Want to cut risk and tax without compromising on returns?
While equity mutual funds are expected to beat other class of funds in the long term, short-term volatility is unbearable for some investors. For them, balanced funds are a better option because their equity exposure is usually restricted to 65-75%, and the debt portion of 25- 35% lends stability to the fund. “Though the returns from balanced funds will be lower than that of equity funds in the long term, their volatility will also be lower. So, on a risk-adjusted basis, it should give better return on a 5-7 year holding period,” says Vikram Dalal, Managing Director, Synergee Capital Services.
Both equity and debt are expected to do well in the coming years, because the expected decline in interest rate will be good for both asset classes. “Balanced funds make immense sense in periods like this, when both equity and debt are expected to do well,” says Nikhil Kothari, Director and Chief Financial Planner, Etica Wealth Management.