Mutual Funds

A mutual fund is a company that makes investments on behalf of its shareholders. The fund pools your money from many other people who have similar investment objectives. Professional money managers then take the pool and invest it in securities such as stocks, bonds, and money market instruments.

Mutual funds can make money for you in two ways. One, they can pay dividends earned from the funds’ investments. And two, if a security held by a fund is sold at a profit, the fund can pay you capital gains.

As a shareholder, you own a proportionate share of the fund. Each share represents ownership in all the fund’s underlying securities. Funds pay dividends and capital gains in proportion to the number of fund shares owned. Thus, if you invest $1,000, you’ll get the same rate of return as if you invest $10,000.

Types of Mutual Funds:

Money Market Funds
Invest short-term debt instruments such as U.S. Government Securities, bank CDs, and other types of commercial paper. They are usually appropriate for investors who want immediate income, low risk, and easy access to their funds.

Growth Funds
Invest in stocks and seek capital growth through price appreciation of the securities held in their portfolios. Their primary aim is to produce an increase in the value of their investments rather than a flow of dividends. Growth funds with a more aggressive focus seek maximum capital gains as their investment objective. These funds may invest in stocks that are somewhat out of the mainstream- such as smaller, lesser-known companies that managers believe possess dynamic potential.

Growth and Income Funds
Invest primarily in the common stocks of companies with longer track records. These funds seek equities with a higher share value that also maintain a solid record of paying dividends.

International Funds
Seeks capital appreciation by investing in equity securities of companies located outside the United States.

Global Funds
Typically seek growth in the value of their investments and generally invest in stocks and/or bonds trades worldwide, including the United States..

Sector or Theme Funds
Seek to capitalize on the return potential provided by investing primarily in a particular industry or sector of the economy.

Balanced Funds
Seek a high level of current income, which is often achieved by investing in common stocks of companies with good dividend-paying records. They may invest in such fixed-income securities as corporate and government bonds. Some income funds maintain more aggressive objectives.

Contact a LPL Investment Consultant to go over your options of mutual funds.

Financial Advisors of LPL Financial are Registered Representatives with, and Securities, Advisory Services and Insurance Products are offered through LPL Financial and its affiliates, Member FINRA/SIPC. LPL Financial is not a registered broker/dealer. Investments are: Not FDIC insured, may lose value, are not bank guaranteed, and are not obligations of LPL Financial. LPL Branch Office located at 1311 Carolina Ave, Washington, North Carolina 27889. Investment Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a SEC Registered Investment Advisor

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