Few people have the time, knowledge, and money to successfully build and manage a portfolio of individual stocks, bonds, and other investments. That's why millions of Americans have chosen mutual funds as the foundation on which to build their investment strategy.
Mutual funds pool the money of many people and invest it in a portfolio of stocks, bonds, and/or money market instruments to meet a specific investment objective. Mutual funds are managed by full-time, professional money managers. As an investor, you receive shares of the mutual fund in exchange for your investment dollars.
Listed below are four, broad mutual fund categories, as well a desciption of a typical investor:
- Money Market Funds – appropriate if you are investing for a short period of time and desire capital preservation. Money market funds invest in high-quality, short-term securities.* Money Market funds have the lowest risk, and therefore the lowest potential reward.
- Income Funds – appropriate if you have a need for current income. Income funds invest in bonds, both corporate and government, having a range of average maturities. Income funds are generally lower risk than growth funds and fall on the lower risk/lower reward side of the risk spectrum.
- Growth and Income Funds –appropriate when you are seeking current income along with potential long-term growth. Growth and income funds generally invest in both bonds and dividend paying stocks. Growth and income funds fall in the middle of the risk spectrum for stock funds.
- Growth Funds – appropriate if you are investing for a long period of time and seek long-term growth potential. Growth funds generally invest the majority of their assets in stocks. Growth funds are high risk, so expect significant fluctuation in share price.
Mutual funds are designed to meet your diverse investment needs. Within each category you will find a range of investment objectives. There is no guarantee, however, that your particular mutual fund will meet its investment objective. When you're considering a mutual fund, be sure to consult with a MetLife Financial Services Representative, who will provide you with a prospectus for the fund.
Mutual funds are sold by prospectus, which is available from your registered representative. Please carefully consider investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. For this and other information about any mutual fund investment please obtain a prospectus and read it carefully before you invest. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with changes in market conditions such that shares may be worth more or less than original cost when redeemed. Diversification cannot eliminate the risk of investment losses.
* An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing.
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Mutual funds provide you with an attractive, cost-effective alternative to direct purchases of stocks or bonds.
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There are six simple steps in determining which asset allocation strategy is right for you
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