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Saturday, April 25, 2009

A Guide to Buying Mutual Funds in the Philippines

By Jeffrey Mute

Buying mutual funds in the Philippines is a trend that a lot of investors follow today. This investment opportunity is popular due to the fact that it offers several advantages over other traditional investment options. If you want to join the bandwagon and invest in mutual funds but dont really know what it is about, then its time for you to be familiar with some general things about the said investment opportunity.

In laymans explanation, mutual funds can be understood as a fund which has an asset base jointly put up by different shareholders which is then invested into several diverse investment vehicles. A fund manager is designated to do all the decision-making regarding the kind of investments the fund will be put into. Invariably, he sees to it that the funds investments will gain maximum returns for the shareholders.

Mutual funds earn income in two ways. One is when the value of security assets increase which is commonly termed as capital gains. The other one is through the interests and dividends earned from the other investments of the fund. Upon earning income, it will then be divided among the shareholders according to the number of shares owned.

There are several reasons why mutual funds are popular today. The most obvious one is the minimal investment required. With P5000, the average Filipino worker can now take part of this lucrative industry. One other reason is that an investor wont have to do so much work to see his money grow as a professional fund manager takes care of this. Mutual funds are also easily converted to cash when needed.

Mutual funds are also very liquid, which means that it can be converted to cash when you need it. Laws regulate that you can get your money within seven days of surrendering your shares, but there are companies that will allow you to recoup your investment within a day. Another advantage of mutual funds is the fact that only a minimum amount of investment is required. For as low as P5000, the average Juan Dela Cruz can now take part of a booming industry.

One other disadvantage includes the costs and fees charged by the mutual fund company as this can affect the project returns of your investment. Also, be aware that mutual funds are medium to long term investments so you cant expect immediate returns.

Buying mutual funds is as simple as filling out an application form and paying for the number of shares you want. Some companies may charge an entry fee though. Just make sure that you are certain of the mutual fund company you are investing in to avoid any loss of investment later on.

So, youve finally decided that you want to invest in a mutual fund, what are you to do next? First, choose a reliable mutual fund company that you are comfortable working with. Then, fill up an application form from a broker and youre good to go. But dont stop learning about mutual funds once you finish filling up the application form, continue updating yourself with the industry so you are able to keep up with your investment. - 23204

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