Mutual funds

mutual fund is a company that pools money from many investors and invests the money in stocks, bonds, short-term money-market instruments, or other securities. Legally known as an "open-end company," a mutual fund is one of three basic types of investment company. The two other basic types are closed-end funds and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs).
Mutual funds come in many varieties. For example, there are index funds, stock funds, bond funds,money market funds, and more. Each of these may have a different investment objective and strategy and a different investment portfolio. Different mutual funds may also be subject to different risks, volatility, and fees and expenses.
All funds charge management fees for operating the fund. Some also charge for their distribution and service costs, commonly referred to as "12b-1" fees. Some funds may also impose sales charges or loads when you purchase or sell fund shares. In this regard, a fund may offer different "classes" of shares in the same portfolio, with certain fees and expenses varying among classes.
To figure out how the costs of a mutual fund add up over time and to compare the costs of different mutual funds, you should use the SEC’s Mutual Fund Cost Calculator. Some funds may reduce their sales charges depending on the amount you invest in the fund. At certain thresholds, known as breakpoints, you may receive increasingly lower sales charges as your investment increases.