Which funds provide the best SIP options? Are SIPs the easy way of making quick bucks? When and how should one buy mutual funds?
Personal finance expert Rahul Goel answered to many such readers' queries during an hour-long chat on Thursday. Here is the transcript:
Rahul Goel says, Good afternoon! Welcome to the discussion on financial planning! Let's start!
Noneysh asked, Hi Rahul ! you always advice to avoid sector funds. My question here is how can we identify sector funds among equity diversified funds? should we make a decision on basis of funds holdings or it means a concentrated portfolio in sector holdings? also tell what a plain vanilla diversified funds is? thanks in advance.
Rahul Goel answers, at 2007-11-22 12:58:45hi. rightly defined sector funds are those funds which invest their monies in stocks from a particular sector only. thematic funds, basically, as the name suggests, invest in line with a these... so the theme may be india will grow and there will be need for infrastructure... and therefore power, coal, roads, cement etc etc. so such funds are easy to identify. at times diversified funds take exceptionally high exposure to a sector that is "hot". even such funds at times may be avoided. a plain vaninally diversified fund is basically a diversified fund which invests across sectors and stocks and is well diversified in its holdings.
Noneysh asked, Does change in fund manager have an impact on fund performance? if its true.. can you give a few examples.
Rahul Goel answers, indeed, sometimes, a change in fund manager can have an impact. and that's why you should invest in funds that are managed by 'teams' of fund managers as against 'star' fund managers.
ramya asked, hi rahul,i would like to make an one time investment of Rs.10000 in MF. Kindly advice which would give best returns.
Rahul Goel answers, ramya, hi. for me to be able to guide you on the schemes you should be investing in i need to understand more about your needs and risk profile. having said that if you have appetite for risk, and an investment horizon for 3-yrs, consider funds like hdfc equity and fr india flexicap. either ways best would be to employ the servcies of an honest financial planner.
ravihirani asked, i want to du sip for 20 yrs which are the best fund available
Rahul Goel answers, ravi, hi. consider funds like hdfc equity and fr flexicap. also i suggest do an sip for 12 months to begin with. in the 11th month review your inevstments and then decide to renew the sip. renewals are not cumbersome.
Sarat asked, Hi Rahul, 1. I want ot invest 50k in MF for this year towards tax saving, can u suggest which MF's best in industry for that amount and how rate of return they will provide after 2 years. 2. Please let me explain what are the MF that provide tax exemption when they in the NFO state
Rahul Goel answers, sarat, hi. equity linked savings schemes or ELSS are mutual fund schemes which will offer you this tax benefit under sectin 80C. you can opt for schemes like fr india flexicap and hdfc taxsaver. with regards to the return, personalfn expects a well-managed diversified fund to return a return of 15% pa over a 3 - 5 yr period.
amitabh asked, hi rahul presently i am doing a job getting 30k per month from past 1 year.as i was repaying my education loan i had not saved much till now. I want to do mba after 1 year . As my loan is over please provide me help in how to manage money now onwards so that i can save money for future and also get tax benefits.as in ulip require investment for 3 years hence not of my use ...
Rahul Goel answers, amitabh, hi. if you wish to go in for your MBA next year, then will you need the money? if yes, then you should be investing only in fixed deposits and short term debt funds. if you can put the money away for the long term go in for mutual funds. also before going in for a ulip, go in for a term insurance plan.
parag asked, Hi, Please comment on agile funds , is it a good option .
Rahul Goel answers, parag, hi. our research note on the same has not been released. suffice it to say that at personalfn we find 99% of the NFOs do not make the cut in terms of being investment worthy.
moonmoon asked, Hi Rahul. Iam 43 yrs. Want to invent on MF to reap rich benefits after my retirement at say when I am 53 yrs. Pls. advice the best MFs now, best with SIPs which would give me high returs.
