A Guide To Mutual Fund Investing: Helping You Reach Your Financial Goals
A Guide To Mutual Fund Investing: Helping You Reach Your Financial Goals
Many investors turn to mutual funds to meet their long-term financial goals. They offer the benefits of diversification and
professional management and are seen as an easy and efficient way to invest. However, as with all investment choices,
investing in mutual funds involves risks. Helping you understand these risks, and how to choose the funds that are in line
with your own personal goals, is one of the many services your Advisor can provide.
If you have questions about mutual funds, or any investment, please contact your Advisor.
Important Reminders
Mutual funds are not guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
You can lose money investing in mutual funds. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
However, past performance can help you assess a funds volatility over time. All mutual funds have costs that lower your
investment returns. You need to shop around and compare before you make a purchase. Before you invest, be sure to
read the funds prospectus and shareholder reports to learn about the fund youre considering. By clearly understanding
the investment youre considering, youll be better prepared to make a sound investment decision. To obtain a
prospectus, please contact your Advisor.
HELPING YOU REACH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS.
Millions of investors find mutual funds the right solution for their long-term financial goals. Some reasons include:
Professional Management The funds portfolio is professionally managed by experienced money managers who
research and select investments that are appropriate for the funds objective, and provide full-time monitoring of the
performance of those investments. If changes are necessary, theyre able to modify the funds holdings.
Diversification The concept of diversification is as simple as the time-tested advice, Dont put all your eggs in
one basket. By spreading your investments across a wide range of companies and industry sectors, you can better
protect your assets during market fluctuations. Mutual fund ownership makes it easy for an investor to maintain a
diversified investment portfolio.
Affordability To invest in a diversified portfolio of individual securities would require a large investment. Many
mutual funds allow investors to purchase shares for a relatively low dollar amount for initial and subsequent
purchases.
Liquidity Investors may redeem their mutual fund shares for any reason at the current net asset value (NAV), plus
any fees and charges assessed on redemption.
Dividend Payments A fund can earn income in the form of dividends and interest on the securities in its portfolio,
which is passed on to shareholders in the form of dividends.
Dividend Reinvestment You can set your account up for the automatic reinvestment of any dividends generated
by your fund, allowing you to accumulate more shares without incurring a sales charge.
Capital Gains Distribution Occurs when the fund sells a security that has increased in value. At the end of each
year, most funds will distribute any capital gains (minus any capital losses) to their investors.
Increased Value The increased market value of a funds portfolio (after deducting expenses and liabilities) increases
the value of the fund and its shares. This represents an increased value of your investment.
Identify and Isolate Market Timers Some funds attempt to identify market timers by monitoring shareholder
transactions. Upon identifying market timers, the fund may restrict the timers trading privileges or expel them from
the fund.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUTUAL FUNDS
Investors today have thousands of choices when it comes to investing in mutual funds. Understanding your individual
financial goals and risk tolerance either on your own or with the help of your Advisor is the first step in the journey
to reaching your long-term financial goals. This will help you to begin narrowing your choices.
Mutual funds fit into three main categories money market funds, bond funds and stock funds (also called equity
funds). Each category has unique features, risks and rewards. In general, the higher the potential return, the higher the
potential risk of loss. Mutual funds are not FDIC-insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency.
Whats In A Name There are rules requiring a fund to invest at least 80% of its assets in the type of investments
suggested by its name. However, funds can invest up to 20% of their holdings in other types of securities. Always read
the prospectus carefully before investing.
Money Market Funds Typically less volatile than other types of mutual funds. By law, they can only invest in highquality, short-term investments issued by the U.S. government, U.S. corporations and state and local governments.
These funds strive to keep their share price at $1.00 per share; however, there is no guarantee that you will receive $1
per share when you redeem your shares. Money market funds are not guaranteed against loss. Money market funds
pay dividends that are usually declared daily, paid monthly, and generally reflect short-term interest rates. Inflation
risk, the risk that the inflation rate will grow faster than the investments return over time, can be a concern for
money market fund investors. Investments in a money market fund are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any
other government agency.
