The buzz in the investment market is all about no load mutual funds. Every investor has always been required to pay the price for load mutual funds. But with the new infusion of high quality, no load funds, the market direction has been shaken to its core. With the money that is saved in no load funds why would anyone buy a load mutual fund?

The first thing you have to understand about no load mutual funds is that you need the experience to make the right decisions. Experience takes time and a lot of research. Only the most savvy investors typically jump on the no load band wagon. They have the spreadsheets and the software to monitor and make their choices. If you are a beginner, this may seem overwhelming to you. Even though the no load mutual funds are more attractive, you may want to stick with the load mutual funds.

A load mutual fund has a commission or sales fee associated with the cost. The fee is to pay the investment firm for their expertise and knowledge on the investment recommendation. In addition, it may have other fees associated with it that drives up the expense of the investment. People that buy a load mutual do so based on the fact that it is backed by professionals that have more experience than they do.

A no load mutual fund might look good at first sight, but after all of the expenses are totaled, the load mutual fund might have the better longer return on investment. You must take all expenses into consideration before you invest.

No time is another reason why anyone would buy a load mutual fund. We are in a fast paced society, often multiplexing beyond reality. To add another responsibility to our daily routine is just not feasible. Some people will invest in load funds just because they don’t have the time to do the in depth research that is required.

If you have a relationship with an investment counselor that has a good proven track record. You may not feel comfortable venturing out on your own. The last few years have shown a market with many low points and the media is filled with stories about people losing all or most of their investments. Some people simply will not make an investment move without the advice of their investment counselor.

If you have the least bit of a personality that includes spur of the moment decisions on hunches or best bet investments, you will probably want to invest in load mutual funds. Investment counselors and firms will keep you on the straight and narrow even during the roughest market times. Load mutual funds are a better investment for you and will help to remove any impulse buying that you might be inclined to make.

Load mutual funds have an appeal and attraction for a number of people. You must examine your investment personality and the risk assessment of your investment before you make any decisions.

Investing in US Treasury money market funds can be a great choice for many investors, but before you invest in these or any other investment choices it is important that you understand how these funds work, and the advantages and drawbacks that they may have. These choices pick United States Treasury investments for the fund, but that does not mean they are safe or foolproof investment options. Although they hold securities issued by the US Government, these money market funds are not guaranteed or considered a safe choice that has no risks. All investments carry some risk, and it is important that you evaluate each of the Treasury money market funds individually to find the ones that fit within your acceptable risk levels and investment guidelines.

Treasury money market funds usually have holdings that are considered short term, and this plus the fact that they are traded on the markets means that these funds have a very high level of liquidity. They are also considered one of the lower risk investment options by a majority of investors, and this makes them popular. One of the biggest draws that these investment choices have is the tax benefits that you can see from them. Most Treasury money market funds invest in securities that do not have any tax on the interest from the investment at a local and state level. This tax incentive plays a big part in why these mutual funds are frequently chosen as investments. Most of them normally have around twenty percent of fund assets in cash, and the remaining balance invested in United States Treasury securities.

If you are looking at Treasury money market funds make sure to look at each fund prospectus carefully. This will give you most of the information you will need to make thorough comparisons, and the rest you can find online. All money markets are designed to be very liquid, and investors often use them for capital that will be needed in the future but can be used for a time to earn a return. Some of these choices may only hold ten percent in cash reserves and the other ninety percent in Treasury securities, while others may have a thirty seventy divide. It is crucial that you determine the exact makeup of the fund portfolio before you decide on the ideal Treasury money market funds, because this factor can vary from one choice to the next.

Investing in U.S. Treasury money market funds can be a great way to use money that would otherwise be sitting in a bank account drawing a very low amount of interest until it is needed, because you will see a better return usually. These investments do involve some risks though, and they are not guaranteed by the United States government or insured if a loss does occur. Compared to many other investment types, money markets can be a relatively low risk option, and their high liquidity means there is no long wait when you need to withdraw your capital.

What is asset allocation? This is a method used by investors to help minimize the investment risks, and it is done by diversifying the investment portfolio. If you want to start investing, one of the first concepts you will need to understand is how asset allocation can help you create a diverse portfolio which usually does better,has higher returns, and experiences fewer losses. Diversity means spreading your investment assets across a number of categories, and these will usually include stocks, bonds, and cash, among other asset categories. There is no ideal allocation of assets in any portfolio, instead this factor will depend on each individual investor. Because every investor has different goals and acceptable risk levels, the final asset allocation will be different for each investor.

