Mutual funds are one of the finest investment options for people belonging to all income groups. There is a lot of flexibility offered in this form of investment and investors should take advantage of such great offerings to fulfill their financial goals in life. Though mutual funds can be the best investments for 2012, there are many things which must be kept in mind before making your actual investments. So, let us know the basic concept of mutual funds before we know the best no-load mutual funds are. Basic Concept of Mutual Funds Mutual funds are a very good investment option considering that they offer great flexibility and choice for the investors. Depending on their risk profiles, investors can choose the funds of their choice for long-term investments. They can either choose the more secure large cap funds of reputed mutual fund companies, or the mid cap or small cap funds if they have the ability to take more risks. Investing in the top performing mutual funds can be safer than direct stock investments if you are not aware of the fluctuations and overall working of the stock markets. Most mutual funds allow investors to invest right from very small amounts to large sums - depending on their convenience. Mutual funds can be the best investments for young people having a long-term horizon of investments. Understanding the role of fund managers in the performance of a mutual fund is very important. Fund managers are trained and qualified finance professionals who invest the client money in stock and bonds after a careful and detailed research. They manage portfolios and include and sell stocks depending on the performance of the companies and earning estimates. A well-managed fund can only give handsome returns to its investors. So, before investing your money, you need to go through the names of high yield mutual funds or the mutual fund ratings to avoid a wrong choice of mutual fund. Taking help from an investment adviser or an industry expert while choosing a good mutual fund can surely prove to be helpful in gaining wealth in the long term. What are No-load Mutual Funds? When it comes to choosing mutual funds schemes, investors look out for the most economical funds available in the market. No-load mutual funds are a type of mutual funds where the expenses incurred in the buying of such funds is minimum, giving the investor an opportunity to spend less and earn more. In fact, loads in mutual funds transactions are nothing but the costs incurred which are taken from the investors by the mutual fund companies. Some of the loads can be the management fees or charges, non-management expenses, brokerage commissions and investor fees. Given below are some of the best no-load mutual funds for 2012:

• Fidelity Short-Term Bond Fund
• Delafield Fund
• Fidelity Low-Priced Stock Fund
• Fairholme Fund
• Old Westbury Fixed Income Fund
• Longleaf Partners
• Selected American Shares
• Loomis Sayles Bond
• Vanguard Infl-Protected Secs

The advantage of choosing no-load mutual funds over other mutual funds is that you get expert management for your investments without having to spend big money. Beginners in the field of investment world can plan to make a portfolio of three to four investment options that will be helpful for them in wealth creation. IRA, bank saving schemes and no-load mutual funds are some of the safest investments options for investors under thirty as these schemes have appreciable returns in future. So, for young professionals these investments can be the best thing for long term interests. It is indeed interesting to take calculated risks and to enjoy the process of wealth creation. Good luck! DISCLAIMER: This article is just for reference purposes and does not recommend any stock market transactions.