Benefits of Mutual Funds- I

1. Professional Investment Management.
By pooling the money of thousands of investors, mutual funds provide full-time, high-level professional management that few individual investors can afford to obtain independently. Such management can be important to achieving results in today's complex markets.
2. Diversification.
Mutual funds invest in a broad range of securities. This limits investment risk by reducing the effect of a possible decline in the value of any one security. Mutual fund shareowners can benefit from diversification techniques usually available only to investors wealthy enough to buy significant positions in a wide variety of securities.
3. Low Cost.
If you tried to create your own diversified portfolio of 50 stocks, you'd need at least $100,000 and you'd pay thousands of dollars in commissions to assemble your portfolio. A mutual fund lets you participate in a diversified portfolio for as little as $1,000, and sometimes less.
4. Convenience and Flexibility.
You own just one security rather than many, yet enjoy the benefits of a diversified portfolio and a wide range of services. Fund managers decide what securities to trade, clip the bond coupons, collect the interest payments and see that your dividends on portfolio securities are received and your rights exercised. It's easy to purchase and redeem mutual fund shares, either directly online or with a phone call.
5. Quick, Personalized Service.
Most mutual funds now offer extensive websites with a host of shareholder services for immediate access to information about your fund account. Or a phone call puts you in touch with a trained investment specialist at a mutual fund company who can provide information you can use to make your own investment choices, assist you with buying and selling your mutual funds shares, and answer questions about your mutual fund account status.
6. Ease of Investing
You may open or add to your account and conduct transactions or business with the mutual fund by mail, telephone or bank wire. You can even arrange for automatic monthly investments by authorizing electronic fund transfers from your checking account in any amount and on a date you choose.
7. Total Liquidity, Easy Withdrawal
You can easily redeem your shares anytime you need cash by letter, telephone, bank wire or check, depending on the fund. Your proceeds are usually available within a day or two.
8. Life Cycle Planning
With no-load mutual funds, you can link your investment plans to future individual and family needs -- and make changes as your life cycles change. You can invest in growth funds for future college tuition needs, then move to income mutual funds for retirement, and adjust your investments as your needs change throughout your life. With no-load mutual funds, there are no commissions to pay when you change your investments.
9. Market Cycle Planning
For investors who understand how to actively manage their portfolio, mutual fund investments can be moved as market conditions change. You can place your funds in equities when the market is on the upswing and move into money market mutual funds on the downswing or take any number of steps to ensure that your investments are meeting your needs in changing market climates. A word of caution: since it is impossible to predict what the market will do at any point in time, staying on course with a long-term, diversified investment view is recommended for most investors.
10.Investor Information
Shareholders receive regular reports from the mutual funds, including details of transactions on a year-to-date basis. The current net asset value of your shares (the price at which you may purchase or redeem them) appears in the mutual fund price listings of daily newspapers. You can also obtain pricing and performance results for the all mutual funds at this site, or it can be obtained by phone from the mutual funds.