Ways To Optimize Mutual Funds Returns

Mutual funds are a good investment option for creating wealth over the long term. However, despite being professionally managed, some funds may still not produce the returns you expect from them.

Here’s where mutual fund return optimization can help. With just a few strategies, you can increase the chances of getting optimal returns on your investment. Wondering how to optimize mutual fund returns? Here’s a quick look at some simple techniques you can use.

Strategies to Optimize Mutual Fund Returns

The primary goal for any investor is to unlock the full potential of his investments. The strategies outlined below are designed to do just that.

• Define Your Investment Goals And Risk Tolerance

  Determining your investment goals, risk tolerance levels and investment horizon is a good way to bring about mutual fund return optimization. These three factors play a huge role in determining the type of funds you need to invest in to maximize returns.

  For instance, if your investment objective is to retire early and you have a high-risk tolerance level, you can consider investing in equity-oriented mutual funds . On the other hand, if your goal is to establish a steady source of income with moderate to low risk, you may invest in debt-oriented mutual funds for optimal returns.

• Investing in Low-Cost Funds

  Asset Management Companies (AMCs) generally levy a fee known as the expense ratio. This fee is used to cover the expenses that they incur for managing mutual funds and is charged as a percentage of your total investment in the fund. Depending on the type of fund you invest in, the expense ratio can be anywhere from 1% to 3%.

  However, if mutual fund return optimization is your goal, you should consider investing in low-cost mutual funds. The lower the expense ratio, the greater your returns are likely to be. Index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are two types of mutual funds that typically carry very low expense ratios.

• Diversifying Mutual Fund Investments

  A mutual fund is an inherently diversified financial instrument that invests in a basket of assets. However, the diversification offered by a mutual fund may not always be enough to protect you from downsides that may arise due to market fluctuations.

  This is precisely why you should diversify your mutual fund portfolio. When you invest in a mix of different funds that invest in asset classes across sectors and geographies, you gain a more comprehensive exposure to the financial markets and may be better poised to avoid huge downsides.

  For instance, you could split your investment capital between debt funds , stock equity funds , index funds, REITs and InVITs. Such a level of diversification should be able to protect you better than just investing in a single mutual fund.

• Starting a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP)

  If long-term wealth creation is your goal, the best mutual fund return optimization strategy you can follow is to start a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). A SIP is a unique investment method where you invest a fixed sum in a mutual fund regularly for a specific tenure.

  When you constantly invest in a fund over a long period across different market conditions, you enjoy a phenomenon known as rupee cost averaging. Rupee cost averaging lowers your overall cost of investment and boosts your returns.

  Additionally, you also get the benefit of compounding if you choose to reinvest your returns into the fund. Compounding is yet another very powerful phenomenon that can significantly increase your returns over the long term.

• Reviewing Mutual Fund Portfolios Regularly

  Not all mutual funds perform equally given the same market situations. Over time, the performance of the mutual funds in your portfolio may vary so much that it can lead to a situation where one or two funds take up a significant portion of your portfolio’s value compared to the others. This not only leads to a major portfolio imbalance but also increases the risk significantly.

  Here’s where rebalancing your portfolio comes into the picture. Rebalancing is a mutual fund return optimization technique that involves buying and selling units to ensure your portfolio stays aligned with your investment objectives and risk tolerance levels. Additionally, it also preserves diversification by retaining the asset allocation mix you originally intended when you first started investing.

Conclusion

With this, you must now be aware of how to optimize mutual fund returns. The techniques and strategies mentioned here might seem a little too simple. However, they can be very effective across a wide range of market conditions if implemented properly. One of the many advantages of these strategies is that they’re ideal for both beginners and seasoned investors.

Now, it is important to remember that implementing these strategies doesn’t guarantee mutual fund return optimization due to the volatile and unpredictable nature of the financial markets. The key to successful investing is to be patient, follow the outlined strategies and enforce discipline in your investing approach.