What is asset allocation? It is a technique used by investors to determine their ideal portfolio makeup and diversity. Any investment has possible risks and rewards, and there is no foolproof investment which is guaranteed not to lose money completely. Even US government issued securities, considered the lowest possible risk, are not considered entirely safe. There are some things that you will need to consider when you are determining your asset allocation. The time horizon for your investments is one, and your risk tolerance is another. Both of these factors will help determine how much of your investment capital goes into each asset category. If you want to ensure that your risks are low and you are a conservative investor than your ideal portfolio will look completely different from one that is not conservative, even though both may be just as diverse.

If you are wondering what is asset allocation then this is a subject you need to research before you start to invest. The asset categories that are available are numerous, so you will have no problem finding many that are a good fit with your investment goals and strategies. There are stocks, bonds, mutual funds, United States Treasury securities, cash, and other categories to choose from, and each will have various risks as well as rewards.

What is asset allocation? This is a way that investors can help protect themselves against losses due to market volatility. Usually this concept involves a portfolio which is very diverse, and has many asset categories included. Ideally, when one category is decreasing because of the market volatility another category will be on the way up. This helps to even out any investment losses, and will normally result in at least small gains when all of the portfolio activity is examined. Market conditions change all of the time, and different sectors of your portfolio will react differently to these changes. Asset allocation and portfolio diversity can help protect against large losses of your investment capital, but even this technique should not be considered a guarantee of good returns. Even perfectly allocated portfolios can still see losses in some situations. Experts advise that you should never invest capital that you can not afford to lose, because this risk is always possible any time you invest. Proper asset allocation can help you lower the investment risks, but it will not eliminate them completely.

What are 12b-1 fees, and what should you know about these expenses? These are fees which are charged by a mutual fund as a distribution or marketing cost. This charge is a legitimate expense for the operation of the mutual fund, and it will be listed in the expense ratio for the fund. 12b-1 fees can be charged by both load and no load funds, but they can not exceed one percent of the net assets of the fund at the most. These expenses normally range from one fourth of one percent to one percent, depending on the specific mutual fund chosen. Some funds may not charge this fee, and many use the proceeds from this cost to pay commissions. For investors who choose no load funds this information may come as a surprise.

It is possible to avoid paying 12b-1 fees if the investor is willing to take the time and understands what to look for and what to avoid. When these costs were first allowed in 1940, the reasoning was that marketing the fund would benefit all of the investors, but this has not proven to be true. Mutual fund expenses have not gone down significantly, and today most of the 12b-1 fees collected are used for sales personnel and other uses which do not benefit the investors in the fund. It is crucial that investors can determine how much of the expenses paid are for 12b-1 fees. Normally you can find out this information in the prospectus for the fund.

Any mutual fund company must disclose any 12b-1 fees, but this amount may be hidden in the operational expenses and may not be apparent unless the investor knows where to look. Some mutual funds will charge a load fee and the maximum allowable 12b-1 fees of one percent, and this can add up to large expenses which may not be necessary. No load funds can not charge a 12b-1 fee of more than one fourth of one percent of the fund net assets, but even this is not necessary because there are a number of true no load funds which do not charge this expense at all. Some no load funds do not charge load fees but instead charge 12b-1 fees for sales commissions on the fund. This is just an accounting trick to disguise the fact that commissions are still paid.

Any investor who is considering mutual funds for their investment capital should research each fund carefully. Avoid any mutual funds that charge high 12b-1 fees, because it is possible to find similar funds that do not involve these costs with a little time and effort. Every dollar in expenses paid is a dollar that is not working for the investor, and is taken from the investment capital. 12b-1 fees should be avoided, and if it is necessary to choose mutual funds that charge these costs the investor should make sure the fees are as low as possible. Usually they are an unnecessary expense that investors can do without, just like load expenses.

Investors all over the world are on line and communicating every nano second to see what new no load mutual funds have been added to the selections. In the past, only the load mutual funds contained the better quality investments; while the no load funds had the riskier choices. This is no more. The playing game has changed completely. Investment firms have now added not only the best choices to the no load area, but have included the entire families of investment choices. This has brought out the investors in droves. With the newer choices of no load mutual funds, there is a renewed feeling of confidence in the market that has been sorely lacking over the last couple of years.

