12B-1 Funds

12B-1 funds

Mutual funds that do not charge an up-front or back-end commission, but instead take out up to 1.25% of average daily fund assets each year to cover the costs of selling and marketing shares, an arrangement allowed by the SEC's Rule 12B-1 (passed in 1980).

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12B-1 Fund

A mutual fund that charges shareholders a small percentage of the fund's market value, instead of a load (or sales fee). That is, a 12B-1 Plan does not require shareholders to pay a fee when buying or selling shares; rather, they simply deduct what is owed to the shareholder once per year. Usually a 12B-1 plan charges less than 1%.