List of Mutual fund categories that you can avoid! (Keep it simple!)

The Mutual Fund space in India is reasonably large and growing. There are almost 50 Asset Management Companies (AMCs) offering more than 1,000 – and counting – schemes. The choice can be overwhelming at times.  There are literally thousands of places that list the ‘best funds’ to invest in.  This short post approaches the issue…

Continue reading →

The 4% retirement rule is wrong! Do not retire early in India (or US) based on that!

Avinash Luthria, SEBI Registered fee-only investment advisor explains why one should not retire early in India (or US or elsewhere) based on the so-called 4% retirement rule (explained below).  I respect Avinash’s approach to investing especially his realistic views on risk and reward. Avinash Luthria is Founder, Fee-Only Financial Planner & SEBI Registered Investment Adviser…

Continue reading →

How investors get fooled into buying mutual funds with wrong expectations

Most investors, thanks to wonderful propaganda by the AMCs, believe mutual funds would give them fantastic returns and invest with wrong expectations. They also are made to think “staying investing” will get rid of risk, although it never will*. Here is an example of an ICICI mutual fund ad that helps drive in the wrong…

Continue reading →

Four Consistent thematic Mutual Fund Performers

Here are four thematic mutual funds that have consistently outperformed the Nifty 100 Index and Nifty Large Midcap 250 index (dividends included) over every possible 1,2,3,4,5 year periods since inception.  The SEBI categorization rules have clubbed fund that invests in a particular sector or particular theme in the same category “sectoral/thematic”. For the purpose of…

Continue reading →

ICICI Prudential Asset Allocator Fund: Here is why you should avoid this!

ICICI AMC is busy pushing its ICICI Prudential Asset Allocator Fund down the throats of any investor gullible enough to take their “advisor” seriously.  Why? Probably because the AMC sees this as an opportunity to secure AUM from investors scared of “current market scenario” by pushing a product that “invest in the right asset at…

Continue reading →

Forget Buffettisms/Mungerisms: try these 2000 year old personal finance tips!

The other day, I was in a get-together, and the topic of personal finance came up. One of them asked where to start. There was an inevitable chorus of “security analysis”, “intelligent investor” and the likes. There was also the litany of blogs that mindlessly parrot Buffettisms and Mungerisms with “investor” in their titles with…

Continue reading →