Anyone who is in the investment game knows the most reliable sources of load and no load mutual funds information. Typically Morningstar and Kiplingers are the main pages that everyone eagerly previews. When reviewing a list of no load mutual funds, it’s always a good idea to get an initial list from multiple sources and then cross reference over time to see what stays in the game at the best rate. Use other resources, including working with an investment counselor.

An investment counselor has a level of expertise that you will not be able to match. They can cut to the chase, and give you excellent advice based on your particular investment circumstances. The investment counselor has been working and watching the list of no load mutual funds and will not only be able to narrow the list down, but pin point the return on investment that you are looking for. Return on investment is the name of the game.

Whether you are working from spreadsheets or you are using some of the easy software that is now available for comparisons, you will need to pay attention on a daily basis.

Here is a typical list of no load mutual funds. When you preview the information you will see that they will contain the interest rates and a seven year comparison of performance:

S&P 500 Index

Deutsche Equity 500 (BTIEX)
CA Inv. S&P 500 Index (SPFIX)
Dreyfus Basic S&P 500 Index (DSPIX)
Dreyfus S&P 500 Index (PEOPX)
Fidelity Spartan 500 Index (FSMKX)
Galaxy II Large Company Fund (ILCIX)
Kent Index Equity Fund (KNIDX)
Northern Stock Index (NOSIX)
Schwab S&P 500 Fund (SWPIX)
Schwab S&P 500 Select (SWPPX)
Scudder S&P 500 (SCPIX)
Ssga S&P 500 Index (SVSPX)
Strong Index 500 Fund (SINEX)
T.Rowe Price Equity Index 500 (PREIX)
Transamerica Prem. Index (TPIIX)
USAA S&P 500 Index (USSPX)
Vanguard 500 Index Fund (VFINX)

S&P 400 MidCap Index
Vanguard MidCap Index (VIMSX)
CA Inv. S&P MidCap Index (SPMIX)

S&P 600 SmallCap Index
CA Inv. S&P SmallCap Index (SMCIX)

NASDAQ 100 Index
Rydex OTC (RYOCX)

Russell 2000 Index
Vanguard SmallCap Index (NAESX)

Wilshire 5000 Index
Fidelity Spartan Total Mkt. Index (FSTMX)
T.Rowe Price Total Market (POMIX)
Vanguard Total Stock Mkt. (VTSMX)

1000 Largest US Co
Schwab 1000 Fund (SNXFX)
Schwab 1000 Select (SNXSX)

BARRA/S&P Growth Index
Vanguard Growth Index Fund (VIGRX)

BARRA/S&P Value Index
Vanguard Value Index Fund (VIVAX)

In the race for the load and no load mutual funds performance, the investor is being offered a buffet that can only be compared to a five star restaurant selection. Never before have investment firms wooed the investor as they are doing now. If you are an experienced investor you already know the game. The market needs to have money infused in the system and this is a bargain sale on the top of the line products. If you are still a bit young in the investment game, you may need to try to figure out load and no load mutual funds performance comparisons.

The difference between load and no load mutual funds is: Load funds used to be the better investments with a commission or sales fee added to the price. While they were better investments, the cost was higher. No load fees used to be the lesser quality and didn’t have any commission fees associated with them. They might have been a bit riskier, but the cost was lower. The game has now changed. The selection of no load mutual funds has expanded into some of the best and brightest investment stars.

The current three types of mutual fund investments include: one hundred percent no load (no commissions at all). Mutual funds with either a five percent front end and or three percent back end load (redemption is usually in the third year). This can include what is referred to as no load, as the load is actually an annual management or distribution fee.

When configuring a return on investment, you need to pay careful attention to any load or management fee structures. Some no load mutual fund might look attractive, but are actually worth less in the long run than a load mutual fund.

A good rule of thumb is to get a cumulative three year comparison. It’s easy to do the math. List all three types of investments on a sheet of paper: On hundred percent no load, five percent front end load and three percent back end load. Write down your investment amount, i.e.: $5,000. Deduct the front end load amount from the initial investment on that level. Multiply each investment type by the interest percent (i.e.: 9 percent). Carry that math over a three year period. Remember to deduct the three percent back end load from year three of that level.

