MF Guru, I'm 40, started investing for my 5-year-old son's education, is my portfolio good?

Ans: First, it’s important to acknowledge that starting your mutual fund journey at 40 is still a good step, especially with a clear focus on your son's education. You have a diverse portfolio with both one-time investments and SIPs. However, based on your stated high-risk appetite and a medium-term horizon of 5-7 years, we can fine-tune your portfolio to ensure it aligns with your goals.

Investment Tenure & Risk Appetite
Your 5-7 year horizon is relatively short for high-risk equity investments. Typically, equity funds are recommended for long-term goals (8+ years) due to market volatility. But since you are focused on your son's education and have a high-risk appetite, it's feasible to continue with a mix of equity and thematic funds, but with strategic adjustments.

Key Points to Consider:

Since your goal is focused on education, consider this as a non-negotiable requirement.
Volatility in the short term can impact returns, so we need a balance between high growth potential and moderate risk management.
In 5-7 years, there may be market corrections, and it’s essential to ensure you're not heavily exposed to sectors that could underperform during downturns.
Analysis of One-Time Investments
Your portfolio has multiple thematic and sectoral funds. These funds often perform well when their specific sector is booming, but they can also lead to underperformance if the sector slows down. Let’s break it down:

Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund – Rs 1L
An ELSS fund provides tax-saving benefits under Section 80C. It’s a good investment, but keep in mind that the lock-in period is three years. Given your time frame of 5-7 years, this could still fit well in your portfolio as it also offers long-term capital appreciation.

Aditya Birla Sun Life PSU Equity Fund – Rs 1L
Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) funds depend heavily on government policies. While these funds may offer value investing opportunities, they are highly cyclical. PSUs often underperform during economic slowdowns. A high allocation to PSUs could expose you to risk.

Invesco India Infrastructure Fund – Rs 1L and Tata Infrastructure Direct Plan Growth – Rs 50K
Infrastructure is a sector that could see substantial growth in India in the coming years, but it is also vulnerable to policy changes and economic cycles. Having two infrastructure funds in your portfolio might lead to overexposure to this sector. It’s better to keep only one.

Quant Small Cap Fund – Rs 50K
Small-cap funds can provide exceptional returns in a bullish market but are also highly volatile. Given your high-risk appetite, keeping a small portion in small caps is fine. However, be mindful of market corrections, which can hit small-cap stocks harder.

Quant Infrastructure Fund – Rs 50K
As mentioned earlier, infrastructure can offer significant growth, but it's also highly cyclical. Holding three infrastructure-focused funds (including this one) may not provide the diversification you need.

SBI PSU Direct Plan – Rs 33K
Similar to your other PSU investment, this fund can expose you to volatility. It’s advisable to limit exposure to sectoral funds like PSU, as broader diversification can help you mitigate risk.

Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct – Rs 1L
Midcap funds are a good choice for investors with a high-risk appetite and a 5-7 year horizon. They offer a balance between the high-risk small caps and the more stable large caps. However, midcap funds can be volatile in the short term. It’s good to have this in your portfolio, but keep track of market conditions.

Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund – Rs 1L
Flexi-cap funds provide the flexibility to invest in companies of various sizes and sectors. This diversification can help reduce risk. Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund has a solid track record and fits well with your risk profile.

SIPs
SIP investments help in averaging out market volatility over time. Your SIPs are relatively new, so let’s assess them as well:

HDFC Mid Cap Opportunities – Rs 10K SIP Since June '24
Mid-cap funds are great for high-risk investors, but given the short time frame of 5-7 years, there is a moderate level of risk. Since you started the SIP recently, it’s fine to continue, but monitor it regularly.

ICICI Prudential Nifty Next 50 – Rs 20K SIP Since July '24
Nifty Next 50 funds are often considered for large-cap exposure and can provide relatively stable returns compared to mid and small caps. However, an actively managed large-cap fund might offer better growth potential than this index fund.

Nippon India Multi Cap Fund – Rs 2.5K SIP
Multi-cap funds offer exposure to all market caps, which helps in risk mitigation. The fund can switch between large, mid, and small caps based on market conditions, making it a good fit for a high-risk, medium-term horizon.

Sectoral Fund Exposure
Your portfolio is significantly tilted toward thematic and sectoral funds (PSU, Infrastructure). While these funds can generate high returns during sectoral upswings, they are also susceptible to downturns when their sector underperforms. For a 5-7 year goal like your son’s education, this heavy reliance on specific sectors could expose you to unnecessary risk.

Suggestion:

Limit exposure to sectoral funds.
Reallocate some of your funds from thematic investments to diversified equity or flexi-cap funds, which offer broader market exposure.
Direct vs Regular Funds
You have invested in direct plans, which save on commissions. While this boosts returns slightly over time, it also requires active tracking and management on your part. A Certified Financial Planner (CFP) can guide you better in selecting and rebalancing funds over time, ensuring your portfolio aligns with changing market conditions and personal goals.

Additional Recommendations
Balanced Allocation

Consider adding a balanced advantage fund or an aggressive hybrid fund to reduce volatility and ensure some level of downside protection. These funds automatically adjust between equity and debt based on market conditions.
Emergency Fund

You mentioned having an FD of Rs 40K and an NSC of Rs 1.10L. Ensure you have an adequate emergency fund in place. Typically, 6-12 months of household expenses should be parked in liquid or ultra-short-term debt funds for easy access.
Monitor Regularly

Given your medium-term horizon, you should regularly review your portfolio. Make sure the funds are performing as expected and align with your evolving goals.
Final Insights
Your portfolio has a good mix of SIPs and one-time investments. However, it’s tilted toward thematic and sectoral funds, which might not be ideal for your medium-term goal of funding your son's education.

Limiting exposure to sectoral funds, particularly PSU and infrastructure, will reduce risk. Consider reallocating to more diversified funds that offer broad market exposure.

Your SIPs are relatively well-chosen, but keep an eye on the performance of the mid-cap and multi-cap funds, as they can be volatile in a 5-7 year time frame.

Rebalancing your portfolio by reducing thematic funds and adding more diversified equity or balanced advantage funds can help provide stability and growth.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

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