Do you add the year to date return plus the yield to get the total return on investment on a bond mutual fund?

The investment mutual fund is a PIMCO total return fund that says it's year to date return is one figure and it's yield is another figure. Do you add both the YTD and yield to get the total return on investment

Yes you do. The total return is comprised of the income provided by the investment (dividends and interest) and the capital appreciation (unrealized or paper gains). This gives you a picture of how well your investment has been. Take a stock that pays $1.00 a share ($.25 a quarter) and sells for $20.00 a share. Your yield would be 5% (1/20). If the stock did not go up or down in price, the total return would be 5% also. But if the stock went from $20 to $25 dollars for the same period, your total return would now be 30% ((25-20)/20 + 5%). On the other hand, if the stock goes down in price, your total return declines. Say the stock price drops to $15, your total return is now -20%, ((15-20/20 + 5). OUCH! On the bright side, your 5% yield from the dividends has lessened your loss (total return) from 25% to 20%.

return might be after taxes and yield might be before. but dont trust me

but im sure you dont add them.