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Understanding Income Funds

A successful investment strategy requires adequate portfolio diversification across asset classes. Mutual funds provide easy diversification options for investors who do not want to invest in specific stocks. The success of mutual funds can be attributed to the fact that they represent a hassle-free way of investing across industries or themes depending on the focus of the particular fund. An investor can also select mutual funds based on his risk appetite because of which mutual funds are classified into different categories based on the risk involved.

Within mutual funds, the equity and debt mutual funds represent two broad categories of investment. Within debt funds, income funds represent those funds that are attractive to risk-averse investors. Income Funds offer a steady inflow of income and are particularly suited for those investors who are looking forward to wealth preservation. Let us understand more about the types, benefits, risks, and taxation of income funds. 

What is an Income Fund?

Income Funds are a special category within the huge canopy of debt funds and are meant to cater to investors who are looking forward to steady cash inflows over a long duration. This is typically achieved by investing in different types of debt instruments. As per SEBI, income funds generally invest in corporate debentures, government securities, money market instruments, bonds, and other fixed-asset securities. Such investments are usually made for a long duration that results in payouts at regular intervals for investors. 

Income Funds offer a less risky way of portfolio diversification than equity mutual funds. Macaulay duration is particularly important in the context of income funds as it defines the duration of investment. Medium duration income funds usually stay invested in debt instruments for a Macaulay duration between 4 - 7 years. On the other hand, long duration income funds stay invested in the portfolio for a Macaulay duration of more than 7 years. An important feature of income funds is that their NAVs fluctuate according to the interest rates. When interest rates are high, the NAVs of such funds are likely to decrease and vice versa.

Types of Income Funds

Income Funds are categorized based on the asset classes they invest. Following are some of the common types of income funds - 

  1. Money market funds

    Money market funds invest only in short-duration instruments such as commercial papers, certificates of deposits, treasury bills, inter-bank call money, and other government securities. These funds are suitable for those investors who are looking to park surplus funds for the short term. These funds are extremely liquid and provide moderate income along with wealth preservation. Fluctuations in returns from money market funds are lesser than that from other funds.

  2. Equity income funds

    Funds that hold stocks of stable companies paying dividends on a regular basis are referred to as equity income funds. The portfolio usually consists of companies that are market leaders in their industry. Since regular dividends represent a constant source of income, equity income funds are suitable for investors who are nearing retirement and seeking predictable returns.

  3. Bond funds

    Funds that invest in government and corporate bonds are known as bond funds. Since government-backed bonds carry no default risk, these funds serve as safe investment options for investors during volatility. Government-backed bonds usually offer a lower yield compared to corporate bonds because there is always the risk that the corporate borrower may default on the outstanding repayments.

  4. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

    REITs provide a safe option for investors looking to earn a share of the income produced by real estates without the need to own those properties.

Additional Read - Types of Mutual Funds in India

How Do Income Funds Work?

The fund management professional, or a fund manager, is at the core of making investment decisions for generating returns. The endeavor of a fund manager while managing an income fund is to navigate the interest rate environment and actively manage the portfolio for offering stable returns. In a way, the approach is to stay invested in different types of debt instruments till maturity which results in higher interest income. When the overall portfolio price is higher than the purchase price, fund managers sell some units of the income fund in order to realize gains.

The fund manager also has to decide the allocation of the income fund portfolio considering the high-dividend paying stocks. When the interest rates are lower, the NAVs for income funds are usually higher and during those times, it does not make sense to accumulate more units. Instead, other strategies could be to sell units or to look for stocks that pay regular dividends. If those high-dividend paying stocks are available at a discount, then a better option would be to accumulate such stocks when interest rates are low. Also, while investing, a fund manager has to consider the creditworthiness of the corporate bonds that are represented by ratings allotted by ratings agencies such as CRISIL, S&P, and ICRA among others. In a way, the fund manager of an income fund continuously rebalances the portfolio in response to market conditions in order to maintain a continuous income stream.

Benefits of Investing in Income Funds

  1. Consistent income stream

    Income Funds generate stable returns over a period of time and they represent a great investment option for investors seeking predictable cash inflows at regular intervals. Income funds guarantee a stable income source for the entire duration of investment.

