The Mutual Fund Show® is a radio show about mutual funds. It is broadcast on various radio stations around the United States, and also archived on the show’s website. It is a radio show for people who want to gain a better understanding of mutual fund investment. Adam Bold hosts the show, and he is also the founder and chief investment officer of The Mutual Fund Store®.
Who is the show for?
The show is for a range of people, including people who:
want to manage their own account
want to be able to measure their financial planner’s competence
are looking for someone to manage their money
What is the show Like?
The Mutual Fund Show is an hour long show, where Adam Bold gives his opinions, answers people questions over the phone, and promotes The Mutual Fund Store® and Smart401K. Individual stocks are not discussed, but the concepts related to the general stock market are. He often talks about his investment philosophy, which can be summarized as follows:
Invest in a few commission free mutual funds, headed by mutual fund managers who have a long solid record of beating the market year after year.
It is a little more complex than that, but not too much more. That is one of the great things about the show. Adam Bold is clear, and his explanations are in simple terms that anyone can understand. Even people with very little understanding of the markets, or even a fear of the markets, can get something from listening once or twice.
There are several ways to benefit from listening to The Mutual Fund Show or spending time on the website. They range from learning basic information about what a mutual fund is, to learning mistakes to avoid. The following is a list of ways to benefit from listening to the show, or exploring the website:
learn what kinds of investments to avoid (such as annuities)
find out how some financial planners take advantage of you
learn how to invest in mutual funds without paying commissions
learn about investment strategies
learn about asset allocation
research mutual funds
call the show to ask Adam Bold a question
learn how to find a financial planner
Is it an infomercial?
Honestly, despite Adam Bold’s claims to the contrary, the show often does seem like an infomercial. The fact that he promotes his own products on the show has earned him that criticism by some people. However, to dismiss the show because of some self-promotion is a mistake. It is throwing the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. The fact is that he gives out free advice to people that call in to the show, whether or not they use any of his paid services. Unlike most “infomercials”, the free information he gives is good, and can be used with or without his paid services. for those who chose to go with the paid services, they are cheaper than most other alternatives.
Conclusion
Critics of Adam Bold’s show say that it is nothing more than infomercial for his Mutual Fund Store®. That is only partially true. While he does promote both the “Mutual Fund Store” and Smart401K, he also gives out some very helpful advice for free. The show is definitely worth a listen. The worst that can happen is a wasted hour listening to a radio show. On the other hand, a better investment portfolio now can mean a lot more money at retirement, or for a child’s education.
