Mutual funds. We’ve all heard of them, but what are they exactly? Have you been considering investing in mutual funds but not sure where to start? How do you know the difference between them? How do you choose which ones are the best for your financial plans?
This super-simple, super-quick guide will give you the basics of what mutual funds are so when you start looking for funds to invest in, you’ll have a better understanding of how they work.
Mutual Funds
The simple definition of a mutual fund is it’s a pool of money that has been lumped together by several investors. Hence the term, mutual.
A mutual fund will have a manager who takes all of the money invested and disperses it into different investments. The manager decides which investments will be bought and sold through the mutual fund. However, sometimes there is a team of people who research different investments and the manager uses this information to choose the best ways to invest the money.
Each fund has a different goal. Some are set up as long-term investments, some as income and some are set up as a combination of both. That means that part of the money will be used to earn immediate income while part of it is set up for a long term, slow growth.
Some funds are only invested in the United States. International funds are those invested in overseas while global funds would invest in US stocks and overseas stocks.
Investing in mutual funds means you own a small, sometimes very small, percentage of stock or whatever investment the money has been placed into. If you invest in just one mutual fund, it’s likely that your money is still very diversified because it’s been spread around to many other stocks and funds.
Mutual funds are a great way to diversify and invest with smaller sums of money.
Open-End Funds
An open end fund has no set limit on how much money can be invested into it. If a fund is doing well and growing, many other investors will want to get in on it. An open end fund allows this. Most managers will only take as much money or as many investors as he feels comfortable working with. Sometimes even when a fund is doing well, many fund managers may decide to close the fund. That means that no new investors are allowed to invest in it.
These are generally the types of mutual funds a person gets into with a company 401K. Many of the stocks of that fund are primarily owned by the company employees.
Closed-End Funds
These types of funds have a limit on how many investors it allows in. Once that number is reached, the fund is closed to any new investors.
Once a closed end fund has reached its limit and closed, the only way a new investor can get in is if someone sells them their spot in the fund.
Managed Funds
If you invest in a managed fund it’s simply a fund ran by a manager. Most investors do this after investigating a manager. You want to find a managed fund where the manager has the same criteria or like-mindedness as you do. If you plan to use managed funds make sure you pick a good manager. They will be in charge of your money and it’s the manager’s reputation that you are actually investing in. So be careful with those.
Index Funds
If you’re completely new to investing and don’t know which mutual funds to invest in, you may want to choose index funds. These funds are tracked on the daily stock market so you can get updates. These are generally announced during news broadcasts quoting the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It’s likely you’ve heard of this all your life and are a bit more familiar with it than other types of funds.
No matter which type of fund you begin investing in, be sure to do your homework and learn all you can. You’ve worked hard for your money and you want it working hard for you in return. Always check which funds are performing the best and find a reputable broker if you need extra help.