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What are Hybrid Funds: Benefits, Taxation and How to Invest

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November 16, 2022

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What are hybrid funds?

Hybrid funds are mutual funds that invest in debt and equity instruments. The proportion of debt and equity investments may vary from one hybrid fund to another. Still, the defining feature of these mutual funds is the presence of these two asset classes in its portfolio.

Equity and debt mutual funds

Debt mutual funds invest in debt or fixed-income instruments like government or corporate bonds. Fixed income means that you can make a fixed amount of returns on your investment. Often, this RoI is in single digits (like 7%, for instance), but the returns are assured.

On the other hand, equity mutual funds are mutual funds that invest in equity, like stocks of companies listed on the stock exchange. The returns you can make here vary over time and are tied to several factors, such as the performance of these stocks, the general volatility of the market, and so on. The RoI you can make here is incredibly high - goes up to 20% or more in some cases - but this isn’t a guarantee.

How do hybrid funds work?

A hybrid fund works like any other mutual fund at the primary level.

Investors pool their money, and the fund house invests this corpus in a typical portfolio. A fund manager typically puts together the portfolio to align with the scheme's investment objective.

What's next?

Each investor is allocated a certain number of units in the fund based on the amount of capital they have invested individually. Every unit in the fund has a unit price, known as the unit's net asset value or NAV. It is calculated using the following formula:

NAV per unit of the fund = Net assets of the fund ÷ Total number of units issued

Over time, as the markets fluctuate and the value of the investments in the fund’s portfolio may increase or decrease. Consequently, the value of each unit in the fund also changes, thereby leading to gains or losses for investors.

Here’s an example of how this works. Let’s assume we have a mutual fund worth ₹1 crore.

Now, at the end of 2 years, let’s say the key figures stand as follows —

  • The net asset value of the fund increases to ₹1,20,00,000
  • The NAV per unit will then grow to ₹120 each
  • Your investment value will now be ₹6,00,000

In other words, you would have gained ₹1,00,000.

On the other hand, if the NAV decreases, your portfolio will suffer a loss. 

What are the different types of hybrid funds?

Hybrid mutual funds are a broad category of investments. Based on the proportion of equity and debt instruments in the portfolio, several types of hybrid funds are available for investors today. Each type of hybrid fund is suitable for a different kind of investor. Here’s a list:

Equity-oriented hybrid funds

Sometimes known as aggressive hybrid funds, these mutual funds invest a significant portion of their capital in equity. Usually, around 65% to 80% of the fund’s assets are directed towards equity instruments. The equity investments are typically diversified across top industries like BFSI, FMCG, real estate, healthcare, automobile, oil and gas, etc. The rest is invested in debt and money market securities, offsetting the risk from equity to a certain extent.

Debt-oriented hybrid funds

These funds are the ideal choice for conservative investors who prefer to limit the overall risk in their portfolios. In this type of hybrid fund, over 65% of the assets are invested in debt instruments. Some common assets in this category include fixed-income instruments such as government bonds, debentures, corporate bonds, treasury bills, and other options. The remaining funds may be invested in a mix of equity instruments and cash and cash equivalents.

Monthly income hybrid funds

They are also best suited for conservative investors who are not keen on taking high levels of risk. As the name suggests, these mutual funds focus on offering investors a reliable monthly income. Also known as Monthly Income Plans (MIPs), these funds invest predominantly in debt. Around 15% to 20% of the assets may be invested in equity.

If you invest in these hybrid funds, you enjoy regular income as dividends. Although the fund's name is 'monthly,' you can choose various other dividend frequencies, such as quarterly, half-yearly, or annual payouts.

Arbitrage funds

Arbitrage is buying and selling securities in different markets to take advantage of the price differences between these markets. An arbitrage fund is a hybrid fund that aims to maximise the hybrid fund returns by purchasing an instrument at a lower price in one market and then selling it at a higher price in another market. But arbitrage trades may not always be possible, and these funds offset this volatility by investing in debt instruments or cash and cash equivalents.

Benefits of investing in hybrid funds

Ideal asset allocation

Hybrid funds give you the ideal asset allocation by allowing you to invest in various asset classes like equity, debt and money market instruments. You can access multiple asset classes and add them to your portfolio with a single investment vehicle. You can choose the type of hybrid fund that offers optimal asset allocation for your financial goals.

