A type of investment fee that some mutual funds charge to shareholders if they transfer to another fund within the same group. Other fees shareholders may encounter include sales loads, redemption fees, purchase fees, account fees, 12b-1 fees and management fees.

Investors should be aware of all fees, both direct and indirect, related to their investments. Fees have a significant impact on total returns and a fund that charges higher fees will not necessarily lead to higher profits for the investor. The SEC does not generally limit mutual fund fees, although FINRA imposes some limits. To make similar investments with lower fees, consider investing in exchange-traded funds.