Many investors invest in debt funds as a means of earning regular income, due to their superior liquidity and tax-deferral features. Any gains realized after three years are taxed according to each investor’s income tax slab.
A fund’s Net Asset Value (NAV) daily accounts for interest earnings earned on its debt instruments and securities held. As interest rates fluctuate, their value changes with them.
Diversification
The capital market offers various investment instruments to help you meet your financial goals, including debt funds showing returns and capital appreciation. Unfortunately, not many people understand the benefits of debt fund investments; as a result, not many invest in them.
Debt funds offer investors an alternative to fixed deposits that provides higher returns than traditional FDs, making them an excellent way to generate stable long-term returns with limited risk exposure. Debt funds must be well diversified to minimize risks.
Most investors may not realize that debt funds are mutual funds that invest in securities like commercial papers, corporate bonds, treasury bills, and money market instruments. Debt funds provide investors with steady income or returns by lending investments directly to companies or governments, as their prices remain relatively stable. They’re less risky than equities since prices tend not to fluctuate as frequently.
There are different types of debt funds designed for short and medium-term investments. Selecting one that best meets your needs is essential in maximizing returns on your money investment, especially given rising interest rates that could negatively impact other forms of investments. A debt fund could also offer protection from rising rates as interest rates may decline over time.
Credit risk in debt instruments depends on their issuer’s ability to meet interest and maturity payments on time, so investors must review their credit ratings before investing. Government bonds offer less risk as sovereign guarantees protect them, while corporate bonds may have higher chances as issuers may default on both interest and maturity payments.
Liquidity of debt instruments depends on their ability to be sold for at or near their prevailing market price or yield-to-maturity (YTM), which may prove difficult under certain circumstances, such as when their interest rate decreases unexpectedly or the economy experiences unexpected slowdown.
Liquidity
Liquid funds are short-term debt mutual funds with low risk and yield. They’re perfect for investors with short investment horizons or surplus cash that needs somewhere safe to park temporarily or those looking for an entryway to more long-term bonds.
Liquid funds carry some risk and should be evaluated alongside your overall investment horizon and goals. Debt funds tend to provide more stable and assured returns than equity ones; unlike equity funds which fluctuate depending on market fluctuations, debt funds offer a fixed rate of return from purchase time onward.
Debt funds return from two sources – interest income and capital gains. Interest income is generated by coupons generated on debt instruments owned by the fund; their amount varies according to factors like bond tenor and quality; bonds with longer tenors and lower ratings generally pay higher coupon rates than ones with shorter tenors and better ratings.
Capital gains on debt funds may also be generated when market yields change, affecting their value and returns. The size of such gains or losses is determined by comparing market yields against debt instrument tenors, known as mark-to-market (MTM) returns.
Debt funds invest in short-term assets with high liquidity to minimize market yield fluctuations and generate consistent returns, such as commercial papers, certificates of deposits, Treasury bills, non-convertible debentures, and government bonds. By doing this, they reduce exposure to market volatility while improving their ability to deliver consistent returns.
Taxing debt fund capital gains depends on both their duration and your tax slab rate. Short-term capital gains (STCG) are subject to income tax at your slab rate, while long-term gains after indexation (adding or subtracting units to reflect inflationary changes) are taxed at 20% taxable gains.
Low-Risk
Although debt funds may not be completely risk-free investments, they offer a relatively lower-risk alternative. They invest primarily in higher-rated securities to mitigate credit risk and interest rate volatility, making these funds suitable for investors who wish to meet short-term financial goals without subjecting their capital to the unpredictable fluctuations of equity markets.
Liquid funds invest in highly liquid money market instruments and debt securities with short maturity papers, making them less sensitive to interest rate movements than gilt funds, making them suitable for investors with an investment horizon of up to one year. By contrast, gilt funds tend to invest in long-term bonds, which are more affected by fluctuations in interest rates.
Note, however, that even low-risk debt funds may experience negative credit surprises from time to time – though such events are rare, they can result in substantial capital losses for your portfolio. To minimize their effects and protect yourself against potential adverse events in the future, diversify across a broad range of issuers and maturities when investing in debt funds.
Debt mutual funds come in different varieties, each offering its own set of risks and returns. Liquid funds invest in short-term money market instruments with high liquidity, while gilt funds invest in long-term bonds more prone to interest rate movements. Therefore, it is vitally essential for potential investors to understand each type of debt fund before investing.
Additionally, it is advised that you diversify your portfolio with both debt and equity funds to maximize returns and safeguard accumulated wealth. When saving for retirement, consider setting up a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) so that as time progresses, your portfolio should gradually shift away from volatile equity stocks towards safer debt investments; by the time retirement arrives, this should ensure safety while increasing returns.
High-Returns
Debt funds may offer higher returns for investors seeking higher yields on their investments than regular savings bank accounts; these funds invest in debt securities with higher yields but involve more significant risks due to interest rate volatility.
The best debt funds decide wisely on interest rates and credit risks to maximize returns. For instance, funds with more exposure to long-duration debt may experience substantial capital gains when interest rates decline but can experience more significant losses when rates increase.
Keep this in mind when investing in these funds: They may come with an expense ratio that reduces earnings overall; therefore, opt for funds with low expense ratios.
Consider also that debt funds could lose value if the issuer of their bonds defaults on their obligations to pay you the principal and interest. This risk can be seen through their credit rating; as the lower their rating becomes, so too increases their chance of loss.
Select several debt funds and invest regularly through a systematic investment plan (SIP) to maximize the return on your investments. This process allows you to spread the cost of investing across various schemes. Diversify your portfolio to protect it from the volatility of equities. This strategy can prove especially helpful when saving for children’s education costs. By investing in debt funds, you can ensure your child has access to an affordable fund when the time comes for higher studies. Be sure to monitor their performance regularly; if they don’t generate the expected returns, make a switch or switch your funds elsewhere, more likely to produce those results.
