that country.

    Learn MoreHow Capital Gains in Mutual Funds Are Taxed in the U.S.

  • How is mutual fund pricing determined?

    Funds generally set the price of transacting units according to the fund’s net asset value (NAV), the total value of its assets minus all of its liabilities.

    Learn MoreHow Mutual Fund Pricing Is Determined

  • Can someone ever invest in too many mutual funds?

    Yes, they can. Investors need to avoid funds with overlapping holdings, make sure their funds meet their investment goals, and watch the fees.

    Learn MoreToo Many Mutual Funds?

  • How can I tell if a mutual fund’s fees are too high?

    That depends on the type of fund and whether it is actively or passively managed. Quant funds usually charge less than those doing fundamental analysis; small-cap and international funds usually cost more. Within categories, compare similar funds and look at Morningstar’s average figures for fund types.

    Learn MoreWhat Constitutes a ‘High Fee’ for a Mutual Fund?

Key Terms

  • Growth and Income Fund

    A growth and income fund is a mutual fund or ETF strategy that combines using the capital gains potential of the growth segment and the dividend income and stability of the value segment.

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  • Feeder Fund

    A feeder fund is one of many smaller investment funds that pool investor money, which is then aggregated under a single centralized master fund, allowing for reduced operation and trading costs.

    Learn More

  • Abnormal Return

    An abnormal return deviates from an investment’s expected return and can help investors determine risk-adjusted performance or measure the effect of events such as lawsuits or buyouts.

    Learn More

  • Spider (SPDR)

    The cornerstone of many investor portfolios, "Spider" refers to Standard & Poor's Depository Receipts, or SPDR, which is an exchange-traded fund that tracks its underlying index, the S&P 500.

    Learn More

  • Aggressive Growth Fund

    Aggressive growth funds invest in companies that have high growth potential, including newer companies and those in hot sectors of the economy.They are actively managed to achieve above-average returns when markets are rising, but are more volatile and may underperform in down markets.

    Learn More

  • Class C Share

    Class-C mutual fund shares charge a level sales load set as a fixed percentage assessed each year. This is different from front-load shares that charge investors at purchase or back-end loads that charge at time of sale. Class-C shares work best for investors planning to hold them for three years or less.

    Learn More

  • Life-Cycle Fund

    Life-cycle funds are asset-allocation funds in which the share of eachasset classis automatically adjusted to lower risk as the desired retirement date approaches. They are also known as age-based funds and target-date funds.

    Learn More

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Guide to Mutual Funds (2024)

FAQs

Guide to Mutual Funds? ›

Specifically, a fund is prohibited from: acquiring more than 3% of a registered investment company's shares (the “3% Limit”); investing more than 5% of its assets in a single registered investment company (the “5% Limit”); or. investing more than 10% of its assets in registered investment companies (the “10% Limit”).

What is the 3 5 10 rule for mutual funds? ›

Specifically, a fund is prohibited from: acquiring more than 3% of a registered investment company's shares (the “3% Limit”); investing more than 5% of its assets in a single registered investment company (the “5% Limit”); or. investing more than 10% of its assets in registered investment companies (the “10% Limit”).

Which mutual fund is best for beginners? ›

List of the Best Mutual Funds for Beginners
Fund NameSub CategoryExpense Ratio (%)
SBI Tax Advantage Fund-IIIEquity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS)0.00
Quant ELSS Tax Saver FundEquity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS)0.76
Nippon India Small Cap FundSmall Cap Fund0.80
Axis Small Cap FundSmall Cap Fund0.53
4 more rows
Mar 28, 2024

How should a beginner invest in mutual funds? ›

How to Start Investing in Mutual Funds?
  1. Determine financial objective and investment horizon. ...
  2. Assess risk tolerance. ...
  3. Choose the mutual fund type. ...
  4. Decide on an active or passive management style. ...
  5. Check the performance of shortlisted funds. ...
  6. Analyze the expense ratio. ...
  7. Check the liquidity and size of the fund.
Sep 6, 2023

What is the 75 5 10 rule for mutual funds? ›

Diversified management investment companies have assets that fall within the 75-5-10 rule. A 75-5-10 diversified management investment company will have 75% of its assets in other issuers and cash, no more than 5% of assets in any one company, and no more than 10% ownership of any company's outstanding voting stock.

What if I invest $1,000 a month in mutual funds for 20 years? ›

If you invest Rs 1000 for 20 years , if we assume 12 % return , you would get Approx Rs 9.2 lakhs. Invested amount Rs 2.4 Lakh.

What if I invest $5,000 in mutual funds for 5 years? ›

How much is Rs. 5,000 for 5 years in SIP? If you invest Rs. 5,000 per month through SIP for 5 years, assuming 12% return. The estimate total returns will be Rs. 1,12,432 and the estimate future value of your investment will be Rs. 4,12,431.

How much money should I start with in a mutual fund? ›

Mutual funds require minimum investments of anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000, unlike stocks and ETFs, where the minimum investment is one share. Mutual funds trade only once a day after the markets close. Stocks and ETFs can be traded at any point during the trading day.

Can I start a mutual fund with $100? ›

Many mutual fund minimums range from $500 to $3,000, though some are in the $100 range and there are a few that have a $0 minimum. So if you choose a fund with a $100 minimum, and you invest that amount, afterward you may be able to opt to contribute as much or as little as you want.

What is the ideal amount to invest in mutual funds? ›

50:30:20 rule. Experts suggest that the 50:30:20 rule is ideal for all financial plans. According to the rule, 50% of a person's income should be reserved for their needs, 30% for wants and 20% towards an emergency fund.

What if I invest $10,000 every month in mutual funds? ›

If you invest Rs.10000 per month through SIP for 30 years at an annual expected rate of return of 11%, then you will receive Rs.2,83,02,278 at maturity.

What is a reasonable return on a mutual fund? ›

Moreover, mutual funds are meant to be evaluated against a benchmark such as a broad index or other yardstick of value - so if the S&P 500 falls 3% in a year and a large-cap mutual fund only falls 2.5%, it can be considered a "good" return, relatively speaking.

What is the 30 day rule for mutual funds? ›

A roundtrip is a mutual fund purchase or exchange purchase followed by a sell or exchange sell within 30 calendar days in the same fund and account. For example, if you purchased a fund on May 1, selling the fund prior to May 31 would incur a roundtrip violation.

What is the 15 15 15 rule for mutual funds? ›

Meaning of the 15-15-15 rule in Mutual Funds

The Investment: You should invest Rs 15,000 per month. The Tenure: The total of your investment should be 15 years. It means that you will invest Rs 15,000 every month for the next 15 years. The Return: Your expected returns on your investment should be 15%

What is the 80 20 rule in mutual funds? ›

In investing, the 80-20 rule generally holds that 20% of the holdings in a portfolio are responsible for 80% of the portfolio's growth. On the flip side, 20% of a portfolio's holdings could be responsible for 80% of its losses.

What is the 80% rule for mutual funds? ›

The Names Rule requires that if a Fund's name suggests that the Fund invests in a particular type of investment or investments, or in investments in a particular industry, group of industries, countries, or regions, then such Fund must adopt a policy to invest at least 80 percent of the value of its assets2 in such ...

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