Why Invest in MUTUAL FUNDS?
When considering investment opportunities, the first challenge that almost every investor faces is a plethora of options. From stocks, bonds, shares, money market securities, to the right combination of two or more of these, however, every option presents its own set of challenges and benefits.
So why should investors consider mutual funds over others to achieve their investment goals?Mutual funds allow investors to pool in their money for a diversified selection of securities, managed by a professional fund manager. It offers an array of innovative products like fund of funds, exchange-traded funds, Fixed Maturity Plans, Sectoral Funds and many more.
Whether the objective is financial gains or convenience,mutual funds offer many benefits to its investors.4 Reasons to Buy Mutual Funds
When you buy a mutual fund, your money is combined with the money from other investors, and allows you to buy part of a pool of investments. A mutual fund holds a variety of investments which can make it easier for investors to diversify than through ownership of individual stocks or bonds.
Not all investments perform well at the same time. Holding a variety of investments may help offset the impact of poor performers, while taking advantage of the earning potential of the rest. This is known as diversification
You may not have the skills and knowledge to manage your own investments or want to spend the time. Mutual funds allow you to pool your money with other investors and leave the specific investment decisions to a portfolio manager. Portfolio managers decide where to invest the money in the fund, and when to buy and sell investments.
Mutual funds are widely available through banks, financial planning firms, investment firms, credit unions and trust companies. You can sell your fund units or shares at almost any time if you need to get access to your money. But you may get back less than you invested.
Mutual funds can be used to meet a variety of financial goals. For example:
- A young investor with a stable income and many years to invest may feel comfortable taking more risk to achieve greater potential return. They may invest in an equity fund.
- A mid-career investor trying to balance risk and return more moderately could invest in a balanced mutual fund that buy a mix of stocks and bonds.
- An investor approaching retirement might be less comfortable with risk and more interested in fixed income investments. They may invest in a bond fund.
