Don't Let Mutual Fund Names Fool You Out Of Your Retirement

Mutual fund managers use fake fund names to part you from your money such that you cannot judge what a fund does by its name. Many funds have names that are outright misleading or even deceptive. In the late 1990’s, for instance, during the technology stock bubble, some portfolio managers took advantage of public’s desire to chase the latest fad by slapping “internet” in front of their fund names.

The chances of that happening now are possibly lower. As of July 2002, the SEC requires funds to have at least 80% of their assets in securities that their fund name implies, up from 65% previously. This new rule is forcing funds that called themselves something like the America’s Government Fund to either dispose of East Asian government debt if it exceeded 20% of fund assets, or to change the fund’s name.

Likewise for funds that call themselves an equity income fund but have 25% of assets in stocks that paid no dividends. More than five hundred funds have had to change their names because they failed the 80% rule. Invesco’s Blue Chip Growth fund, for example, is now called just growth fund, since 60% of its holdings are in technology stocks, and many of those can hardly be called blue chips these days.

The 80% rule still allows mutual funds to invest in just about anything up to 20% of holdings. Why don’t you just avoid the entire problem by buying shares of an indexed mutual fund when you only have a selection of mutual funds to select? For this reason I strongly recommend that if you can only buy mutual funds, as in the case of the 401(k), then restrict your purchases to indexed funds such as the Vanguard 500 (VFINX). The best you can do is to learn to select individual stocks in your Roth IRA or individual account.

About the author:

Dr. Scott Brown, Ph.D., a.k.a. “The Wallet Doctor”, is a successful futures trader, real estate investor, and stock investor. Dr. Brown holds a Ph.D. in finance from the University of South Carolina and a Master in International Management from the prestigious American Graduate School of International Business a.k.a. Thunderbird. His 1998 articles in Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities were prophetic in predicting an impending stock market crash. He has helped many people become profitable investors teaching them to look out over many years to spot stocks that are low and primed for rise in the new bull market. His second article met with approval by Dr. Bob Shiller of Yale University. Dr. Shiller is the economist that Alan Greenspan most highly regards who coined the term “Irrational Exuberance.” In 1998 he was shouting out to the world to “get out” of the stock market but now he is shouting to everyone that it is time to “get in!” The Wallet Doctor is not only sought after for investment advice and coaching in stock investing but also in futures trading and real estate investing. He also teaches investing in Spanish and Portuguese. His free newsletter www.WalletDoctor.comis jam packed with personal finance and investment tips and advice! His course which is described in detail at www.BonanzaBase.comteaches home study stock market investment students more than an undergraduate or MBA degree in finance...how does he know? Because he is also a university finance professor

This article can be copied and reproduced only if left intact with the authors details below.

Return to the previous index page: Wealth Creation and Financial Wealth >>

Return to the Main Investment Articles index page: Renting Shares >>

These stockmarket & business articles have been supplied in the interest of Universal Wealth Creation visitors who want to expand their knowledge in the wealth creation & investment fields such as the courses offered by Jamie McIntyre.

Other sites we recommend here at Universal Wealth Creation are: 21st Century Academy with Jamie McIntyre, Universal Trading Solutions which promotes great wealth creators like: Kim Reilly, Simon Martin, Justin Beeton, Louise Bedford, John Kaye, Daniel Kertcher & more. They run great wealth seminars across the country.

Additional speakers that appear at 21st Century Academy seminars are options & CFD gurus Nik Halik and Daniel Kertcher, motivational speakers Justin Herald and Tony Christiansen, Property investors Jason McGuiness, Rick Otton, Mark Rolton and Warren Borsje, Tax structure specialist Leigh Barker, Internet marketers Jenny Armato and Tom Hua, Trading Diary masters Bill Stacy and Andrew Dimitri from Planet Wealth, Kinetic Securities stockbroker Angus Knight and JB Global broker Justin Beeton, & Traders International and Eminis Global specialist Peter Elsworth.

To mention a great option book I highly recommend: Options by Renting Shares. Another great trading author is Louise Bedford who is particulary good at candlestick charting.

Meanwhile, there is a great opportunity to learn about the stock market through reading these kind of articles. Learn about share trading, options, futures, CFD's, derivatives, warrants, indices & more in the stock market. You will also learn plenty about business & finance through authors opinions in the marketplace. Enjoy your journey towards financial freedom.