Bond (or Income) Funds Generally have higher risks than money market funds, due to the fact that they typically
pursue strategies aimed at producing higher yields. Unlike money market funds, there are no laws to restrict bond
funds to high-quality or short-term investments. And because there are many different types of bonds, these funds
can vary dramatically in their risks and rewards. One of the major risks associated with bond funds is credit risk,
or the risk that companies or other issuers may fail to pay their debts. The credit quality of the bonds contained
in a fund will have a direct impact on their credit risk. Another risk is interest rate risk, or the risk that the market
value of the bonds will go down when interest rates increase. Funds that invest in longer-term bonds tend to have
a higher interest rate risk and fluctuate more dramatically in value. Interest earned on a bond funds portfolio is
passed through to investors as dividends, which may be taken in cash or reinvested. This component of a bond funds
earnings (less expenses) is called its yield. The two major factors that affect a bond funds yield are the quality and
maturity of the bonds in the portfolio. In general, lower quality bonds and those with longer maturities entail greater
risk and generally offer higher yields. The share price or NAV of a bond fund may change based upon the market
value of the bonds in the portfolio. The value of the bonds in the portfolio may change in response to changes in
interest rates. To calculate the total return of a bond fund, it is necessary to include the change in share price along
with any income earned (dividends and capital gains distributions).
Stock (or Equity) Funds Typically have higher risks and volatility than money market and bond funds. However,
over the long term, stocks have historically performed better than any other type of investment. Market risk is the
greatest potential risk for investors in stock funds. Stock prices can fluctuate dramatically for many reasons, such as
the overall strength of the economy or demand for particular products or services. Types of stock funds include:
Growth funds focus on stocks (companies) that may not pay a regular dividend but have the potential for large
growth. There are also different types of growth funds, including small, medium and large cap funds, which will
invest in the stock of these types of companies.
Sector funds may specialize in a particular industry segment, such as technology or consumer products stocks.
A sector fund concentrates its investments in one sector and involves more risks than a fund that invests more
broadly.
Dividend Income Funds invest in stocks that pay regular dividends.
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Index funds seek to achieve the same return as a particular market index, such as the S&P 500 Composite Stock
Price Index, by investing in all or many of the companies included in the index. It is not possible to directly invest in
an index.
Balanced Funds Provide investors with a combination of both stock and bond holdings in one mutual fund.
Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) Type of investment company that buys and holds a generally fixed portfolio of
stocks, bonds or other securities. Units in the trust are sold to investors who receive a share of principal and
dividends or interest. UITs have a stated termination date. Like mutual funds, UITs may charge an initial sales charge
and a deferred sales charge. The UITs prospectus contains information about the portfolio of securities within the UIT
and the sales charges. Please note: UITs may not be purchased in a JPMS account.
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) Type of investment company that offers investors a proportionate share of a
portfolio of stocks, bonds or other securities. Like individual equity securities, ETFs are traded on a stock exchange
and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day through a broker dealer. Many ETFs attempt to track various
stock market sectors, international indices and bond indices. Recently, additional types of ETFs, including leveraged
ETFs and actively managed ETFs have been introduced.
MUTUAL FUND FEES AND EXPENSES
Running any business involves costs, and mutual fund companies are no exception. Transaction costs, advisory fees,
marketing and distribution expenses (12b-1 fees) are just a few of the costs associated with running a mutual fund.
These costs are passed to investors in the form of fees and expenses. Its important to clearly understand these fees,
because they will impact your investment returns.
Sales Charge (Load) Paid when you initially purchase mutual fund shares. Usually associated with A shares, this
charge is also known as a front-end load. A portion of this is usually paid to the broker selling the shares. Sales
charges reduce the amount of your initial investment, as they are deducted from your initial investment purchase.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (Load) Paid when you sell mutual fund shares. Usually associated with B or C
shares, this charge is also known as a back-end load. The amount will depend on how long you own the shares, and
may decrease to zero if a B share held as a long-term investment. May also be paid when selling shares purchased
without a front-end load because the purchase was more than $1 million.
Exchange Fee Paid when shareholders exchange (transfer) to another fund within the same fund group.
Management/Investment Advisory Fees Paid out of the funds assets to the funds Investment Advisor for
investment portfolio management and administrative fees that are not included in the Other Expenses category.
Distribution/Service Fees (12b-1 Fees) Paid by the fund from fund assets to cover the costs of marketing and
selling fund shares and/or to cover the costs of providing shareholder services, such as advertising, printing and
mailing of prospectuses, phone centers and more.
Other Expenses Expenses not included under Management/Investment Advisory Fees or Distribution/Service
Fees, such as custodial expenses, legal and accounting expenses, transfer agent and administrative expenses.