  2. Portfolio Diversification

    Having income funds offers you the opportunity to hedge your investments against potential market risks. Even for investors looking for long-term capital appreciation, some allocation towards income funds investing in debt instruments can offer more returns when the equity markets are in a downturn.

  3. Better alternative than fixed deposits

    Income Funds offer more return on your investments than a fixed deposit because it incurs more risk. A fixed deposit is a risk-free investment where the bank or other financial institution guarantees a fixed return after the maturity period. If an investor wants to park money for the time being, then income funds can be preferred to fixed deposits.

  4.  Easy liquidity

    Generally, income funds do not have a lock-in period and the investor is not tied to a particular income fund. The amount can be withdrawn at any point of time. In some cases, the premature withdrawal can come with a small fee known as exit load.

Risks Associated with Income Funds

Investing in income funds is not without its share of risks some of which are mentioned below - 

  1. Interest rate risk

    The prevailing interest rate movement poses a risk to investments in income funds. As the interest rates rise, the prices of debt instruments decrease, resulting in a lower NAV per unit for the income fund.

  2. Prepayment risk

    Prepayment risk arises mostly when the interest rates decline as a borrower would want to pay off his high-value debts as quickly as possible with money borrowed at a lower interest rate.

  3. Credit risk

    This refers to the creditworthiness of corporates issuing bonds. The credit rating of a corporate borrower determines the credit risk of investing in income funds that hold bonds of that corporate. If a corporate defaults on its debts, then the price of the debt instrument also reduces resulting in reduced returns for investors.

  4. Liquidity risk

    Liquidity risk arises during situations of tight liquidity when there is not much difference between the purchase price and offer price by the seller. Liquidity is also affected by trading volumes, bond transfer procedures, and settlement periods. 

Who Should Invest in Income Funds?

Income Funds are primarily meant to offer stable returns over time for an extended period. Therefore, these are most appropriate for investors who are looking to preserve wealth through regular incomes on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Investors who are risk-averse and have a low to moderate risk profile may find income funds to be an attractive investment option. Income Funds are also suited for investors who are new to investing and are not yet ready to invest in equity mutual funds or stocks. Thereby, income funds offer beginners a risk-free way of experiencing the investing world before they switch to more riskier asset classes.

Investors who want to go for income funds must have a minimum investment horizon of four years in order to realize investment returns. Income Funds may appeal to people who have retired from service and are now seeking regular income without incurring more risk. While income funds do carry some risk, typically they are less risky than equity funds or stocks. People who are not yet financially independent can also consider investing in income funds as a low-risk investment option.

Taxation of Income Funds in India

Income Funds are essentially a type of debt mutual funds and different taxation rules apply based on the period of investment. After the amendments to income tax act, any redemption of debt fund units will be deemed to attract STCG (short term capital gains tax) at the slab rate of the individual. Therefore, the distinction between STCG and LTCG (long term capital gains tax) has been done away with. This taxation structure has made income funds a less lucrative option for investors. However, an investor can set off the losses incurred in income funds against other investments and he can also carry forward the losses to the next financial year.

How to Choose the Right Income Fund

Choosing the right income fund boils down to the following factors - 

  1. Risk appetite

    Some income funds may invest only in corporate bonds that are more risky whereas others may invest only in government securities which carry almost zero risk. Based on one’s risk profile, an investor may choose an income fund where the underlying instrument is a corporate bond or a government-backed security. He can also go for a fund that invests in both.

  2. Investment horizon

    An investor who is looking at an investment horizon of four years may find a medium duration income fund a suitable option. Whereas a long duration income fund would be preferred by someone who wants to stay invested for four to seven years.

  3. Investment fees

    Investing in Income funds incur expense ratios that may vary across different funds based on whether the fund manager is actively or passively managing the fund. Some income funds may attract an exit load if the amount is withdrawn before maturity. 

  4. Market-related factors

    While choosing an income fund, it is always advisable to go for a sector that will grow in the near future rather than the one that has already matured or is declining. Also, if the volume of trading for a particular income fund is more, it provides confidence to an investor about liquidity.

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Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risk, read all related documents carefully before investing.

This content is for educational purposes only. Securities quoted are exemplary and not recommendatory.

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