Mutual fund companies typically offer a variety of funds, known as a fund family , to choose from. Each fund within the family makes different kinds of investments, and you can select just one or several different funds. Or, you can choose to invest in a variety of different fund families rather than buying several funds in one family. Sometimes a certain family has stronger funds in one category than another, and you can mix and match to put together the strongest collection of funds. If you haven't built a relationship with a brokerage house and aren't ready to try online investing, you can do your investment shopping closer to home.
Many banks offer a variety of investment products, such as annuities, mutual funds, and CDs.
A number of mutual fund companies offer funds from many fund families in addition to the ones they sponsor themselves. These mutual fund supermarkets make investing easier, since it's one-stop shopping. What's more, you get a single statement covering all of your funds, simplifying your recordkeeping. You can also find investment information through an insurance company . They offer overall financial planning and access to products such as annuities, life insurance, and mutual funds.