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expense Ratio) A line on the fee table that provides the total of a funds
annual operating expenses, as a percentage of the funds average net assets. Annual operating expenses include
the ongoing costs of running the fund, and the fund company pays these expenses from the funds assets before it
distributes any earnings to shareholders. Included among the annual operating expenses of all mutual funds is the
investment advisory fee, which the fund pays to the Investment Advisor for managing the portfolio. In some cases, the
Investment Advisor may enter into revenue-sharing arrangements with firms that distribute the fund. The Investment
Advisor finances these arrangements out of its investment advisory fee and must disclose the details of such
arrangements in the prospectus or Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
Revenue Sharing Paid by some funds, their Investment Advisors, distributors or other entities to brokerage firms,
or other distributors of mutual funds, based on the amount of the funds shares sold by the distributor. In addition
to sales loads and 12b-1 fees described in the prospectus, some mutual fund advisers, distributors or other entities
make payments to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS) based on the amount of the funds shares sold by JPMS or owned
by JPMS clients. Sponsors of UITs may pay JPMS additional concessions based upon the volume of sales pursuant
to terms described in such sponsors prospectuses. For more information about revenue sharing received by JPMS,
please refer to Understanding Revenue Sharing at Chase.com.
The fund prospectus is a valuable tool that will provide you with information on the various fees. Each fund
prospectus is required to provide a fee table near the front of the prospectus that can help you compare the
costs of different funds.
BUYING, SELLING & EXCHANGING
Mutual fund shares can be purchased and sold on any business day. Mutual funds are priced once each day at a time
specified in the prospectus, usually 4:00 pm ET, which is the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange. When
your purchase or sale order is received before the established cut-off time, your transaction will receive the price
calculated for that day.
Purchasing Mutual Fund Shares When you buy shares, you pay the current NAV per share plus any fee the fund
may assess at the time of purchase, such as a sales charge or other type of purchase fee.
Selling Mutual Fund Shares When you sell your shares, the fund will pay you the current NAV minus any fee the
fund assesses at the time of redemption, such as a deferred (or back-end) sales charge or redemption fee.
Exchanging Shares Many mutual fund companies have several different types of funds in which to invest. Most
offer exchange privileges within their family of funds, allowing shareholders to transfer their holdings from one
fund to another within the family, without incurring an additional sales charge, as their investment objectives or risk
tolerance change. Exchanges may have tax consequences. Even if the fund doesnt charge you for the exchange, youll
be liable for any gain on the sale of your original shares or, depending on the circumstances, eligible to take
a loss.
UNDERSTANDING SHARE CLASSES
Different share classes provide you with choices for how you wish to pay for your investment. Many mutual funds
make more than one share class available to individual investors. Each share class invests in the same portfolio of
securities and has the same investment objective and policies; however, each share class has different sales charges and
expenses. This multi-class structure allows investors to select a fee and expense structure that is most appropriate for
their individual investment goals. Here is a brief description of the most common share classes available to individual
investors:
Class A shares typically have a front-end sales charge.
Class B shares typically have no front-end sales charge but is subject to a contingent deferred or back-end sales
charge. Please note: Class B shares may not be purchased in a JPMS account.
Class C shares typically have a back-end sales charge that is lower than Class B shares but has higher annual
expenses.
The fee table in each funds prospectus shows the fees and expenses paid by each class of shares. In addition, the SEC
provides an online Mutual Fund Cost Calculator to help you understand the impact that fees and expenses can have on
your investment.
Go to: www.sec.gov/investor/tools.shtml
directors and persons who control the fund, investment advisory and other services, brokerage commissions, tax
matters and performance such as yield and average annual total return information. The mutual fund is typically
required to send you an SAI anytime you request one, and the back cover of a funds prospectus should contain
information on how to obtain the SAI.
Shareholder Reports
A mutual fund must also provide shareholders with annual and semi-annual reports within 60 days after the end of
the funds fiscal year and 60 days after the funds fiscal mid-year. These reports contain a variety of updated financial
information, a list of the funds portfolio securities and other information.
You may obtain any of these documents by:
Contacting your Advisor.
Calling or writing to the fund (all mutual funds have toll-free telephone numbers).
Visiting the funds website.
You can obtain additional information about mutual funds at the educational websites of the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (www.SEC.gov), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (www.FINRA.org), the Securities
Industry Association (www.SIFMA.org) and the Investment Company Institute (www.ICI.org).
MUTUAL FUND GLOSSARY
1. 12b-1/Distribution Fees Fees paid by the fund out of fund assets to cover the costs of marketing and selling
fund shares and sometimes to cover the costs of providing shareholder services. Distribution fees include fees
to compensate brokers and others who sell fund shares and to pay for advertising, the printing and mailing of
prospectuses to new investors and the printing and mailing of sales literature. Shareholder Service Fees are fees
paid to persons to respond to investor inquiries and provide investors with information about their investments.
2. Breakpoints Mutual funds that charge front-end sales loads may charge a lower sales load for larger investments.
The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales load are commonly referred to as breakpoints.
