How would i go about investing in a mutual fund?

i need to know who i should talk to and where i should go? thanks

Two ways you can go. Contact a local broker and they will set it up for you. But, of course, they will take a cut and prob try to steer you to funds they are affiliated with. A better way might just be to contact the fund itself.. that you're interested in.. and buy it online, by establishing an account with them that is linked to your current bank account.

Set up an account with a company like Fidelity, Janus, etc. Go to one of htese "brokerage houses" and they will be happy to talk to you.

Contact a financial adviser first,than invest with a firm.

You could look up financial advisers in the phone book, but anything you bought through them would be likely to have a load - a percentage of the money that is like a commission. That can be around 5%, depending on what class of fund you're picking. A pretty big initial hit.

I like going through Vanguard. We get funds through them online - no load and no problem! And they have some funds that are very diverse. We have Index 500, which means 500 of the biggest companies are part of the mutual fund's portfolio. So you can pretty well assume that you'll do as well as the market overall. Just go to www.vanguard.com!

The act of investing itself is simple.
-Pick a fund.
-Get a phone number.
-Call the number and tell them you want to invest. They'll either direct you to a web site or they will ask for an address to send you a prospectus, which is a general description of the fund and is also a legal requirement.
-Fill out the forms & send a check or have the money wired.

Investing in the right fund is different. Deciding which is the right fund for you is another thing also.

Money magazine or money on line or even the finance page in yahoo is a place to read and gather information about funds.

Two important questions are
1. How much can you afford to lose in case your selection is a poor one.
2. How much risk do you want to take.

Like with many other things in life, the funds that promise the biggest payoff also has the largest risk.

Some funds also specialize in big companies, small companies, foriegn, environmentally responsible. More considerations.

TD Ameritrade. (If you have at least $2,000.00 USD)

Get Kiplingers magazine to get information on good funds and their phone numbers. You can fill out your own paperwork and send it in with a check.

Any major bank or brokerage will walk you through it. Just go with someone well known and with a good track record.