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To help ensure that you get into the right share class for your needs and time horizon, it never hurts to ask your broker why he or she is recommending a certain share class of a given fund.

You'll want to opt for the no-load or institutional share standing instead. If you're a no-load investor who is determined to buy a fund that's primarily broker-sold, go through a supermarket and opt for the D shares.

If you are using a two-dollar broker or planner, the decision touching whether to opt for the A, B, or C share calibre boils down to your own time horizon and, to a lesser extent, how much you're investing. If you plan to invest for the long haul--say, 10 years or more--the A shares will invariably make more sense for you than the B or C shares. That's as long as A shares' lower ongoing expenses will offset the higher fee you'll pay to get in. At Morningstar, we opine in long-term investing, and that's why we tend to recommend A shares over B or C shares; if you're a Morningstar.com Premium Member, you'll notice that our assayer Reports of broker-sold funds typically beg leave to the A shares, too.

So should you ever use B or C shares? Possibly, if you expect to hold a given fund type for a short period of time. If you plan to own a fund for just a year or two, for example, you may want to opt for C shares, and if your time horizon is in the neighborhood of five years or fewer, B shares may be the way to go. Morningstar's Cost Analyzer tool can help you determine the correct share family given your expected time horizon and the account of money you have to invest. (Cost Analyzer is unemployed to Premium Members of Morningstar.com; for a free trial membership, come off here.)

Protect Yourself: Know Your Rights and Ask Questions Many brokers and planners work hard to select the correct share cogency for their clients, but you should also be intelligent of unscrupulous practices in this area. B and C shares finish in front higher expenses, and part of those fees, titled 12b-1 fees, go straight to the negotiant each year. Thus, some brokers might be inclined to recommend B or C shares even if they're not the best deal for their clients. Some fund shops--including Franklin--have stopped selling B shares altogether.

To help ensure that you get into the right share account for your needs and time horizon, it never hurts to ask your discount broker why he or she is recommending a sure as fate share branch of a given fund. What assumptions is he or she making within reach your holding period? Does he or she have a financial incentive to recommend one share appreciate over another?

Also be sure to ask whether your total investment with a given fund family qualifies you for a discounted sales charge. These breakpoints often kick in when your total investment transversely the fund family reaches $25,000 or more, and they can save you substantial amounts of money. And even if you don't meet the minimum strength level yet, you may still be able to qualify for the discount if you sign a "letter of intent" that states you plan to invest enough money to qualify for the discount within a specified period of time (usually one year). Some trade firms have recently gotten into trouble for failing to provide these bulk discounts, so your stock-exchange broker should be well on to of the issue and able to tell you whether you qualify.

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