When talking about mutual funds, loads are sales charges or commissions that are paid by the investor. They negatively impact the return of the fund.
Pro Tip: Loads are becoming obsolete and unnecessary. If there is a loaded mutual fund that you want to invest in or someone is recommending to you, it is likely you can find a similar mutual fund or ETF that is free to trade and may even have a lower expense ratio.
Q&A: What is a load?
