41-Year-Old Investing in Flexicap Funds: Need Advice?

Sir i am 41 years old. Time horizon is 20 years. Investing 2000 rupees each in four flexicap funds- parag parikh, hdfc, franklin templeton, canara robeco. And one elss- SBI long term equity. Do i need to add or remove some funds to have the right mix of value, growth, momentum style of investing and to reduce overlap. I am in the beginning phase of my investment and can make changes. If required, kindly suggest the changes i need to make.

Ans: Hello;

If ELSS is required for availing 80 C benefit then it's okay. But then you may limit the the monthly sip into this scheme at 12.5 K per month(1.5 L pa)

Split 50 K equally for monthly sip between a
Flexicap(PPFAS flexicap) and a Large and Midcap fund(Kotak Emerging Opportunities Fund).

Allocate 20 K to HDFC Mid-Cap opportunities fund.

Allocate balance 17.5 K into Nippon India Small cap fund.

For a 20 year horizon this is my suggestion.

Happy Investing!!

You may follow us on X at @mars_invest for updates.

*Investments in mutual funds are subject to market risks. Please read all scheme related documents carefully before investing.

Ans: You are currently investing in five flexi-cap funds and one balanced fund, with Rs. 2,000 allocated as SIP in each. This setup gives you exposure to a diversified mix of equity with a minor portion of debt through the equity-debt fund. Let us evaluate your portfolio based on your time horizon of 20 years for wealth creation and see if any changes are necessary.

Here is a detailed assessment from a Certified Financial Planner perspective:

Flexi-Cap Fund Concentration
Diversified Approach: You have selected four different flexi-cap funds. Flexi-cap funds are versatile as they invest across all market capitalizations, providing exposure to large, mid, and small-cap stocks. This ensures that you are well-diversified across sectors and market sizes.

Duplication Risk: However, having multiple flexi-cap funds may cause portfolio overlap, as these funds can end up holding similar stocks. Since your investment is spread across multiple flexi-cap funds, it might reduce the potential for diversification, especially if the same top-performing stocks are held in different funds.

Suggested Action: You might want to consider reducing the number of flexi-cap funds to avoid redundancy. Keeping two flexi-cap funds instead of four can simplify your portfolio and still provide enough diversification. Choose the two funds that have consistently performed well and are aligned with your long-term goals.

Balanced Allocation with Equity and Debt
Balanced Strategy: Your choice of one equity and debt fund adds stability to your portfolio. This fund balances the risk and provides you with some debt exposure, reducing volatility, especially in uncertain market conditions.

Time Horizon and Risk Tolerance: Given that your time horizon is 20 years, you may not need a heavy debt allocation in the early stages. At your current age of 41, it is beneficial to have equity dominance, but as you approach retirement, you may want to increase your debt allocation gradually. For now, having one equity-debt fund is sufficient for risk management.

Growth, Value, and Momentum Mix
Growth Funds: Flexi-cap funds typically focus on growth stocks. They aim to invest in companies that have the potential for higher earnings, thus delivering capital appreciation. This is beneficial for your wealth creation goal over 20 years.

Value Investing Exposure: Your current portfolio does not seem to have a dedicated value fund. Value funds invest in stocks that are undervalued but have strong fundamentals. Adding one value fund may provide a cushion during market downturns and ensure that your portfolio has a broader range of investment styles.

Momentum Funds: Some of the funds in your portfolio may adopt a momentum strategy, but it is worth checking their strategy to see if they are adequately capturing this style. Momentum funds aim to invest in stocks that have had high returns in the past, potentially providing high returns during bullish markets.

Suggested Action: To ensure a well-rounded mix of investment styles, you could consider adding a value fund to complement your growth-oriented flexi-cap funds. This would provide a blend of both growth and value investing, making your portfolio more resilient during market volatility.

Long-Term Tax Implications
Equity Mutual Funds Taxation: Under the current tax rules, long-term capital gains (LTCG) above Rs. 1.25 lakh from equity mutual funds are taxed at 12.5%. If you sell any fund units before three years, the short-term capital gains (STCG) will be taxed at 20%. As you are investing for 20 years, most of your gains will fall under LTCG, allowing you to benefit from the lower tax rate on long-term gains.

Equity-Debt Fund Taxation: The equity-debt fund will have different tax implications. For the equity portion, LTCG is taxed as mentioned earlier. However, the debt portion's LTCG will be taxed as per your income slab if held for more than three years. If you sell before three years, the gains will be taxed as per your current income slab.

