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Mutual Funds
As you probably know, mutual funds have become extremely popular
over the last 20 years. What was once just another obscure
financial instrument is now a part of our daily lives. More than
80 million people, or one half of the households in America,
invest in mutual funds. That means that, in the United States
alone, trillions of dollars are invested in mutual funds. (For
more reading, see A Brief History Of The Mutual Fund.)
In fact, to many people, investing means buying mutual funds.
After all, it's common knowledge that investing in mutual funds
is (or at least should be) better than simply letting your cash
waste away in a savings account, but, for most people, that's
where the understanding of funds ends. It doesn't help that
mutual fund salespeople speak a strange language that is
interspersed with jargon that many investors don't understand.
Originally, mutual funds were heralded as a way for the little
guy to get a piece of the market. Instead of spending all your
free time buried in the financial pages of the Wall Street
Journal, all you had to do was buy a mutual fund and you'd be
set on your way to financial freedom. As you might have guessed,
it's not that easy. Mutual funds are an excellent idea in theory,
but, in reality, they haven't always delivered. Not all mutual
funds are created equal, and investing in mutuals isn't as easy
as throwing your money at the first salesperson who solicits
your business. (Learn about the pros and cons in Mutual Funds
Are Awesome - Except When They're Not.)
In this tutorial, we'll explain the basics of mutual funds and
hopefully clear up some of the myths around them. You can then
decide whether or not they are right for you.
Mutual Funds: What Are They
Mutual Funds: Different Types Of Funds
Mutual Funds: The Costs
Mutual Funds: Picking A Mutual Fund
Mutual Funds: How To Read A Mutual Fund Table
Mutual Funds: Evaluating Performance
Mutual Funds: Conclusion |
