Keywords

mutual fund prospectuses, investor readability, financial disclosure

Abstract

Some regulators believe that the average investor has a hard time reading the statutory prospectuses mutual funds distribute. In the words of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), “Prospectuses are often long . . . Too frequently, the language of prospectuses is complex and legalistic, and the presentation formats make little use of graphic design techniques that would contribute to readability.”1 Partly as a result, two- thirds of investors do not read the prospectus before purchasing mutual fund shares (Investment Company Institute 2006).

Original Publication Citation

“How Does Simplified Disclosure Affect Individuals’ Mutual Fund Choices?” 2011. In David A. Wise, editor, Explorations in the Economics of Aging, University of Chicago Press, pp. 75-96 (with John Beshears, James J. Choi and David Laibson). http://www.nber.org/chapters/c11933.pdf

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2011

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Finance

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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