Direct vs Regular Funds
Direct vs Regular Fund Debate: While direct funds offer lower expense ratios, they require active monitoring and financial knowledge. Regular funds, invested through a certified financial planner (CFP), offer advisory support and better portfolio management without requiring you to follow markets constantly. As your time horizon is long, it’s advisable to continue investing through regular funds under the guidance of a CFP, as they can optimize your portfolio strategy over time.

Professional Guidance: Continuing with regular funds ensures that you benefit from active fund management, professional advice, and regular portfolio reviews. A Certified Financial Planner can guide you through changes in market conditions and help adjust your portfolio accordingly.

Disadvantages of Index Funds
Why Actively Managed Funds Are Better: While index funds track the market, they do not offer the flexibility to respond to changes in market conditions. Actively managed funds, like the ones in your portfolio, allow fund managers to adjust their strategy based on market trends. This flexibility often leads to better returns over long periods, especially when market volatility is high.
Importance of SIPs and Consistency
Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) Benefits: By investing Rs. 2,000 in each fund monthly through SIPs, you are using a disciplined approach. SIPs offer rupee cost averaging, which helps in reducing the impact of market volatility. As markets rise and fall, SIPs help accumulate more units when prices are low, thus improving the long-term performance of your investments.

Consistent Investing for Wealth Creation: With a 20-year horizon, the key is consistency. By sticking to your SIPs and making adjustments when necessary, you will allow your wealth to grow exponentially. The power of compounding will work in your favor over such a long duration, significantly boosting your wealth.

Portfolio Simplification
Potential Fund Overlap: As mentioned earlier, reducing the number of flexi-cap funds can simplify your portfolio without compromising on diversification. Overlap in your current flexi-cap funds might lead to higher exposure to the same stocks, which could reduce your overall portfolio's effectiveness.

Streamlining for Focus: A more streamlined portfolio can make it easier to track performance and make informed decisions. It will also reduce the management effort required from your Certified Financial Planner, ensuring that you receive more focused advice and monitoring.

Final Insights
Your portfolio is well-diversified across flexi-cap funds, offering growth potential across different market capitalizations. However, having multiple flexi-cap funds may lead to redundancy and could be simplified.

A value fund can be added to create a balance between growth and value strategies, providing better risk management during market corrections.

Your allocation to an equity-debt fund is good for stability, but equity should remain dominant for wealth creation over the next 20 years.

Stick to regular funds for long-term growth, and avoid index funds due to their limitations in capturing market opportunities.

Continue with SIPs, ensuring consistency, which will maximize the benefits of compounding over your 20-year horizon.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Ans: You have a good selection of mutual funds in your portfolio, Sir. Your current portfolio includes funds from different styles, such as flexicap and hybrid funds. This provides a decent mix of growth, value, and diversified investment strategies. However, there are a few aspects you should consider to improve the overall alignment with your long-term goals.

Let’s go through your current funds and evaluate their strengths and areas where changes might be beneficial.

Flexicap Funds in Your Portfolio
You have multiple flexicap funds in your portfolio:

Parag Parikh Flexicap
HDFC Flexicap
Canara Robeco Flexicap
Franklin India Flexicap
Flexicap funds are versatile as they invest across large, mid, and small-cap companies. This gives you flexibility to capture opportunities across the market, making them an attractive choice. However, having too many flexicap funds can lead to overlap, meaning you might be investing in the same stocks repeatedly, reducing overall diversification.

Points to Consider:
Portfolio Overlap: Since all these flexicap funds invest across market caps, there’s a risk of them holding many common stocks. This dilutes the benefits of diversification.
Fund Styles: Each fund house follows a different style—some focus more on large caps while others tilt towards mid or small caps. But, having too many funds in the same category could lead to inefficiency.
SBI Long Term Equity Fund (ELSS)
This fund falls under the Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS) category, which offers tax benefits. It's a solid choice if you're looking to save tax under Section 80C, but keep in mind that ELSS funds have a three-year lock-in period.

Points to Consider:
Lock-in Period: Your SBI Long Term Equity Fund comes with a lock-in of three years, but that can be a good thing as it forces you to stay invested.
Growth Focus: The primary focus of this fund is growth, with a tendency to invest in companies with higher growth potential.
ICICI Prudential Equity & Debt Fund
The hybrid nature of this fund provides a balanced approach by investing in both equities and debt instruments. This fund is less volatile than pure equity funds and offers a cushion during market downturns. It also provides you with some stability, which is essential as you grow closer to retirement.

Points to Consider:
Balanced Approach: This hybrid fund adds stability to your portfolio with its debt exposure, which is crucial, especially in volatile markets.
LTCG Taxation: Be mindful that when you sell this fund, the taxation will follow the LTCG rules for debt funds, which is different from pure equity mutual funds.
Assessing the Mix of Investment Styles
Now, let's analyse the mix of investment styles in your portfolio—growth, value, and momentum. Here's how your current funds line up:

Growth: Parag Parikh Flexicap and Franklin India Flexicap have a strong growth focus. Growth funds invest in companies expected to grow at an above-average rate compared to other companies. This brings higher returns but can be riskier.

