Class A mutual funds are front-end load 401k investments. Mutual funds come in two types: load and no-load. Both work equally well with the 401(k) Easy system.  Load mutual funds usually charge investors a fee (the "load") either upon purchase or upon liquidation of shares. If the fee is charged at the time of purchase, the mutual fund is called a front-end load fund. Front-end loads reduce the amount to be invested by the amount of the front-end load. Class A mutual funds are front-end load mutual funds. The Class A front-end load on a mutual fund investment is assessed as a percentage of the amount being invested; the percentage varies with the amount of money being invested. Generally, the more money being invested, the smaller the front-end load assessed on that investment. In most cases existing plans can transfer in their existing qualified 401k assets to Class A mutual funds at no cost, but if the transferred-in balance is less than $1 million, subsequent purchases will in most cases be charged the Class A fee. Although Class A loads vary from fund company to fund company, the amount of the load charged on all Class A mutual funds runs inverse to the number of shares being purchased and cannot, by law, be higher than 8.5%: The more shares being purchased, the smaller the per-share front-end load. This sliding pricing structure makes Class A shares impractical for small 410(k) purchases. Class A shares MAY be subject to a deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 to 18 months of purchase. Class A loads vary widely from fund family to fund family. The load on a single investment can even vary depending on the amount of money being invested and/or the length of time the investor holds the shares. All loads, whether assessed upon purchase or upon liquidation of shares, as well as any other fees associated with any particular investment (such as 12b-1 fees and management fees) are described in the investment prospectus. Prospectuses describe the fund's proposed purposes and investment goals as well as other factors (such as performance history, investment objective and fee structure) about which investors need be aware to make informed investment decisions. It is VERY important to read the prospectuses for any investments you're considering for your company 401k plan.   Pricing using Class A mutual funds: ideal for existing 401k plans with $1 million or more. Use Class A mutual funds for existing 401k assets if plan has $1 million or more available to transfer in. The front-end load pricing structure of Class A mutual fund shares makes them impractical (or unwise) for small and medium-sized 401k plans without a large initial balance: For 401k plans with LESS than $1 million in assets, most Class A shares charge high front-end purchase fees (their front-end load) at which reduce the value of new purchases. For 401k plans that have LESS  than $1 million in assets, the load charged on Class A mutual funds may significantly reduce the amount left for actual investment. Choosing Class A mutual funds for such a plan  may arguably violates the plan sponsor's (that's your company's) all-important fiduciary responsibilities to the plan and its participants. Class A mutual funds are NOT recommended for new 401k plans with less than $1 million in assets.   For plans with $1 million or MORE in assets, Class A may be the ideal choice! For 401k plans that have $1 million or MORE in assets, Class A mutual funds offer investors very low to no front-end purchase fees; the Class A mutual funds can then operate, effectively, as no-load investments.  There may be a charge for early redemptions.  Please refer to investment prospectus for specifics. For existing plans being converted to 401(k) Easy do-it-yourself 401k plans, Class A mutual funds may be your best choice. EXISTING PLANS can generally exchange their EXISTING ASSETS for Class A mutual fund shares without paying any purchase fees, but if the transferred-in balance is less than $1 million, subsequent purchases may be charged the  mutual fund's Class A fee. In such cases, therefore, other types of mutual fund investments (Class B, C or no-load, or a combination thereof using individually-directed discount brokerage accounts) should be considered for new purchases. 401(k) Easy Pricing For Class A (load) Mutual Fund Plans Using load mutual fund investments saves your company money when you use the Broker/Dealer we designate because that Broker/Dealer receives a commission on the investments, which goes toward paying for your 401(k) Easy plan. Use Class A mutual funds for your plan and the Broker/Dealer we designate to get your entire 401(k) Easy system for just $565 a year (plus the first-year-only, one-time plan customization fee). That's a 50% discount! Using Class A mutual funds for your 401(k) Easy plan is a way to split the cost of the 401k plan between your company and its employees.   VIEW PRICING OF 401(k) EASY PLAN THAT USE CLASS A SHARES.     Class A mutual funds plus 401(k) Easy: a perfect combination. Class A shares are priced on a daily basis, and plan participants receive MONTHLY individualized mutual fund account statements sent to their home address DIRECTLY by the mutual fund company providing investments to the plan. Class A investors have 24-hour-a-day telephone access to their 401k account balances through the mutual fund company, and can order supplemental statements or prospectus at any time. Class A mutual funds have exchange privileges that allow investors to transfer money between Class A portfolios within a fund family at no charge or for only a nominal bookkeeping charge. Class A mutual fund investments convert quickly and easily to an IRA rollover accounts held at the fund company. With an automatic IRA rollover the investor can keep the exact same investments, and maintains the exact same investment strategy as he or she pursued while participating in the 401k!  The investor is always free to change IRA rollover investments at a later date by calling the fund company directly. It's easy for investors to access historical and current investment performance and portfolio details by calling the mutual fund company directly and speaking with an account service representative. Class A mutual funds also benefit the employer because they enable the 401k plan to be employer-trusted, which means THERE ARE NEVER TRUSTEE FEES for your Easy 401k!