Money Market - Types of Mutual Funds, Investing in Stock Markets | Investing in Stock Markets - B Com PDF Download

Investors interested in the money market can access it most easily through money market mutual funds, but these vehicles do not let smaller investors off the hook when it comes to having a rudimentary understanding of the Treasury bills, commercial paper, bankers acceptances, repurchase agreements and certificates of deposit (CDs) that make up the bulk of money market mutual fund portfolios. 

Purpose of Money Market Mutual Funds for Investors

There are three instances when money market mutual funds, because of their liquidity, are particularly suitable investments.

Money market mutual funds offer a convenient parking place for cash reserves when an investor is not quite ready to make an investment or is anticipating a near-term cash outlay for a non-investment purpose. Money market mutual funds offer ultimate safety and liquidity. This means that investors will have an expected sum of cash at the very moment that they need it. 

An investor holding a basket of mutual funds from a single fund company may occasionally want to transfer assets from one fund to another. If, however, the investor wants to sell a fund before deciding on another fund to purchase, a money market mutual fund offered by the same fund company may be a good place to park the proceeds of sale. Then, at the appropriate time, the investor may exchange his or her money market mutual fund holdings for shares of the other funds in the fund family.

To benefit their clients, brokerage firms regularly use money market mutual funds to provide cash management services. Putting a client's dormant cash into money market mutual funds will earn the client an extra percentage point (or two) in annual returns above those earned by other possible investments. 

Operational Details of Money Market Mutual Funds 

Money market mutual funds are designed to offer features that are particularly suited to the needs of small investors. Minimum initial investments generally range from $500 to $5,000.

You can purchase money market mutual funds directly from brokerage companies or mutual fund firms, just as you would purchase a stock or equity mutual. As investment advisors, some banks also sell money market funds and some even have their own proprietary funds that offer money market investment opportunities. These should not be confused with money market accounts, which are interest-earning savings accounts.

Money market mutual funds also offer some simplified withdrawal features that are more typically associated with bank or trust accounts. For example, money market funds allow investors to withdraw assets by writing checks, usually of a minimum amount around $500 per check. If the investor does not want to write a check as a means of withdrawing funds, he or she can easily redeem shares by requesting payment by mail or by remittance through a wire transfer to his or her bank account.

Categories of Money Market Mutual Funds 

Money market mutual funds may contain a specific type of money market security or a combination of securities across a wide spectrum:

• One particular type of fund limits its asset purchases to U.S. Treasury securities.Another class of money market funds purchases both U.S. government securities and investments in various government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs).
• The third and largest class of money market mutual funds invests in a variety of money market securities that offer the highest degree of security.

Another important categorization for money market mutual funds relates to their taxable or tax-exempt status. Taxable funds invest in securities such as Treasury bills and commercial paper, whose interest income is subject to federal taxation. Tax-exempt funds invest exclusively in securities that are issued by state and local governments and are exempt from federal taxation. Tax-exempt funds generally appeal to investors in higher federal tax brackets who are seeking tax savings on the overall interest income generated by their portfolios. 

Tax-exempt money market mutual funds have the potential to offer a triple-whammy tax reprieve for some investors! Some tax-exempt funds purchase only securities issued by governments within a particular state. If an investor can find such a fund for his or her home state, that investor can earn interest income that is exempt from federal, state and perhaps even local income taxes.

Conclusion 

Just as equity and fixed-income mutual funds have greatly simplified the world of investing, money market mutual funds have made money market investing accessible to individual retail investors. Money market mutual funds are among the safest and most liquid financial instruments widely available. Moreover, money market funds offer modest initial investment requirements and provide simple procedures for withdrawing funds by check or transfer to a bank account. Finally, if they choose carefully, purchasers of certain tax-exempt money market funds may also enjoy relief from federal, state and even local taxation.