Are you always at a loss while planning your finances? Are you aware of the investment options available in the market?
How best can you plan your finances? What are the crieria for evaluating an investment option?
Are mutual funds profitable investment options? When and how should one buy mutual funds?
In an hour-long chat on rediff.com on Wednesday, financial planning expert Irfan Rupani replied to many such readers' queries. Here is the transcript:
irfan says, hi, good afternoon everyone. let's begin the chat
asru asked, What are the good SIPs in the market today? Would invest 20K a month
irfan answers, at 2008-10-15 13:04:20hi, its very common for investors to mistake the sip for an investment avenue/product. actually, the sip is just a mode of investing in mutual funds. hence, the key is to select funds that are right for you and then opt for an investment via the sip mode.
yogi asked, hi Irfan, i just joined in, i have 50k, shall i invest in MF or wait for more lowers
irfan answers, hi, i would recommend that you should not try to time the markets. if you are a long-term investor (at least 3-5 years) and have the risk appetite, now would be a good time to get invested for the long haul.
Sunil asked, Market is crashed what should be the alternative plan for investment
irfan answers, hi, while i can appreciate you concerns, given how makets are poised, it should be understood that the markets have thrown up some attractive investment options for long-term investors. also, it always helps to hold a portfolio diversified across asset classes like equities, debt, gold among others.
umeshkamath asked, Now is the time of the year where tax paying employee thinks of investment of Rs10000. Is it safe to invest in tax saving mutual funds? If yes can you recommend?
irfan answers, hi, tax-saving mutual funds should find place in the risk-taking investor's investment portfolio. they offer risk-taking investors the opportunity to invest in line with their risk profile while conducting the tax-planning exercise.
arpan asked, i have invested in HDFC Top 200 Fund.....kindly let me know abt the fund & its performance
irfan answers, hi, hdfc top 200 pursues the index-plus style of investing, with the bse 200 being the benchmark index. the fund is well-managed and boasts of an impressive long-term track record across parameters.
asfdaj asked, which are the Top 5 MFs as per your view?
irfan answers, hi, mutual funds need to be right for the investor i.e. they have to match the investor's risk profile and should be able to help him achieve his goals. a 'once size fits all' approach cant be adopted while investing. so wont be possible for me to comment on the top 5 funds.
fakingnewsdotcom asked, are ULIPs safe in present scenario?
irfan answers, hi, ulips are market-linked investment avenues. hence, they will be exposed to the market ups and downs.
sachin asked, Hi Irfan. need guidance on Fixed Deposits and FMP. which works out for better tax purpose?
irfan answers, hi, for investors in higher tax brackets, fmps can offer better tax-adjusted returns. but then, while fixed deposits offer assured returns, in fmps, an investor only has indicative yields.
MCR asked, What is your predictions about the performance of ICICI Prudential Infrastructure fund? I have bought it around 2 years back when the NAV was Rs.17/-
irfan answers, hi, like all thematic/sector funds, its performance will be closely linked to that of the underlying theme/sector. such funds are best for risk-taking investors who have a view on the theme/sector and can time their entry and exit.
shailesh_payghan@rediffmail.com asked, Hi, Please suggest me the what type of funds will given us the good return in next 2 years. Shailesh
irfan answers, hi, 2 years would be too short a time frame for making investments in equities/equity funds. you should consider investing in assured return avenues like fixed deposits, among others.
sada asked, Can you tell us 1 Large Cap, 1 Mid cap, 1 small cap ,1 Opportunities and 1 infrastructure fund and in what proportion i should SIP into it, if i have to invest 10K per month
irfan answers, hi, please write to me on info@personalfn.com with your risk profile, investment objective and investment tenure.
arun asked, Hello Irfan, How safe is to invest in tax saving mutual funds?
irfan answers, hi, tax-saving funds are equity funds that offer tax benefits; also the investments are subject to a 3-Yr lock-in. they are high risk investment avenues and should find place in risk-taking investors' portfolios.
puskri asked, What is the best sectoral funds to invest? is balanced funds investment best aproach
irfan answers, hi, balanced funds offer investors the opportunity to invest in both equities and debt through a single avenue. you should certainly consider investing in well-managed balanced funds.
Vinoth asked, Hi, can u suggest me, this is right time to invest in MF (under Tax planning). can i wait for some time till feb or i can invest now.
irfan answers, hi, it wouldnt be a bad idea to start off an sip in a tax-saving fund and make investments on an regular basis.
gyyt564 asked, Tell me a single mutual fund name who is giving positive return on investments done last 2-3 years.
irfan answers, hi, there are several well-managed diversified equity funds whose 3-Yr performance is positive. dsp ml top 100, hdfc top 200 and sundaram select focus to name a few.
JJ1234 asked, Hi. Can we really benefit thro SIPs? Now that some of the funds have fallen down by more than 40%..what is your call?
irfan answers, hi, yes, at times when the markets are down, sip investments offer investors the opportunity to lower the average cost of purchase. so sip investors would have certainly benefited.