Rahul Goel answers, hi. since you are ten years from retirement, you can definitely consider building an aggressive portfolio. i am assuming you already have exposure to debt by PPF/EPF and the traditional insurance policies. invest in funds like hdfc equity or top 200... and you should expect to earn about 15% pa over this period.
cinki asked, Since last 4 months i hv started a monthly SIP of 4k each for FIDELITY EQUITY FUND GROWTH HDFC PRUDENCE FUND GROWTH OPT. DSP ML TIGER FUND GROWTH OPTION HDFC TOP 200 FUND - GROWTH OPT. SBI MAGNUM GLOBAL FUND - GROWTH ICICI SERVICES INDUSTRIES GROWTH RELIANCE GROWTH FUND - GROWTH PLAN PRU. ICICI EMERGING STAR FUND - GROWTH FRANKLIN INDIA OPPORTUNITIES FUND - GROWTH Do you agree with this selection or do you think i should relook at it. Also i am 30 now and would like to retire by 45 max by when i eaily would want to hv 2 cr. Do you think this plannign will help me. I do have investment in real estate market value is around 60lacs. Besides this what all should i do to achieve my goal. My annual take home is approx 25lacs.
Rahul Goel answers, hi. if you wish accumulate rs 2 cr in absolute value 15 yrs from now, you do not need to worry much. assuming your real estate investmetns have been planned well, they should return about 8% pa and that should more or less take care of your goal. however, if you were to accumulate rs 2 cr on an inflation adjusted basis, then you will need to set aside about rs 65,000 per month at 15% pa. with regards to your current holdings, you can definitely do without some of the schemes you own.
mike asked, Hello rahul, you recommend franklin flexicap (new fund) whereas I find franklin prima doing better and also has long track record. Please clarify your view for I am thinking to switch my sip from franklin bluechip.
Rahul Goel answers, mike, hi. franklin prima is a mid cap fund and hence it should not be a core holding in your portfolio. fr flexicap, a diversified fund, is about 2.5 yrs in existence but is managed by fund managers who have been in the same amc for over a dozen years. so, everything is the same except the scheme... in such instances there is no harm in overlooking the short history of the fund.
rambabu asked, I am presently investing in Franklin Prima Plus by SIP and investing in Reliance Diversified Power Sector on monthly basis. Besides I have invested in Canara Robeco Growth, Kotal Global Emerging Market Growth, JM Basic Growth, Sundaram Energy Growth. Is it right portfolio. Pl. advice.
Rahul Goel answers, rambabu, hi. you have more than a fair share of sector and thematic funds. in the recent past you may have done well, but over the long term this is a risky bet. remember what happened to tech funds? time to relook at your portfolio...
CHHANU asked, HOW TO PLAN & WHERE TO INVEST RS 10.0L
Rahul Goel answers, hi. well, if you are not an expert yourself, you should employ the servcies of one to help you with your planning. if you hve the right planner, then more than half the risk of going wrong is eliminated there and then!
manoj asked, Hi Rahul, Are 5 yrs FDs -Interest Tax free ?
Rahul Goel answers, manoj, hi. not all 5-yr fixed deposits are tax-free. certain designated schemes are tax free... ask your banker before putting in any money.
kichas asked, im a small investor, im planning for sip, of 1000 p.m, for 1 year , icici infrastructure growth or canara rebeco infrastructure, or any other, i look at some nominal 20-25% returns
Rahul Goel answers, hi, all i can say is that if this is what you are planning to do, then be sure that you are aware of the risk that you are taking on. maybe you will make a lot of money; but then there is the other side too... our view is that its best to be diversified.
Gautam asked, Hi Rahul, this gautam here. Firstly I would like to inroduce myself. I am a NRI and I would like to ask you about some one time investment for my child.
Rahul Goel answers, gautam, hi. well, if your child has more than 5-yrs before he will need the money, you should opt for a predominantly equity mutual fund portfolio. opt for 5/6 well diversified equity funds. avoid, sector/thematic funds. avoid ulips. but do take a term insurance for yourself.
john asked, Hi rahul, What is the basis for calculating adequate term insurance cover? How much should be the amount?
