As the fund world continues to expand, many investors find themselves asking the same questions about how mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) work or what they really need to take into consideration. In an ongoing effort to keep you educated about the fund world, we highlight two articles that cover the most frequently asked questions.
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10 Questions to Ask About a Fund Manager |
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By AAII Staff
Performance statistics are probably the single most scrutinized feature of any mutual fund. These figures are, of course, important indicators of how well a portfolio manager has performed in the past. But the question facing any prospective investor is: Will a stock fund manager with good past performance be able to sustain their track record?
That means that at some point you have to look beyond the statistics to see who made the performance happen so you can form a judgment about future performance. You need to examine a fund manager’s approach. In this article you’ll find 10 questions that you can ask to get a better feeling for whether your fund manager’s performance is sustainable.
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Mutual Funds FAQs |
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By AAII Staff
Mutual funds, like all investments, can occasionally be perplexing. Often when a specific mutual fund or ETF question comes to mind, no obvious source for an answer is apparent. This FAQ gives practical answers to frequently asked mutual fund questions.
Some of the important questions that the article covers include:
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Should you be concerned with mutual fund expenses? After all, it’s already reflected in the fund’s performance numbers.
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How many different mutual funds should you own?
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Can a mutual fund be too large?
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What’s the advantage to investing in no-load or low-load funds?
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What does a mutual fund’s beta coefficient measure?
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Should you switch out of a fund if the portfolio manager changes?
Ultimately, objectivity is harder and harder to come by when trying to get answers about your investments. In Mutual Funds FAQs, we at AAII provide straightforward guidelines on things you might want to consider when it comes to making decisions with your mutual fund or ETF holdings. While everyone wants different things, the topics in these articles should be considered by all investors. Whether you are getting ready to purchase a fund, are looking to sell, or are wondering whether your fund is still a good fit for you, the information provided is a valuable tool that you can utilize when making investment decisions.
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AAII’s Mutual Fund and ETF Guides |
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 Knowing what to look for in a mutual fund or ETF is an essential step, but you won’t be able to make your final decisions without access to good data. AAII members have the benefit of two comprehensive annual guides that put fund stats at your fingertips in a usable way. Our online guides to mutual funds and exchange-traded funds give you all you need in an organized fashion.
You can search for funds by category or by ticker. You can sort category lists by performance, expenses, size, risk or turnover. You can download a spreadsheet to construct your own rankings. But many members prefer just to type in the ticker symbol for a fund they own or are interested in and dig deep into its data to get a crystal-clear picture for decision-making.
Whatever the degree of involvement you want with fund and ETF data, be sure to take advantage of these valuable AAII Member Guides. More » |
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