The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing

Read the Prospectus. The mutual fund prospectus is the single best way to find out about the objectives, costs, past performance figures, and other important information about any mutual fund you’re considering investing in. Although reading a prospectus may cause your eyes to glaze over, it’s a very important step to help you determine if a particular fund satisfies your investment objectives (risk, return, etc.). Since you are planning on investing for the long-term (you are, aren’t you?), reading a prospectus and understanding what you’re investing in will be well worth the time and effort. We can’t emphasize it enough: Read the fund’s prospectus and understand what you’re investing in!