Rahul Goel answers, john, hi. there are many ways of doing this... at personalfn we have one of our own! you can visit the Calc section on personalfn and use the Human Life Value Calc to get a sense of the amount of insurace you should take on.
JKV asked, Sir, kindly advise about my portfolio, which I started in aug.07 SBI Magnum Tax Gain 3000 pm hdfc tax gain 2500 pm reliance Tax saver 2500 pm kotak tax saver 2000 pm franklin india prima plus 1000 pm tata infrastructure 1000 pm reliance power sector 1000 pm reliance vision 1000 pm thanks joginder verma
Rahul Goel answers, hi. notice you do not have any fund (other than tax saving) from well managed amcs like hdfc, fidelity or even dsp. but you do have more than a fair share of sector funds.... your distributor can defnitely guide you better!
manish baba asked, Hi, To achieve 50L in 2014 how much to invest
Rahul Goel answers, manish, hi. about rs 45,000 per month at 15% pa... however if you factor in inflation, this would increase to over 63,000 pm.
preetam asked, hi rahul,I am Preetam presently working as a software engineer in an MNC, from August 2007 I am investing @ Rs1000 pm (SIP) in SBI Magnum Contra Fund (G).I will be investing for next 3 years.How do you see the future of this fund in terms of growth of NAV.Also I am planning to invest in a Balaced fund.Which is the fund you will recommend I should go in for???
Rahul Goel answers, preetam, hi. a couple of things here. one, you need to be invested across 5/6 funds in a portfolio... one fund will not do! two, it is best that you adopt a portfolio approach before investing any more money... otherwise you will be consider one fund after the other and at the end you may have a portfolio that does not suit your purpose. to answer your question about balanaced funds... then hdfc prudence and dsp ml balanced can be considered.
prabhash asked, Hi Rahul, I'd taken a mutual fund (Rs 40000)in July 2007(UTI India Lifestyle Fund).Pls suggest had i taken the correct one?
Rahul Goel answers, prabhash, hi. this is a thematic fund... and in our view, you can definitely do better without it.
Kapil asked, Hi Rahul, I am 29 years old and working as Manager in IT in a KPO company. In the last 2 years I have regularly bought a few Mutual funds (HDFC Equity, Reliance Growth, Fidelity Equity, Magnum Global) and my porfolio value as of today is 2.5
Lacs. Now a days I invest 4K pm from SIP route. I invest 10K pm for a commercial property in Jaipur (this commitment will end by end of next year). I have my own house. I also have a term-insurance cover of 20 Lacs. I want to achive financial freedom at the age of 45 (earning of 50K pm in today's terms). I have a kid and planning have one more and I also wanted to make sure that I can give them good education too (degrees from US, etc.). Please let me know if I am on the right track. Thanks in anticipation.
Rahul Goel answers, kapil, hi. to meet your need of generating 50,000 pm alone, you need to be setting aside about rs 23,000 pm at about 15% pa. if you were to add the commitments towards education of your child, this number will go up even further. if you are planning for your child's education in the US, then the commitment will go up significantly. but do not lose heart... save as much as you can and evaluate every year to ensure that the gap does not widen so much that the goal becomes unachievable. and if it does, tone down your needs rather than chasing higher returns. for a more detailed discussion, take this up with your investment consultant/ planner. to read more on planning for children you can also download the money simplified guides free of cost from personalfn.com.
kingshuk asked, Hi rahul, how to invest 5k in open ended funds and which fund to select from the diversed range of portfolia's. My family condition is not so good and I need something which gives me regular income with medium/high earnings
Rahul Goel answers, hi. if you are looking at generating a regular income from this money, then you have little option aside of fixed deposits.
bajirao asked, What is the difference between Mutual Funds and ETFs? What would you advise for investment - Mutual Funds or ETF?