Value: HDFC Flexicap and Canara Robeco Flexicap have a more balanced approach with some value-oriented strategies. Value funds focus on undervalued stocks, aiming to capitalise when the market recognises their true potential. This approach is less volatile.

Momentum: Currently, your portfolio lacks a specific momentum-oriented fund. Momentum funds focus on stocks that have performed well recently and are likely to continue doing so in the short term.

Points to Consider:
Balanced Style: You already have a good mix of growth and value funds. Adding a momentum fund could diversify your investment styles further, making your portfolio more dynamic.

Avoid Overlap: While flexicap funds are flexible, too many similar funds could lead to over-diversification. This may reduce your portfolio’s efficiency in terms of returns.

The Importance of Adding a Value Fund
If you want to enhance your portfolio’s exposure to different styles, you could consider adding a fund focused entirely on value investing. Value funds are often overlooked, but they play an essential role during market corrections or periods of economic downturn. They seek to invest in companies that are undervalued, offering long-term potential once the market realises their true worth.

Points to Consider:
Balancing Risk: Value funds are less volatile and provide stability during downturns. They can serve as a cushion for your portfolio, balancing out the riskier growth-oriented investments.

Long-Term Growth: A value fund’s slow but steady performance can help you achieve stable growth in your portfolio over the years.

Diversification of Market Capitalisation
You currently have exposure to large, mid, and small-cap companies through your flexicap funds. However, it might be helpful to examine how much of your portfolio is concentrated in large-cap stocks versus mid and small caps. Large caps provide stability, while mid and small caps offer higher growth potential but with increased risk.

Points to Consider:
Large Cap Stability: Ensure that a reasonable portion of your portfolio is in large-cap stocks. This will provide your portfolio with stability and reduce overall risk.

Mid and Small Cap Growth: Mid and small caps offer higher growth but can be volatile. Make sure you’re comfortable with the risk that comes with these investments.

Disadvantages of Index Funds in Your Portfolio
You’ve wisely avoided index funds, which tend to underperform compared to actively managed funds, especially in the Indian market. Index funds simply track the market, offering no opportunity for active stock selection. In contrast, actively managed funds allow fund managers to pick stocks that have the potential to outperform, especially in volatile markets.

Points to Consider:
No Active Management: Index funds offer no opportunity for active management, which can limit your returns in the long run.

Outperformance Potential: Actively managed funds have the potential to outperform the market, especially during downturns. The fund manager’s expertise becomes a crucial advantage.

Disadvantages of Direct Funds
Direct mutual funds may seem appealing due to their lower expense ratios, but investing through a regular plan with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) has significant benefits.

A CFP will help you manage your portfolio more effectively by offering timely advice, rebalancing your investments, and ensuring you’re aligned with your goals. Direct funds lack this guidance, leaving you on your own to make important financial decisions.

Points to Consider:
No Professional Guidance: Direct funds offer no advisory support. You may miss out on crucial market insights that a CFP can provide.

Portfolio Mismanagement: Without professional advice, you could overexpose yourself to risk or miss opportunities to rebalance your portfolio.

Taxation Aspects of Your Portfolio
The new mutual fund taxation rules can impact your returns:

LTCG on Equity Funds: Long-term capital gains above Rs 1.25 lakh are taxed at 12.5%.

STCG on Equity Funds: Short-term capital gains are taxed at 20%.

Debt Funds: Both long-term and short-term capital gains are taxed as per your income tax slab. This is important to keep in mind when selling any debt portion of your hybrid fund.

Points to Consider:
Tax Efficiency: Hybrid and debt funds can impact your tax liability, so plan accordingly when making withdrawals.

Equity Taxation: Your equity mutual funds will give you tax-free gains up to Rs 1.25 lakh, making them more tax-efficient in the long run.

Finally
Your portfolio has a strong foundation, but it could benefit from further optimisation. By reducing overlap in flexicap funds and adding a value-focused fund, you can diversify your investment styles more effectively. Consider adding a momentum fund to enhance your portfolio’s dynamism.

It’s also wise to keep an eye on the allocation between large, mid, and small caps. While your hybrid fund provides stability, ensure that your overall exposure to equities aligns with your risk appetite as you approach retirement.

Lastly, avoid the temptation of index and direct funds. They may seem cost-efficient, but they lack the advantages of active management and professional guidance, which can make a big difference in long-term wealth creation.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment