Beginner

Prudent financial planning involves listing down the financial priorities and then steadily working towards achieving the financial goals in the desired time frame. While you may have already taken your first step towards investing towards a healthy financial future by registering a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP), it is equally important to review the investment periodically. The performance review of the investment portfolio would allow you to align your financial priorities and financial goals.

It is said, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." Just like you must know your destination before you start your journey, you must determine the financial goal before you start investing. You must have a specific financial goal in sight. Be it saving for your child's education, buying a new house or saving for your retirement, linking your investments with your financial goals help you accomplish your goal in a better way. 

While Indians have historically been investing in physical assets like gold, real estate, etc., the millennials are reflecting an increasing preference towards investing in financial assets. Mutual funds are steadily emerging as a preferred investment option, as also being reflected by steady monthly SIP inflows (Source – Association of Mutual Funds in India, AMFI). 

Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) allows you to invest a fixed amount into mutual fund schemes on a pre-determined periodic frequency. You can instruct the bank to auto-debit the from your account specified dates and invest in the pre-specified mutual fund scheme. This investment cycle happens automatically on a recurring basis irrespective of the market condition. This helps an individual to consistently move towards creating an investment corpus and take a step closer to achieve his/ her financial goals. 

Just as it is important to start investing early, it is paramount to review your portfolio periodically. Regular assessment allows you to review the performance of the various funds and accomplish your financial goals. Here are four crucial parameters against which you may compare your mutual fund portfolio

A diversified investment portfolio holds the key to long term financial prosperity. The investors must plan to allocate their investments across different asset classes such as equity, debt, gold, etc. Since the investors don't rely on a single asset class for their portfolio performance, the returns may be expected to be stable across market cycles. While equity renders the potential of higher returns over the long term, the debt investments may impart with stability to the portfolio. 

Financial advisors will generally advise you, “do not keep all your eggs in one basket.” Such an investment action is denoted as diversification in the parlance of personal finance. Diversification refers to making an investment portfolio across different investment segments and asset classes to reduce the overall investment risk. 

Mutual funds have been instrumental in channelising the household savings into financial markets, as the investors need not have expert knowledge about the financial markets to invest in mutual funds. Investors may rely upon professional fund management for their investments in mutual funds. Further, with the availability of a wide range of mutual fund schemes, investments in mutual fund schemes can be made as per personal risk appetite and financial goals. 

The year 2020 has just started, and probably you have made your new year resolutions. But have you decided on financial resolutions for the new year to improve your financial habit and create wealth? Your financial resolutions should be more prudent and long term in nature.