What is a managed fund?
General managed funds fall into one of five types:
- Cash management
- Fixed interest/bond
- Shares
- Mortgage
- Property
There are also diversified or specialised funds, such as ethical funds, sector specific, etc. Find out more about managed funds from the FIDO website here.
Benefits
Over 10 million Australians have found the benefits of investing in managed funds, some of which include time saving, diversification and professional management of your money at competitive costs.
Accessing overseas markets and several different asset classes can be expensive and to the untrained very risky. Sometimes your money is not sufficient on its own to invest in some of these asset classes such as infrastructure and so by pooling your money together with that of others, you are able to enjoy returns (and also the associated risks) that are usually only enjoyed by institutions and high net worth individuals.
The following tables provided by InvestSMART, a discount broker of managed investments, shows you a selection of the top performing diversified managed funds based on 3 year returns and those managed funds that are being requested the most from InvestSMART i.e. most popular.
If you wish to look at any of the funds in the table below you will be taken to InvestSMART’s website where you can research this fund more, compare it with other investment options and most importantly request or download a PDS.
Top Performing Managed Funds
Managed Fund data is supplied by Morningstar Research and Standard & Poor’s Information Services and is subject to the following disclaimer.
Managed fund unit prices are indicative only.
Most Popular Managed Funds
Managed Fund data is supplied by Morningstar Research and Standard & Poor’s Information Services and is subject to the following disclaimer.
Managed fund unit prices are indicative only.
How and where can you invest?
Investing in managed funds is quite straightforward. Either talk to your financial adviser or use a discount broker like InvestSMART which will rebate all entry fees.
After talking with InvestSMART or your adviser, you will be sent (or can download) a ‘Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)’. This is a small booklet which explains who will be managing your money and your different investment options. Many Product Disclosure Statements will cover a number of different investment options so on the application form at the back you will need to decide upon what investment option is best for you.
After reading the PDS carefully fill in the application form making sure you choose your desired investment option and send the application form and cheque to the fund manager.
Upon the fund manager receiving your application they will invest your money and keep you up to date with regular reports (usually quarterly) on your investment and its performance.
IMPORTANT: This information has been prepared for distribution over the internet and without taking into account the investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs of any particular person. Neither InvestSMART Financial Services Pty Ltd nor www.aboutseniors.com.au makes any recommendations as to the merits of any investment opportunity referred to on www.aboutseniors.com.au or any related websites. All indications of performance returns are historical and can not be relied upon as an indicator for future performance.
© 2007 Morningstar Research Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. To the extent that the above constitutes general advice by Morningstar, this advice has been prepared by Morningstar Research Pty Ltd ABN: 83 062 096 342, AFSL: 243 161 and does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Please refer to Morningstar’s Financial Service Guide (FSG) for more information at www.morningstar.com.au/fsg.asp and consider the product disclosure statement before making a decision to acquire the financial product.