While this math exercise will blatantly show you that the one hundred percent no load gives you the best return on investment, you must now deduct any management or custodial fees. Also, the exercise was based on all levels receiving a nine percent interest rate. Many of the load investments are offered at a much higher interest rate. When you do the math on those, deducting the front end or back end fees, the load investment comes out as the winner.

The bottom line is: Know the investment firm you are working with. Configure the load and no load mutual funds performance factor based on interest and possible fees over a minimum of a three year period. You may also want to work with an investment counselor to assist in the best investment of your money.

Mutual funds have always been the darling of the investment arena. They offer the diversity that the investors are looking for when considering a balanced portfolio and the gains have been fairly consistent. Mutual funds have also been a nice variation from the requirement of the individual to be a market guru. Mutual funds are selected by the investment firms and therefore they have done all of the background work in seeking the top quality funds. In the past, the average mutual fund was associated with a commission cost. As an investor, you were paying a price to the rep or investment firm for their expertise and guidance in choosing the investment with the best return. These were called load funds. The downside to those selections was that the gain was always offset by the commissions that had to be paid. So what are no load mutual funds?

No load mutual funds are investments that did not require any commission payment. They were usually not the top quality picks, but did quite well as an investment. There have been studies to show that the load funds did not out perform no load funds. However, the same studies did show that, over a period of time, no load funds did better. The selection was just not as good. Without the commission, the no load mutual funds offered a nicer option for return on investment.

In the last few years, the market in general, has been sluggish. The bad days didn’t seem to balance the good days. In 2009, one of the top investment firms announced that they were introducing some of the top mutual funds and family of funds into the no load category. While this announcement seemed to come in like a lamb, it is exiting as a lion. Now the every day investor had a selection of some of the best mutual funds with the highest returns, and without the costly commissions.

It took a few months, but as of the first quarter of 2010, a number of other investment firms are joining the competition. The no load mutual funds selection has become the elite selection for the investor and more money is being funneled into those choices. Since the market needs the money, the no load mutual funds are helping to kick off a nice, slow uphill gain. More and more investment firms are adding quality selections to their no load mutual funds programs. This is now having the appearance of a total gain vs. a disastrous bubble.

There are some things to watch out for. While the investment firms are listing a lot of no load mutual funds, you need to investigate what are called managerial or custodial fees. These are fees, usually charged annually on the no load mutual fund investment. In some cases, the fees can be so high that it makes the investment of the no load fund a loss when compared to a load fund. Do not fall for a smoke and mirrors situation. Do a bit of homework before you invest your hard earned money. Education is your best asset when addressing the question of what are no load mutual funds.

Exchange traded funds have been around for quite some time. They are in essence, mutual funds that are traded like stocks. Unlike traditional funds that are traded by the end of the day close prices, ETFs can be priced and traded on whatever the value is in a minute-to-minute concept. One of the downsides of ETFs have been the commissions that are associated with them. Costs vary, but even in a discounted commission format, the costs can be prohibitive for the investment. So what is a no load ETF?

Since late in 2009, movement has been made by a number of investment companies to offer no load, or commission free, ETFs. It started in November, 2009 with one major investment company offering no load ETFs on some of their most popular classes. The trend has taken almost three months, but others are following in their footsteps. Each one offering or partnering with other companies that will offer an extra advantage for their no load ETF programs.

Some of the ETFs that are available include some on the S&P 500, along with Russell 1000 and 2000 as well as international stock index funds. Also thrown in are some bonds. The amount companies and the assets that are being included is an historic breakthrough. Many of these are the basic building blocks for any portfolio. The asset line up and the format of the a few companies seem to be designed around getting long term investors that have the cash, to open up the coffers. Other want to attract anyone and everyone.

Once the big investment companies have taken the plunge, it is only a matter of time for the rest to follow in line. It is the logical progression of competition. This is an immediate adrenalin kick to the investment arena. There have already been studies to show that more investment managers are leaning heavily toward ETFs and with the no load option they can make more investments without the commissions getting in the way.

In a time when the investment market has needed a jump start, the no load ETFs are the direction that everyone is looking. The array of investments gives the managers a full buffet of investment choices, without the need to focus on traditional or ETF. This also helps the DIY investor to make the best choices for their portfolios without the drag of the commissions to worry about.

