The initial, or front-end, sales charge is a one-time deduction from an investment made into the fund. The amount is generally relative to the amount of the investment, so that larger investments incur smaller rates of charge. The sales charge serves as a commission for the broker who sold the fund. The load fee compensates the broker or financial planner for the service of providing professional investment dvice. Sound advice is, of course, an investment itself, and one worth paying for. A fund may have a sliding-scale maximum initial sales charge of 5.50% that is reduced to 4.50% if 200,000 is invested and reduced to 3.50% if 400,000 is invested. Its minimum may be 0.50% if at least $5 million is invested. If 0% is listed, then the fund does not have a front-end sales charge.