The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) voted unanimously recently to propose limits on mutual fund 12b-1 fees and provide more transparency to investors. The SEC’s proposal would help protect investors by limiting 12b-1 fees to 0.25%, improve the transparency of fees for investors, encourage retail competition, and revise fund director oversight duties.
12b-1 Fees?
If you have ever put money into a mutual fund you were most likely charged a 12b-1 fee for every year you had money in that fund. The 12b-1 fee is a marketing or distribution fee on a mutual fund. It’s considered an operational expense currently capped at 1% (some funds charge less) of a fund’s net assets. It may not seem like much but they’re costly, Continue Reading…
Investing for your retirement is one of the most important things you can do for your future. Taking advantage of an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) to help supplement your future retirement income is always a good idea. Which IRA is best for you?
Dividend ReInvestment Plans or DRIPs can be a convenient and cheap way of compounding growth in your investment portfolio. If you are not signed up in a DRIP, any dividend paying securities (i.e. stocks, mutual funds, REITs, etc.) that you own will deposit all dividend payments into the accounts those securities are attached or you will receive a check if there is no brokerage account.
With over 8,000 mutual funds to choose from, picking a few to put your money into can be a bit overwhelming. If you have a 401k, the human resource department dwindled the list down a bit, if your lucky. But which to choose?