Rahul Goel answers, bajirao, hi. ETFs are listed on the exchange and are tradeable as compared to mutual funds which are not. in terms of what you should invest in, as of now, at personalfn we do not recommend to your clients any etf. but in time if we find something out there which could appeal to our clients, then we definitely will recommend the same.
Jacob asked, I've been trying to find out which is the best term insurance policy for someone like me. 30 years of age with two dependents. Could u please suggest given the above scenario?
Rahul Goel answers, jacob, hi. see this chart... http://www.personalfn.com/insurance/termplan.html we are in the process of updating the same (companies do change premiums from time to time...)
ARUP asked, In Sip plan , is there any possibility of getting lesser money than invested for a period of one year
Rahul Goel answers, arup, hi, if you have done an SIP in an equity fund, there is every posibility that you may lose money in the initial years of investment. and the reason is that equity funds are risk investment avenues.
Ganesh asked, How to determine the portfolio allocation percentage?
Rahul Goel answers, ganesh, hi. that will be a function of your needs, objectives, risk appetite etc etc... you may need to consult your consultant for the same.
krishnan asked, Hi Rahul, Given the ups and downs in the market, is it the best time to invest in the MF and if so, what sort of funds please?
Rahul Goel answers, krishnan, hi. its always a good time to invest in mutual funds. just be sure they are well managed funds, and that you are investing money regularly. timing the market is an exercise in futility. best is to put money regularly.
bijit asked, I want to invest for my 6month old daugther.Which is the best option to go for? i)Child plan lile Smart kid-ICICI,Young Star-HDFC,Child dream Plan-Birla or any other.Please suggest ii)Go to SIP in Mutaul Funds for 10-15 yrs Please suggest
Rahul Goel answers, bijit, hi. go for the mutual fund option. if you will permit me, i will take a short cut here! - pl can you download the free money simplified guide for planning your child's future from www.personalfn.com. its free of cost. sorry!
fjg asked, I am interest in investing since my husband is earning more than enough can i invest all in high risk quity market
Rahul Goel answers, if you have an appetite for risk, and have five years at hand, then you can consider investing in the stock markets. however, where you invest will matter the most. so be careful in stock/fund selection.
LALIT asked, DEAR SIR CAN YOU PLZ SUGGEST WHAT IS THE CRITERIA TO CHOOSE MUTUAL FUNDS . I AM INTERESTED IN GROWTH OPTION ONLY AND PREPARED TO TAKE RISK . I CAN INVEST UPTO 5LAKHS
Rahul Goel answers, lalit, hi. the criteria list is long... look at the amc, the fund management team, the performance of the fund when the markets rallied and crashed in history etc etc. if you want to read a more detailed note, pl download the mutual fund guide from personalfn.com.
Rama asked, I am new to the MF Investment. I would like to invest 20K what are best MF available in the market.
Rahul Goel answers, rama, hi. i have already discussed some names earlier on in this discussion... i would however recommend that if you are new to mutual funds, then before committing any monies, pl educate yourself well on the topic. also, ensure you have employed the services of an honest financial planner.
Srikanth asked, Hi Rahul, I am looking for SIP for atleast 5 years. I am considering SIP in 2 Diversified Equity funds and I have short listed HDFC Growth, HDFC top 200, DSML Top 100, Reliance Growth. Please let me know what would be the good choices.
Rahul Goel answers, srikanth, hi. we would prefer hdfc top 200 over hdfc growht. and dsp equity over dsp 100. personalfn does not offer views on reliance funds.
Vrush asked, I need to invest about 20,000 in ELSS. I have already invested 35K in Fidelity and HDFC longterm (Growyh option).Last year (Feb 2007) i invested in SBI and Birla sunlife. Where should I park the balance amount
Rahul Goel answers, vrush, hi. the balanced amount can go into the tax schemes that you already own. however, if you wish to invest in lower risk instruments, then PPF, NSC are other options.
bks asked, Hi ,I have invested some amount in ABN AMRO China India-G &ICICI Pru Indo Asia Equity Fund Retail -G. As this two funds are not doing well,should i withdraw ? If yes, which MF shd I invest ?