The general outlook on the no load ETFs is that it can begin producing a larger volume of investors who are attracted by the fact that they can focus on the investment instead of the lack of margins due to commissions.

All in all, the no load ETFs have entered the playing field in a big way, and are already producing some fantastic numbers. From major teams to the little leagues, it looks like the no load ETFs are setting a whole new precedence. It has brought a new excitement to the game.

Finding the best no load mutual fund may seem difficult but it does not have to be. You can find the best no load mutual funds for your investment situation and circumstances simply by following some basic advice and tips. There are a number of top performing no load mutual funds out there, but how can you choose the ones that are best for your investment goals and needs? Fund comparisons are essential when you are considering your investment options. First look at each specific fund and determine whether there is a load fee. Load fees are basically sales charges, and the broker normally profits from these fees. Load fees may appear on the front end or the back end, or they can be applied for the entire time that you hold an investment. No load mutual funds do not charge load fees, so your investment costs are lower and more of your capital is put to work for you right from the beginning. Not having a load fee will not automatically make a choice the best no load mutual fund possible, there are other considerations as well. Look at the fund expenses and the management fees, and compare these between funds. Lower operating costs and management fees means that you will see higher returns normally, because less of your money is going towards these costs.

Finding the best no load mutual fund out of all the top performing no load mutual funds out there means evaluating each factor of a fund, and this means looking closely at the fund manager and the management style. Consider the experience that the manager has, and their track record in the past when it comes to managing investments for others. The investment style and capabilities of the manager will have a direct effect on your investments, so choose a fund manager that fits well with your investment methods and choices. The best no load mutual funds are ones that match your goals and the strategies that you use for investing, while staying within your acceptable risk levels. Another consideration is whether the mutual fund is managed actively or passively. Actively managed funds tend to do better because the manager is constantly looking at the fund portfolio, and making management decisions concerning any risks and returns.

The best no load mutual fund should have a portfolio which offers diversity, to help protect the fund members from high risks and capital losses. With a diverse portfolio the mutual fund will usually see small gains even if one area of the portfolio has experienced losses. Avoid funds which charge 12b marketing fees because these fees are commonly used to hide load fees, and can raise your investment expenses and lower your returns. Look at the turnover for the portfolio before putting money in any mutual fund, and choose ones that do not have rates of turnover. Frequent trades raise investment costs, and these costs are passed on to the fund investors. Choosing an option that offers a low portfolio turnover is normally a better investment decision.

When it comes to the top no load mutual funds why should you invest in them ? There are many reasons why the best no load mutual funds can be a great investment. One reason is that a list of no load mutual funds that are top performers means investment options which have already been successful to some degree. If the mutual fund was not a good choice then it would not make the top no load mutual funds category in the first place. These funds have a proven track record and have been investing for a while. Another consideration is the professional management that the fund has. The best no load mutual funds offer professional management at a very low cost, and the fund managers have been chosen for their investment and financial management abilities. With all of the top quality investment choices available with mutual funds, not investing can be a big mistake.

The top no load mutual funds cover many sectors and offer diverse investment types to choose from. A list of no load mutual funds can include funds that involve stocks, bonds, growth or value investments, and others, so you have a wide variety of funds to choose from. The best no load mutual funds offer you lower risks, because these funds have already shown that they are good investments and that is why they are on the list in the first place. The fund families also have an impact on whether the mutual fund makes the top ten list or not. Some fund families are known for solid quality mutual funds, like Vanguard and Fidelity, and this helps to improve the ratings and the demand for a specific fund. Investing in the top no load mutual funds lowers your risks significantly, while increasing the chances of better return.

Finding a list of no load mutual funds for investment can be done in a very short time using the Internet, and the best no load mutual funds will stand out because of higher ratings and better yields than many of the other funds available. Mutual funds offer many benefits over investing in single stocks or bonds, and you can make your money work harder for you. These funds pool together investment capital from a number of investors, so there are fewer fees and the fund can make purchases in large amounts for the lowest possible trading costs. Not all mutual funds are the same though, so you want to make sure that the ones you choose are the best out there. Using a list of no load mutual funds that are top performers in their sectors and industries can give you a great starting point, so that all you have to do is research each one on the list, and then compare those which fit with your goals and investment guidelines. If you are going to take advantage of everything that mutual funds offer then it just makes good financial sense to choose a mutual fund which out performs many of the others.