Diversification

With hybrid mutual funds, you benefit from diversification beyond asset classes. Even within each asset category, your portfolio is diversified. For instance, the equity component may be diversified across market caps and industries, while the debt component may be diversified across different debt instruments. This distributes the risk optimally.

Made for various risk profiles

Hybrid mutual funds are also suitable for investors with varying risk profiles. As we saw earlier, there are different kinds of funds in this category, and you can choose the investment option that best suits your risk tolerance levels. If you are an aggressive investor, you can select equity-oriented hybrid funds. On the other hand, debt-oriented hybrid funds may be a better choice if you want to limit the risk in your portfolio.

Automatic rebalancing

These mutual funds also give you the benefit of automatic rebalancing. You need not worry about your portfolio asset allocation deviating from the targeted asset allocation. This is because fund managers monitor how your mutual fund portfolio is affected by market movements and rebalance the portfolio as and when it may be needed.

How are hybrid mutual funds taxed?

Hybrid funds contain both debt and equity components. So, the taxation of these funds will vary based on the details. Gains from the equity portion are taxed differently from the payments on the debt component.

How do you go about investing in hybrid mutual funds?

Investing in hybrid funds is easy. It is how you invest in any other mutual fund. You can choose any of the following ways to start your hybrid fund investment journey.

Offline investments made directly with the fund house:

You can directly invest in a hybrid fund by visiting the nearest branch office of the fund house. Submit the documents needed, fill in the application form and start investing.

Offline investments made through a broker:

Mutual fund brokers or distributors can also help you invest in hybrid funds. You can submit the duly filled application form and the documents your broker requires to start investing.

Online investments through the official website of the fund house:

Most leading mutual fund houses now offer the option to invest online in mutual funds. You must complete the KYC process and the due formalities to open an account and invest.

Zero-commission Mutual Fund investing on Fi Money

You can invest in a wide range of hybrid mutual funds on Fi Money. You can use the filters on your app to select hybrid mutual funds based on your needs and invest at no additional cost.

In conclusion

If you have been considering adding mutual funds to your portfolio, hybrid funds may be a good option. Remember to choose the hybrid fund that aligns with your financial goals and risk profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are hybrid funds safe?

Hybrid funds invest in both debt and equity components. So, as expected, the equity investments carry market-related risks, but the debt component helps offset some of that risk. So, hybrid funds are safer than investing directly in stocks, or even pure equity funds.

2. What are hybrid equity funds?

Hybrid equity funds are mutual funds that invest in a mix of debt and equity instruments. The proportion of equity is significantly higher in hybrid equity funds. Around 65% of the portfolio typically consists of equity instruments, while the rest consists of debt instruments and cash and cash equivalents.

3. What comes under a hybrid fund? 

Under the broad category of hybrid funds, we have different subcategories like equity-oriented funds, debt-oriented funds, monthly income funds and arbitrage funds. Each fund caters to a different kind of investor.

4. Who should invest in hybrid funds?

Any investor looking to diversify their investment portfolio quickly, with just one or two investment options, can choose to invest in hybrid funds. If this sounds like something you’re looking for, you can browse through the various mutual funds in this category and choose one to invest in based on the risk-return profile.

5. How are hybrid mutual funds taxed?

The equity component of hybrid funds is taxed like a pure equity fund, while the debt component is taxed like a pure debt fund.

  • STCG from the equity portion: taxed at 15%
  • LTCG above ₹1 lakh is taxed at 10% without indexation
  • STCG from the debt portion is taxed per your slab rate
  • LTCG is taxed at 10% without indexation or 20% with indexation

6. What are some critical tips for investing in hybrid funds?

Before investing in a hybrid fund, ensure its asset allocation matches your risk profile. If you are a conservative investor, you may want to avoid aggressive hybrid mutual funds and vice versa. Also, check the fund manager's skills, look at the fund's past performance and be aware of the taxation norms before investing.

You should check these out too!

1. Equity Mutual Funds - Basics, Types, Benefits and More

2. Small-Cap, Mid-Cap, Large Cap Funds. A Brief Comparison

3. Mutual funds vs stocks

4. Best mutual funds to get assured dividends

Disclaimer

Investment and securities are subject to market risks. Please read all the related documents carefully before investing. The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and not to be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell securities, mutual funds, or any other financial products.
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