Understanding Risk-Adjusted Returns in Mutual Funds Understanding Risk-Adjusted Returns in Mutual Funds When investing in mutual funds, it's important to evaluate not only how much money a fund has made, but also how much risk was involved in achieving that return. This is where risk-adjusted returns come into play. Kiran Shroff / Wednesday, January 29, 2025 / Article rating: 5.0 In simple terms, risk-adjusted returns measure how much return you're getting for the level of risk you're taking on. By considering both the return and the risk, you get a clearer picture of a fund's true performance.