Liquidation is the process of turning assets into cash or cash equivalents by selling them on the open market. In the context of mutual funds, liquidation occurs when a fund closes down its operations completely, sells off its assets, and distributes the proceeds to its investors. Mutual fund shares are priced once the market closes every day at 4 p.m. and the net asset value (NAV) of the fund is calculated by dividing the total value of the fund's assets by the number of outstanding shares. When an investor decides to liquidate their mutual fund shares, they must go through the redemption process, which involves selling their shares back to the fund at the current NAV.

The process of liquidating mutual funds involves several steps. First, the investor must submit a redemption request to the fund company or their broker. The fund company will then sell the necessary amount of assets to meet the redemption request and calculate the NAV at the end of the trading day. The investor will receive the proceeds from the sale of their shares, minus any applicable fees or charges. It is important to note that mutual fund companies may charge a redemption fee if the investor exits the fund within 30 days of the initial purchase.

Liquidating mutual funds can have consequences for investors. If the fund has appreciated in value since the investor's initial purchase, they may incur a capital gains tax liability when they sell their shares. Additionally, if the fund is forced to liquidate its holdings due to a large number of redemption requests, it may have to sell its assets at inopportune times, potentially resulting in losses for investors. However, if the fund company is liquidating the fund voluntarily, investors will generally receive the proceeds from the sale of the assets, which they can then reinvest in other funds or securities.