Small investors are choosing to invest in MF directly, bypassing the intermediaries. Latest AMFI data shows that the retail investors' assets in MF made through direct plans increased by two percentage points to 19% of total AUM. Investors can invest in MFs through two ways –regular and direct. Direct plans score over regular plans because of a lower expense ratio, since the latter comes with distributor commission. Lower the expense ratio, the higher the returns. Several online portals offer direct plans for a marginal fee or free of cost. However it's unwise to go direct if you are a beginner. In volatile markets, a guiding hand is helpful.