The fee table is particularly important for investors because the information it provides is comprehensive, clearly presented, and strictly regulated by federal law. The fee table also allows investors to easily compare the costs of owning different mutual funds. All fund prospectuses must be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission before they can be distributed to investors. Written descriptions accompanying the fee table must be concise and in plain English. Daily mutual fund tables published by newspapers often list fund expense ratios.
Many magazines publish lists of funds that include fee information.
These lists are often accompanied by articles that describe fees and their importance in making sound investment decisions. Mutual fund company websites often make the fee tables for all their funds, along with other key information from the prospectus, available online. Toll-free investor information centers , which many fund companies make available 24 hours a day, provide trained experts who can discuss a fund's fees with both current and prospective investors. Educational brochures that explain and describe the key elements of fund investing, including fees, are widely available. The Investment Company Institute distributes several brochures that explain and highlight the importance of fees, and distributes a brochure devoted solely to understanding mutual fund costs .