45-Year-Old with 8 SIPs: Should I Change Any Funds?

Ans: Hi Vinay Rao. Looking at your current sip allocation, I would suggest reshuffle and rebalance your portfolio. Introduce some new schemes like Quant, PGIM AMC in place of Kotak Flexi cap fund. Try to reduce your AMC allocation which may have overlapping effect in holdings. Axis Bluechip fund can be reconsidered.

Ans: It's great that you've been consistent with your SIPs over the years. However, it's always a good idea to review your portfolio periodically to ensure it aligns with your current financial goals and market conditions. Here are some suggestions:

Diversification: Ensure your portfolio is well-diversified across different asset classes and investment styles to mitigate risk. Consider adding exposure to debt or international funds if your portfolio is predominantly equity-focused.

Performance review: Evaluate the performance of each fund relative to its benchmark and peers. If any fund consistently underperforms or doesn't meet your expectations, consider replacing it with a better-performing alternative.

Cost analysis: Assess the expense ratios of your funds and compare them with similar funds in the market. Lower expense ratios can enhance your returns over the long term.

Risk tolerance: Reassess your risk tolerance and adjust your portfolio accordingly. As you approach retirement age, you may want to gradually shift towards more conservative investments to preserve capital.

Consult a financial advisor: Consider seeking professional advice from a financial advisor who can provide personalized recommendations based on your specific financial situation and goals.

By periodically reviewing and adjusting your SIP portfolio, you can ensure that it remains optimized for your financial objectives and market conditions.

Ans: It's commendable that you've consistently invested Rs 40,000 in SIPs for seven years. This discipline will have contributed significantly to your long-term financial security. The funds you initially selected, a mix of mid-cap, small-cap, and flexi-cap funds, offered a reasonable balance of growth potential and risk management.

However, before making any changes, let’s evaluate your current strategy:

Mid and Small Cap Focus: Mid-cap and small-cap funds generally provide higher returns but come with higher volatility. Since you’ve already held these for seven years, the compounding effect should have worked in your favour.

Flexi Cap for Stability: Flexi-cap funds allow fund managers to adjust between large, mid, and small caps, adding a safety net for your portfolio. This brings stability while maintaining growth potential.

Now, moving to your proposed changes:

Evaluating Your New Fund Choices
You’re looking to switch to a different set of funds while keeping the Rs 40,000 investment amount intact. Let’s evaluate this new mix:

Small Cap Funds (Rs 20,000): You plan to invest half of your SIPs in small-cap funds. Small caps offer higher growth but can be volatile, especially in the short term. Given your 7-8 year horizon, they can work in your favour, but it’s important to balance this with less risky investments. An excessive focus on small-cap funds may expose you to high risk, particularly in market downturns.

Mid Cap Fund (Rs 10,000): Mid-cap funds are a good middle ground. They have the potential for high returns with slightly lower volatility than small-cap funds. A mid-cap allocation can boost your portfolio, but again, this should not be too dominant.

Contra Fund (Rs 10,000): Contra funds work on a contrarian investment strategy, investing in undervalued stocks with the expectation of long-term appreciation. This is a unique addition that can offer diversification. However, contra funds require a long investment horizon to realize gains, as they depend on market corrections.

Insights on Your Strategy
While the new fund choices reflect a strong growth-oriented strategy, there are some potential concerns:

High Exposure to Small Caps: Allocating Rs 20,000 to small-cap funds increases your risk profile. Small caps are more volatile and tend to underperform during market corrections. A better approach might be to reduce your exposure to small caps and diversify into more stable categories like large-cap or flexi-cap funds.

Missing Large-Cap Stability: Your current selection excludes large-cap funds, which are vital for balancing risk in an equity portfolio. Large caps offer steady growth with lower volatility, making them essential for risk management, especially when nearing retirement age.

Contrarian Strategy Consideration: While contra funds can offer good returns, they rely heavily on timing and market corrections. Given that you’re looking at a 7-8 year horizon, you may need to closely monitor its performance.

Actively Managed Funds Over Index Funds
You’ve wisely chosen actively managed funds over index funds. Actively managed funds allow fund managers to take advantage of market fluctuations, adjusting their strategies to outperform indices. Index funds, while low-cost, lack the flexibility to react to market conditions. Actively managed funds provide better growth potential over the long term, especially in volatile markets.

Suggested Adjustments to Your Strategy
While your proposed fund choices are growth-focused, it’s important to consider a more balanced approach. Here are some adjustments that can help:

Add Large-Cap Funds: Large-cap funds provide stability and consistent returns. A 20-25% allocation to large-cap funds can help reduce volatility in your portfolio, offering a cushion during market downturns.

Reduce Small-Cap Exposure: Consider limiting your small-cap exposure to 10-15% of your total SIP amount. This will ensure you still benefit from the growth potential of small caps while protecting your portfolio from excessive risk.

Keep Flexibility with Flexi-Cap Funds: Instead of removing flexi-cap funds from your portfolio, you might want to retain them. Flexi-cap funds allow fund managers to move between large, mid, and small caps, giving them the flexibility to navigate market cycles effectively.

Long-Term Investment Horizon
Given your investment horizon of 7-8 years, equity mutual funds are a good fit. However, it's important to remember that as you approach retirement, you’ll want to gradually shift towards safer investments. Over the next 3-4 years, consider gradually increasing your exposure to balanced funds or debt funds to reduce risk.

Regular Reviews and Rebalancing
Once your new investment strategy is in place, make sure to review your portfolio regularly. The market changes over time, and so do your financial needs. A yearly review with a Certified Financial Planner can help ensure your investments remain aligned with your goals.

Final Insights
Your plan to switch your SIPs reflects a growth-focused approach, which is excellent given your long-term horizon. However, consider the following adjustments for a more balanced portfolio:

Reduce small-cap exposure to avoid excessive volatility.

Add large-cap funds for stability.

Retain flexi-cap funds for flexibility.

This diversified strategy will provide you with both growth potential and risk management, ensuring you build a solid corpus for the future.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Ans: Your portfolio demonstrates a disciplined approach to wealth building through SIPs and lump sum investments. The diversification across different fund categories is commendable, which is crucial for risk management. Let us carefully evaluate your current investments to determine if changes are necessary.

Analysis of Existing SIPs
Large-Cap Fund: Rs. 20,000 SIP
Large-cap funds provide stability with steady growth potential.
Returns may be consistent but not aggressive compared to mid or small-cap funds.
This fund is suitable for long-term goals and risk-averse investors.
Multicap Fund: Rs. 10,000 SIP
Multicap funds offer flexibility across market capitalizations.
They balance risk and reward well, diversifying across sectors.
This category suits medium-to-long-term goals with moderate risk appetite.
Midcap Fund: Rs. 5,000 SIP
Midcap funds are ideal for higher growth potential with increased volatility.
They can generate better returns during market uptrends.
This allocation aligns well for wealth creation over 8–10 years.
Evaluation of Lump Sum Investments
DSP Small Cap Fund: Rs. 5 Lakhs
Small-cap funds carry higher risk but can deliver substantial long-term growth.
The current allocation of Rs. 5 Lakhs is slightly concentrated in this high-risk segment.
HDFC Hybrid Equity Fund: Rs. 2 Lakhs
Hybrid equity funds offer a balanced mix of equity and debt.
They are suited for investors with a moderate risk profile seeking stability.
This allocation provides a cushion against market volatility.
Axis Bluechip Fund: Rs. 4 Lakhs
Bluechip funds focus on financially strong, large-cap companies.
They ensure consistent returns with relatively low risk.
Your allocation here complements the large-cap SIP strategy.
Suggestions for Portfolio Rebalancing
Retain SIPs in Large-Cap, Multicap, and Midcap Funds:
The existing SIPs in these funds are well-placed for diversification and growth. No changes are required.

Do Not Redeem Lump Sum Funds to Invest in SIPs:
Redeeming funds like DSP Small Cap or HDFC Hybrid Equity to reinvest in current SIP funds may reduce portfolio diversity.

Avoid Fixed Deposits for Redeemed Amounts:
Fixed deposits offer low returns and do not beat inflation over the long term. They are not ideal for growth-oriented investors.

Recommendations for Lump Sum Funds
DSP Small Cap Fund

Retain this allocation if you have a high-risk appetite and a horizon of 8–10 years.
Monitor the fund’s performance annually to ensure consistency.
HDFC Hybrid Equity Fund

Retain this allocation for moderate risk coverage.
This fund adds a balanced approach to your portfolio.
Axis Bluechip Fund

Retain this allocation as it aligns with your large-cap SIP strategy.
It ensures stability during market corrections.
Additional Recommendations
Diversify Further:
Add an international mutual fund to gain exposure to global markets. This reduces dependency on the Indian economy.

Review Portfolio Annually:
Assess the performance of funds regularly with the help of a Certified Financial Planner. Replace consistently underperforming funds.

Tax Efficiency:
Mutual fund taxation is critical for your returns. Keep track of long-term capital gains (LTCG) and short-term capital gains (STCG) rules:

LTCG above Rs. 1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.
STCG is taxed at 20%.
Key Takeaways
Your SIPs are well-aligned with diversified categories. Continue them without changes.
Avoid putting lump sum amounts in fixed deposits, as mutual funds offer better inflation-beating returns.
Maintain current lump sum investments, as they contribute to portfolio diversification.
Consider including international mutual funds for broader exposure.
Monitor and rebalance your portfolio with expert guidance annually.
Finally

Your portfolio reflects a solid foundation for long-term wealth creation. By maintaining diversification and monitoring fund performance, you can achieve your financial goals effectively.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

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