Rahul Goel answers, hi. well, if you withdraw you would have lost money on account of the loads. this is a common mistake people make - invest in a fund they do not understand much about and then take a hasty decision to backtrack. you need to question your distributor on these funds before taking any decision.
akshay asked, I need your thought on my profilo. 1. SIP a. Reliance Diversified Power Sector Fund (Growth) b.DSP Merrill Lynch India TIGER Fund (Growth) c.JP Morgan India Equity Fund (Growth) Do let me your comments, where I should invest more.
Rahul Goel answers, akshay, hi. you need to add funds like hdfc equity and fr flexi. you may want to do away with, or reduce all;ocation to sector funds. i am assuming this is a high risk portfolio.
aditya asked, Hi Rahul, I am planning to invest 10k to 15k at a time. Shall i go for a single MF or shall I diveresify the amount in 2-3 MFs. Also, if I go for high risk MFs, how much is the risk involved? Please tell me some MFs to invest in for 1 year.
Rahul Goel answers, aditya, hi. ultimately you should have about 5/6 schemes. so maybe start with 2/3 and add more over time. if you are investing in equities, you should be prepared to see a minimum loss of 20%. if you have that kind of risk taking ability, you can invest in the stock markets, either directly or via mutual funds.
sunil asked, I am planning to start SIP for long term. The term would be minumum of 5 years and maximum of 10 years. For that, could you tell me the names of the 3 best mutual funds that I can invest in this tenure ?
Rahul Goel answers, sunil, hi. at personalfn we are always explaining to people that there are no best funds out there. you need to inest in funds which are best suiteed to your need. one fund may be good for me but horrible for you!
Ravee asked, Hi Rahul, This is Ravee from IIMC. What is yr predicion for avarage returns from equity over the next 5 yrs?
Rahul Goel answers, ravee, hi. we expect the return to be about 15% pa. however, this return will not be steady... but over time this is the average we expect.
ash43_saxena@rediffmail.com asked, i m an NRI and would like the distribute my investements in three parts 1. MF 2 . Stocks 3. Infrastructure Bonds .. ? is this the right way for investment?
Rahul Goel answers, well, you can do without the infra bonds as they hardly yield anything, that is whenever they are available.
kube asked, hi,is puting small amount in SIP or puting large amount in SIP will help ???? becz i m very poor in finance i would like to hv a 5000/- rs every month for my future studys and suggestions pls
Rahul Goel answers, kube, hi. an sip is an sip. whether you put large or small amounts. over time the aim is to average out the cost of acquisition of the mutual fund units.
Raj2211 asked, Dear Rahul, I am 32 years old, married. I Would like to invest 50k in ELSS, please advice. I already hold DWS Tax Saver, HDFC Tax Saver, SBI Magnum TaxGain. I also do investment in PPF around 20-40K and have a LIC term policy.
Rahul Goel answers, raj, hi. you already have too many tax saving schemes! avoid adding more.
anirban asked, Hello rahul, I wish to invest 15 lakh rupees, in three mutual funds 5 lakh each, which could be most profitable? I dont know anything about MF, please tell me about the best one?
Rahul Goel answers, anirban, hi. you are about to commit a large sum of money to instruments you do not understand. i would recommend that you employ the services of a finanical planner and then decide on the same. in these days it is easy to get carried away and invest in the stock markets... but you need to put in money for the right reasons.
S asked, Hi Rahul can i buy UTI Infra fund plz advise
Rahul Goel answers, well, its a sector fund. if you have the risk appetite for it, go ahead. if you were my client, i would try hard to convice you NOT to inevst.
KUNAL2804 asked, Hi Rahul what about gold ETF fund ?
Rahul Goel answers, kunal, hi... since we are running out of time... pl can you visit www.personalfn.com/gold and read our views there.
Rahul Goel says, Thank you all for participating in this discussion! See you all next week.
Chat with Rahul every week!
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