When you compare ETFs
from different fund families, however, the least expensive will often end up giving you the best opportunity for the highest returns.
This broken portfolio consisted of a smattering of mutual funds from five
different fund families.
If you want international bonds, you would with choose
a different fund family than Fidelity, or add an international bond fund to your portfolio.
Another example might be
different fund families could be allowed between different brokerages.
You can sell a mutual fund you own, and use the proceeds to buy a mutual fund within the same family (exchange) or from
a different fund family (cross family trade).
This type of transaction is called a cross family trade, where you sell mutual fund assets in one mutual fund family to purchase mutual fund assets in
a different fund family.