scorecardresearchWhat are direct mutual funds? Are they better than their regular counterparts?

What are direct mutual funds? Are they better than their regular counterparts?

Updated: 27 Jun 2022, 11:08 AM IST
TL;DR.

A direct mutual fund is one that is offered by the AMC or fund firm directly to investors. Investors with the means and knowledge to independently research mutual funds are best suited for direct funds. Let's have a detailed understanding of direct mutual funds.

The kind of mutual fund that is directly sold by the AMC or fund company is known as a direct mutual fund.

The kind of mutual fund that is directly sold by the AMC or fund company is known as a direct mutual fund.

It's never simple to start your own mutual fund investment. Understanding all of the many mutual fund schemes and then matching them to your financial objectives takes a lot of work. Direct schemes are not classified as an equity, debt, or hybrid form of mutual fund. You will always have two investment options: Direct or Regular, regardless of the sort of mutual fund plan you choose. While you may already be familiar with normal funds, let's first define direct mutual funds.

What are direct mutual funds?

The kind of mutual fund that is directly sold by the AMC or fund company is known as a direct mutual fund. In other words, no other agents—such as brokers or distributors—are involved. There are no commissions or brokerage fees because there are no outside agents engaged.

For Instance, you wish to purchase veggies. You make the decision to go shopping for them at the neighbourhood grocery. The store acts as a go-between in this situation between you and the farmer. You would be saving the commission that you would have to pay the store if you could purchase those vegetables straight from the farmer by cutting out the intermediary. This is how a direct mutual fund works by eliminating the middlemen and its commission.

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How are direct funds better than regular mutual funds?

The expense ratio of direct funds would be considerably lower than that of the normal funds because there is no intermediary between you and the AMC. In conventional MFs, the AMCs pay commission to the agents and recoup that cost through the expense ratio.

As expense ratio is lower in direct funds, the returns gained are higher than conventional funds. Although it may seem insignificant, the returns difference between the regular and direct funds might be substantial if you stayed invested for a long time.

A mutual fund's Net Asset Value (NAV) is determined by dividing the portfolio's total asset value by the number of outstanding units. The NAV of direct funds would be comparatively greater than that of the normal funds because there are no brokerage fees.

You reduce the chance of being duped by a third party because you interact directly with the fund house. For their own benefit, an agent or distributor could pressure you to invest in specific mutual fund plans. Choosing to invest in direct funds will thereby prevent the potential conflict of interest situation.

Are there any drawbacks of investing in direct mutual funds?

Mutual fund investing is more difficult than it appears. An investor must evaluate his profile in light of risk and financial requirements. then locate the mutual fund that meets these requirements. Finally, make an investment in a mutual fund. This entire procedure takes time. The current mutual funds will be familiar to an intermediary. based on the investor profiles, and will assist in finding the ideal fit. The direct plan, however, does not have this.

Markets are lively and constantly evolving. It would be challenging for an investor to frequently monitor the market. In regular funds, intermediaries watch the market and routinely check on the portfolios of their clients. They offer restructuring advice as well, if necessary. Investors who choose a direct plan must set aside time to routinely check on their investments.

For the convenience of investors, intermediaries offer a few extra services. For instance, maintaining a record of investors' investments, offering tax documentation for tax filing, facilitating redemptions, etc. Direct plans don't offer any of these services.

Should you invest in direct mutual funds?

Direct plans are a good option for investors who prefer to work directly with fund firms rather than middlemen. Direct funds are most suitable for investors who have the resources and expertise to investigate mutual funds independently. The investor should handle every step of the application, tracking, documentation, portfolio review, compliance concerns, etc. Therefore, investors who are knowledgeable about mutual funds and who wish to boost returns by lowering the fee ratio may want to think about investing in direct funds.

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Difference between regular and direct paln of mutual funds
First Published: 27 Jun 2022, 11:08 AM IST