A hot trend among funds is to seek larger management fees.

Looking at the expense ratio can help you make comparisons among funds.

It rose 5.9 percent, placing fourth among diversified funds and 11th over all.

In such a terrible year, it was the best performer among strictly gold funds, down 30 percent.

Among mutual funds, the disparity in performance is even greater.

The first is the strong correlation between past performance and the flow of money among funds.

This was particularly true among focused funds that invested in technology.

Why not keep all your money at one place, especially when you can move it by telephone among checking, savings and mutual funds?

Among funds that invest in small companies, most of the best performers over the last three years have had a growth orientation.

Many fund families allow investors to switch money among funds over the Internet.