Should you invest in Mutual Funds SIPs or FDs?

Introduction

Investment decisions have to be prudent. You need to consider the timeline for investment, your investment goal, the risks and returns of the financial product, and the capital you have for investing.

Once upon a time, fixed deposits were the only investment option for the average Joe. This is because people didn’t know about the different options available. Mutual funds were considered too risky to take a bet on. As markets have evolved and investors like you and me are becoming more informed, the sheen on mutual funds has grown.

Young investors are choosing mutual funds Systematic Investment Plans (SIP) to grow their corpus. A SIP is a regular investment made in a mutual fund of your choice. It is easy to invest in, aims to provide higher returns than bank deposits and is managed by a professional. However, SIP mutual funds are investments in the market. This means that these are subject to market volatility. Risk in mutual funds, especially equity mutual funds, is higher than in fixed income securities.

Fixed deposits (FDs), on the other hand, are tried and tested investment avenues. Our grandfathers and fathers swear by the stability and assured returns of FDs. Yet, in today’s time of rising inflation, FDs do not provide returns that beat inflation. Many times, their real returns are negative. This could be a low-risk option, but such investments may not meet your long-term wealth generation goals.

Additional read: What is an SIP and Why is it Beneficial for You

Difference between mutual fund SIPs and FDs

Before getting into which product you must invest in, you first need to understand the

differences between SIPs and FDs.

Additional read: Light Up your Portfolio with SIP

Which one should you pick?

If you are a highly risk-averse investor, FDs are the obvious choice because these investments provide guaranteed returns at regular intervals. The risk of default is extremely low. Banks also insure up to Rs. 5,00,000 of FDs in case of default. 

However, if you want to consider a better rate of return on your investment, you can consider debt mutual funds. These funds invest in debt securities that offer comparatively better returns. Since the investment is diversified, the risk associated with these funds is comparatively low. When you invest in a debt mutual fund, you get exposure to different fixed income securities, such as corporate bonds, government bonds, commercial paper, etc. Debt mutual funds are also excellent investment options for the short term.

If you have a higher risk appetite and want to dip your feet in the equities market but still want some risk protection, you can consider starting a SIP in a hybrid mutual fund. These funds invest in both equities and debt instruments. The debt component somewhat balances out the risk from equities.

SIPs in equity mutual funds are for you if you have a high-risk appetite and can stomach market volatility in the long run. Owing to the high risk that you assume, you also stand the chance of making a higher profit. Even in equity mutual funds, you can choose to invest in large-cap funds or ETFs for relatively lower risk. Mid-cap and small-cap funds have the potential for high returns, but they also have comparatively higher risk.

Conclusion

Fixed deposits are not ideal investments if you want to grow your wealth. SIP in mutual funds are a better bet. You can consider SIPs in debt mutual funds if you are a conservative investor. If you are willing to assume more risk, then hybrid or equity mutual funds can help you build wealth in the long run.

Disclaimer: ICICI Securities Ltd.( I-Sec). Registered office of I-Sec is at ICICI Securities Ltd. - ICICI Venture House, Appasaheb Marathe Marg, Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 400025, India, Tel No : 022 - 2288 2460, 022 - 2288 2470. I-Sec is a Member of National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (Member Code :07730) and BSE Ltd (Member Code :103) and having SEBI registration no. INZ000183631. Name of the Compliance officer (broking): Mr. Anoop Goyal, Contact number: 022-40701000, E-mail address: complianceofficer@icicisecurities.com. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing. Composite Corporate Agent License No.CA0113, AMFI Regn. No.: ARN-0845. We are distributors of Insurance and Mutual funds, Corporate Fixed Deposits, NCDs, PMS and AIF products. Please note that Mutual Fund Investments are subject to market risks, read the scheme related documents carefully before investing for full understanding and detail. The contents herein above shall not be considered as an invitation or persuasion to trade or invest.  I-Sec and affiliates accept no liabilities for any loss or damage of any kind arising out of any actions taken in reliance thereon.

The non-broking products / services like Mutual Funds, Insurance, FD/ Bonds, loans, PMS, Tax, Elocker, NPS, IPO, Research, Financial Learning etc. are not exchange traded products / services and ICICI Securities Ltd. is merely acting as a distributor/ referral Agent of such products / services and all disputes with respect to the distribution activity would not have access to Exchange investor redressal or Arbitration mechanism.