Understanding Basic Services from any mutual fund company

The basic services that you can expect from any mutual fund company include the following:

• Regular written reports on the performance of your investments
• 24-hour, toll-free customer service
• The ability to exchange money between funds in the same family with relative ease and at little or no cost
• The ability to make additional investments easily and quickly
• The choice between having dividends and capital gains paid directly to you or reinvested in additional mutual fund shares
• Check-writing capabilities
• Professional advisory services

Beyond these basics, however, more and more mutual fund families are offering services that go above and beyond the call of duty. For some investors, the variety and quality of shareholder services provided is an important factor in choosing a fund or fund family in which to invest. It’s also important to keep in mind that the quality of basic services varies from one fund company to another. For example, account statements highlight the differences among various companies’ approaches.