A fee collected by an investment company from traders practicing mutual fund timing. This stiff penalty is used to discourage short-term, in-and-out trading of mutual fund shares. Generally, the fee is in effect for a holding period from 30 days to one year, but it can be in place for longer periods. Also referred to as an "exit fee", "back-end load" or "contingent deferred sales charge". Mutual fund timing is a legal but frowned-upon practice that has a negative effect on a fund's long-term investors. Mutual fund timing means that investors may be subjected to higher fees occasioned by the transaction costs of the short-term trading of fund shares. After the designated minimum holding period for an investment in a fund has elapsed, investors are not charged for redeeming shares of the investment. If incurred, redemption fees do not go to the investment company, but are credited to the fund's assets.