The Mutual Fund Cost Calculator enables investors to easily estimate and compare the costs of owning mutual funds. The Cost Calculator takes the mystery and math out of the cost equation, revealing how costs add up over time.

Mutual fund costs take a big chunk out of any investor's return. That's why it's important for investors to know what costs they are paying, and which cost structure is best for them. By using the Cost Calculator investors will find answers quickly to questions like this: Which is better, a no-load fund with yearly expenses of 1.75% , or a fund with a front-end sales charge of 3.5% with yearly expenses of 0.90% ?

The Cost Calculator is great for understanding costs, but costs aren't the only thing that should be considered when investing in a mutual fund. Other things to assess include:

• the number of years needed to reach an investment goal,
• the type of stocks, bonds, or other securities that the fund buys,
• the risk of the fund,
• the fit between the fund and the investor's portfolio (diversification),
• the fund company or portfolio manager who runs the fund,
• the fund's track record or performance over time, and
• the types of services offered by the fund company.

Run the JavaScript SEC Cost Calculator (requires a JavaScript-enabled browser, such as Netscape Navigator^TM 2.0 or higher, or Microsoft^® Internet Explorer 3.0 or higher.)

http://www.sec.gov/investor/tools/mfcc/mfcc-int.htm