Frequently Asked Questions

New York Life Investments encrypts your MainStay Funds data with Secure Socket Layer (SSL), the standard for Internet security. SSL scrambles data transmitted from your browser over the Internet, making it virtually impossible for anyone to access your confidential information. As an added protection, you will be automatically logged out of your accounts after 15 minutes of inactivity. And remember, a MainStay Shareholder Services Representative will never ask for your PIN.

Our policies and procedures protect the privacy of our online users. In the normal course of business, we may collect data about your online transactions (such as the type of products you purchase and your account status) and information gathered from our site, such as through online forms, site visit data, and information collection devices ("cookies").

We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that meet state and federal regulations. Access to information gathered on our site is limited to personnel who need the information to perform their job responsibilities.

We may share the information we collect about you as allowed by law, including for normal business administration and related business services. The information may be shared with our affiliates or non-affiliated companies such as firms that perform services on our behalf or when required by law such as to respond to a subpoena, to prevent fraud, comply with legal requirements, or to respond to a government inquiry.

Class A shares: $15,000

Investor Class, Class B and C shares:

1.  2,500 for MainStay Epoch Global Choice Fund, MainStay Epoch Global Equity Yield Fund, MainStay MainStay Epoch U.S. Equity Fund, MainStay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund, MainStay Cornerstone Growth Fund, MainStay New York Tax Free Opportunities Fund, MainStay California Tax Free Opportunities Fund, and MainStay Short Duration High Yield Fund.

2.  $1,000 for all other Funds or $500 down and an AutoInvest of $50 per month.Class I shares: $1 million for individual investors.

Visit Accounts, where you can purchase additional shares and exchange shares, obtain duplicate statements, and view transactions, 24 hours a day.

You can also call 800-624-6782 and get automated account information, speak to a customer service representative, and obtain fund performance data.

Go to our Products & Performance pages for the latest Fund data.

Speak with your registered investment professional.

MainStay Funds are offered in a variety of share classes: Investor, A, B, C, I, R1, R2, R3 and R6. Not every fund offers B shares, see a prospectus for more details. These classes differ only in their sales, service and/or distribution expenses, and any other specific expenses the Board of Trustees may approve.

We provide these symbols for each share class of each MainStay Fund on our individual product pages.

If you are invested in MainStay Funds, you automatically have online account access at newyorklifeinvestments.com. To get started, all you have to do is create a User ID and Password.

From the Accounts page, click on Establish User ID and enter the following information:

• • Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number.
  • Account Number from your statement (for most accounts, this is an eight-digit number).
  • Create a unique User ID (Between 6 and 32 alphanumeric characters).
  • Create a password (Between 8 and 20 alphanumeric characters).
  • Verify your password by typing it a second time.

If a trade is pending approval, it will appear on the View Account History page. Once a trade has been approved (generally within one business day), it will appear as an account history item.

From the Manage Account page, click on View Cost Basis under Account Options or call 800-624-6782. Cost basis for non-covered shares is available for most non-retirement accounts. It is not available for accounts established prior to 1987 and certain other accounts. Shares purchased after January 1, 2012, are considered covered shares. To find out more, visit the Cost Basis in Mutual Fund Investing page in the Resources section of this site.

On the Accounts page you can:

View information on all of the MainStay accounts in your portfolio-shares owned, daily NAVs, net reinvestment share amounts, cash distribution amounts, as well as the total value of your portfolio.

• Manage your account through a number of options1, such as:
  • Make a redemption
  • View account history 
  • Make an exchange
  • Purchase additional shares
  • View cost basis
  • Order statement
  • Order tax form
  • Request additional money market checks
  • Account options available depend on the Fund you are invested in and the options you have selected on your account application.

There could be a number of reasons. Account options, such as purchasing additional shares, requires you to provide bank information in advance. Also, some Funds inherently have certain features. Only MainStay Money Market Fund has a check-writing capability and, therefore, is the only Fund for which you can request a checkbook. Finally, certain options are available on a seasonal basis. Tax forms are generally available from January 30 through November 30 of each year. If you would like to add available options to your account, please call us toll-free at 800-624-6782, from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Share prices (NAVs) and account balances are updated daily. Cost basis information is updated weekly.

This feature is only available with money market funds. Therefore, you can order checks for MainStay Money Market Fund.

Visit our Literature section to download PDFs of fund materials, including fact sheets and prospectuses.

Contact Us by e-mail or, if you prefer, call our toll-free number 800-624-6782 or send regular mail.