3. Classes Different types of shares issued by a single fund, often referred to as Class A shares, Class B shares, etc.
Each class invests in the same pool (or investment portfolio) of securities and has the same investment objectives
and policies. But each class has different shareholder services and/or distribution arrangements with different fees
and expenses and therefore different performance results.
4. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) Type of back-end load, the amount of which depends on the length of
time the investor held his or her shares. For example, a contingent deferred sales load might be (X)% if an investor
holds his or her shares for one year, (X-1)% after two years, and so on until the load reaches zero and is eliminated
completely.
5. Exchanges Mutual fund companies may offer exchange privileges within their family of funds, allowing
shareholders to transfer their holdings from one fund to another within the family.
6. Expense Ratio Funds total annual operating expenses (including management fees, 12b-1 fees and other
expenses) expressed as a percentage of average net assets.
7. Investment Advisor/Manager Person who manages portfolios of securities, including mutual funds.
8. Investment Company Company (corporation, business trust, partnership or limited liability company) that issues
securities and is primarily engaged in the business of investing in securities. The three basic types of investment
companies are open-end mutual funds, closed-end funds and unit investment trusts (UITs).
9. Letter of Intent (LOI) Investing an amount greater than the funds breakpoint within a designated period (13
months) makes you eligible to receive a breakpoint discount on the sales charge as if the purchases had been made
in a single lump sum.
10. Management/Advisory Fee Fee paid out of a funds assets to the funds Investment Advisor or its affiliates for
managing the funds portfolio. Also includes any other management and administrative fees payable to the funds
Investment Advisor or its affiliates, that are not included in the Other Expenses category. A funds management fee
appears as a category under Annual Fund Operating Expenses in the Fee Table.
11. Mutual Fund Common name for an open-end investment company. Like other types of investment companies,
mutual funds pool money from many investors and invest the money in stocks, bonds, short-term money-market
instruments or other securities. Mutual funds continuously issue redeemable shares that investors purchase directly
from the fund (or through a broker for the fund) instead of purchasing from investors on a secondary market.
12. Net Asset Value (NAV) Value of the funds assets minus its liabilities. SEC rules require funds to calculate the
NAV at least once daily. To calculate the NAV per share, the funds liabilities are subtracted from its assets and then
divided by the number of shares outstanding. NAV is usually calculated at the close of the New York Stock Exchange
(4 pm ET).
13. No-Load Fund Fund that does not charge any type of sales load. Not every type of shareholder fee is a sales
load, however, and a no-load fund may charge fees that are not sales loads. (No-load funds also charge operating
expenses.)
14. Operating Expenses Costs a fund incurs in connection with running the fund, including management fees, 12b-1
fees and other expenses.
15. Portfolio Individuals or entitys combined holdings of stocks, bonds or other securities and assets.
16. Prospectus Written document that contains information about the mutual funds costs, investment objectives,
risks and performance. Prospectuses may be obtained from the mutual fund company (through its website or by
phone or mail); your Advisor may also provide you with a copy.
17. Reinstatement No sales charge is imposed on Class A shares when the shares are purchased with the proceeds
from the sale of other Class A shares and when the purchase is made within 60 days of the sale or distribution.
18. Related Accounts Used in factoring breakpoint discounts, and defined differently by each mutual fund, related
accounts are those owned by family members in the same household (i.e., spouse and minor children).
19. Rights of Accumulation (ROA) Privilege that allows you to combine your familys existing account balances and
with new share purchases to qualify for breakpoint discounts.
20. Sales Charge (or Load) Amount that investors pay when they purchase (front-end load) or redeem
(back-end load) shares in a mutual fund, similar to a commission.
21. Shareholder Service Fees Fees paid to persons to respond to investor inquiries and provide investors with
information about their investments. See also 12b-1 fees.
22. Statement of Additional Information (SAI) Conveys information about an open- or closed-end fund that is not
necessarily needed by investors to make an informed investment decision, but that some investors find useful.
Although funds are not required to provide investors with an SAI, they must send the SAI upon request and without
charge. Also known as Part B of the funds registration statement.
23. Total Annual Fund Operating Expense Total of a funds annual fund operating expenses, expressed as a
percentage of the funds average net assets, that can be found in the funds fee table in the prospectus.
Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives and risks as well as charges and expenses of the mutual fund
before investing. To obtain a prospectus, contact your Advisor or visit the fund companys website. The prospectus contains
this and other information about the mutual fund. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and its affiliates do not offer legal, tax or accounting advice. Clients are urged to consult their own legal, tax and accounting advisors with respect