The study provides selected "negative general effects" that lower mutual fund shareholder performance. First, ICA and federal court decisions have enabled generally higher fund fees by setting very high hurdles for shareholders in petitions of excessive fund fees and therefore implicitly reduce...

Since the 2003 mutual funds scandal, it has become quite clear that thoughtful, long-term individual investors should focus on identifying and investing in stewardship funds. The purpose of this study is to provide readily available approaches for individual investors to use in the...

This study provides in-depth coverage of important findings surrounding the question of why investors continue to buy underperforming actively managed mutual funds. This issue is complicated by the finding that active managers have skill that allows them to add fund value, but that is not shared...

The purposes of this study are to review how mutual fund portfolio manager structures and their attributes, and implications impact fund risk and return performance. For example, retail Investors in actively managed mutual funds are often characterized as "dumb investors chasing past...

The purpose of this study is to discuss various types of agency conflicts that negatively impact mutual fund shareholder interests. In so doing, shareholders should get an improved understanding of conflicts that place them at such a disadvantage in fund investing. Many fund advisers are...

The research provides the mutual fund Total Cost Construct that would provide "normative transparency of disclosure" to shareholders if adopted by the fund industry and by the SEC for fund reporting and disclosure. Full disclosure would enhance analysis to estimate each cost item for samples,...

Revenue sharing payments are mutual fund distribution costs that conflict with continuing shareholder interests by directly reducing fund assets and shareholder returns. The “stated” purpose of revenue sharing payments is to defray broker costs of servicing customer accounts and for...

The background to this study is the failure of mutual fund independent directors to fulfill their obligations as “shareholder watchdogs,” as defined in the 40Act. What is needed is for fund independent directors to “request” fund advisers to provide “normative transparency of...

The updated New Total Expense Ratio is designed to categorize properly each type of mutual fund fee and expense. The purpose is to provide normative transparency of disclosure to serve the primary interests of fund shareholders. The current regulatory scheme of disclosure is short on...