In my initial days as a lay investor, when mutual funds were gaining in popularity, I had decided to invest in three mutual fund schemes. The total investment was about Rs 2.0 Lakhs. Those were the last and only investments I made in mutual funds. Soon after, I have chosen to invest in direct equity by doing rigorous research, back testing and building optimal portfolios with cutting edge mathematical modelling frameworks.

One main reason I chose to shift to mutual funds was the issue of "value and integrity conflict" in the way mutual funds invested my money. When I was looking through the portfolios holdings of the schemes, I noticed stocks of certain businesses which were considered "socially not responsible" (a polite word for businesses that prospered from unhealthy products and services such as cigarettes, liquor, gutka etc). As an individual I'm a tee-totaller and non-smoker. Watching my money deployed in these businesses was simply unacceptable, as it directly conflicted with my personal value system as an investor. 

This accelerated my shift to direct equity where one has complete control of the sectors and firms to invest and avoid potential conflict to one's deeply held personal values.

• Do you have certain personal and family values that you hold very dear and consider important to live by? 
• Do you know if your money is being invested in alignment with your personal values, when it comes to investing in selecting and investing in certain businesses and sectors? 

You have a choice to address this dilemma, by considering direct equity investing (or) get real selective about funds that can assure you they make "socially responsible" investing decisions in their portfolio.

When stocks are professionally identified and a portfolio is built that also aligns with your personal and family values and life needs with the help of a professional investment adviser, one can expect to achieve value driven wealth creation.

To consider building "Value driven Wealth", welcome to get in touch

People investing in Mutual funds can either invest one shot (say Bulk investment) or opt for Systematic Investment (SIP). Whichever option you choose to go with, an understanding on the "distribution mode" explained below can help you to earn significant higher return in the long term.

Mutual funds are sold to investors for investment in two options namely

• RIP ( Regular Investment Plan) and 
• DIP (Direct Investment Plan).

RIP is often the ONLY mode typically offered by your Intermediary (Bank, Mutual fund Distributors, most Online Financial Portals and Financial startups etc), whereas DIP (Direct Investment Plan) option is something you need to specifically ask for (and demand). Most investors are neither informed or aware of the DIP Option (nor) do the intermediaries share this information with you willingly, unless you specifically ask for it (caveat emptor!). 

Direct Investment plans (DIP) were introduced in 2013. If you are a mutual fund investor who has been investing prior to 2013, certainly you will be enrolled in the RIP (Regular Investment Plan) only. If you are an investor who has started investing in MF post 2013 (but did not bother to ask for the Direct plan option (like most investors), because you did not know it existed (or) your intermediary hid it from you), you would most likely been enrolled in RIP option.

Dhanayoga did a quick analysis of what is the % of return that investors stand to lose when they go through the Regular Investment Plan (RIP) vs. Direct Investment Plan (DIP). ​The results are quite revealing and can help an investor to become wiser and switch to DIP mode from RIP mode.

The figure below displays the incremental return that you can earn if you chose the DIP (Direct Investment Plan) instead of RIP (Regular Investment Plan) mode, for every 1L invested.

Duration           10% Return p.a     15% Return p.a     20% Return p.a    25% Return P.a
5 Years                     7,455                    8,898                    10,542                     12,404
10 Years                 24,568                   36,588                    53,576                    77,246
15 Years                 60,734                 1,12,846                 2,04,238                 3,60,838
20 Years              1,33,481                 3,09,422                6,92,166               14,98,489
25 Years              2,75,076                7,95,529              21,99,464               58,34,765
Note

• Initial Investment: INR 1,00,000
• DIP Incremental return over RIP is 1% p.a
• Figures show the incremental return that DIP can offer vs RIP

Based on above illustration, For e.g,
If you invested 1 Lakh in a mutual fund that gives an average annual return of 20% p.a and for a period of 15 year period, the additional return that you can earn (if invested in DIP instead of RIP) is INR 2,04,238, which is evidently quite substantial.  

So what can you do now?

• Call or login to your Mutual fund account and find out what is the current investment mode - Regular (RIP) or Direct (DIP)
• If you are in RIP mode, take a decision to switch to DIP mode
• Check if there is any exit load (for investment beyond 1 year, most funds don't impose exit load)
• Place a switch request (either for the same plan to Direct Option (or) choose another plan if you wish and opt for Direct Option)
• Start enjoying additional returns for the coming years

If you are a new or existing investor planning invest in mutual funds, prefer the Direct Investment option.

Wishing you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2017!!
Invest responsibly and smartly!!

Sethu V
Dhanayoga
Value Driven Wealth
www.dhanayo.ga
Financial Planning and Investment Advisory services