
Mutual funds for every objective
Stock, bond & mixed-asset funds - get to know the difference.
Stock, bond & mixed-asset funds - get to know the difference.
04/25/2023
INVESTING ESSENTIALS
It’s a common dilemma for investors, whether they’re just starting out or have owned mutual funds for a long time: do I need a financial professional, or am I OK doing it myself?
“A qualified investment professional can help you make sound investment decisions. Investment professionals include registered financial professionals, also known as registered representatives or stockbrokers, investment advisers and financial planners,” according to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). “The person or team of professionals you work with will depend on the type of financial help you seek.”
Everyone’s financial situation is unique, as is their level of financial knowledge. Ultimately, this is a very personal decision. Can you do what a financial professional does? What does a financial professional actually do? Here are a few questions you should ask yourself:
When you decide to invest in mutual funds directly versus through a financial professional, you’ll need to decide on your own your goals, which type of account will best fit those goals, as well as your threshold for risk and time horizon, which fund to invest in, how much, and how often to invest. To help you make these decisions, Thrivent Mutual Funds provides information you’ll need to understand your options and feel confident in your decision. Your investment portfolio will be fully accessible online, and you’ll be able manage almost all your mutual fund activities yourself.
When you choose to invest directly on your own, you don’t pay any sales charges or ongoing account service fees. This means more of your money is invested and working for you. The fees you will pay are the customary expenses that all mutual funds charge for investment management, record-keeping, legal, and accounting requirements. These fees are considered fund operating expenses and are represented as the net expense ratio of the fund. You will pay fund operating expenses regardless of whether you buy mutual funds online or through a financial professional.
Thrivent Mutual Funds are available for investors through Thrivent and other financial professionals at many investment firms throughout the U.S. If you want to work with a financial professional, it’s important to find one that meets your needs.
Make sure to discuss your goals and expectations to ensure they are a good fit for you. Ask about the types of fees that would apply for the products and services offered. You should review the background and history of the firm and the financial professional. FINRA’s BrokerCheck is a free tool that can help you research the professional backgrounds of brokers and brokerage firms, as well as investment adviser firms and advisers.
For more information from FINRA on selecting a financial professional, see Choosing an Investment Professional.
If you decide to work with a Thrivent Financial professional, you’ll be receiving personal service from a financial guide who lives in your area. Your Thrivent Financial professional will meet with you in person, listen to you, ask questions, and offer options to help you meet your financial goals. If you wish, your Thrivent Financial professional can provide a holistic analysis of your financial situation and may offer options in addition to those provided by Thrivent Mutual Funds.
There may be additional fees associated with using a financial professional that need to be weighed against the benefits. However, with a Thrivent Financial professional, you know there’s someone you can go to with questions, so you can concentrate on the things that are important to you. Click to find a Thrivent Financial professional in your area.
The choice is yours. No matter if you decide to go at it alone or to work with a financial professional, you can rest assured that our team of seasoned fund managers will apply their deep expertise and proprietary research to actively manage each fund. When you choose to invest in Thrivent Mutual Funds, you’ll benefit from the expertise of our investment professionals and the convenience and choices we provide to make investing easier.
Thrivent financial professionals are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. Thrivent Investment Management Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker/dealer, and a member of FINRA and SIPC and a subsidiary of Thrivent, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.