How To Tweak Your Debt Fund Strategy In Case You Have A Fixed Income

Strategic investment is key to growing your wealth over time. But with a fixed monthly cash flow, it can become difficult to create an investment strategy to meet your short and long-term goals with minimal risk. Moreover, understanding how to invest in debt funds or equity funds with a fixed income comes with risks like fluctuations in interest rates, rising inflation, liquidity, etc. 

This is where top performing debt mutual funds come into the picture. If you're wondering how to invest in debt funds for maximum returns, it's not very complicated. By making minor tweaks in your investment strategy, you can make the most out of debt funds with high returns. But what are debt funds? Let's find out.

What is debt fund?

Debt funds primarily invest in fixed income instruments like government bonds, corporate debt securities, money market instruments, etc. They have a fixed interest rate and maturity date and are less volatile than equity funds.

What are debt fund strategies if you have a fixed income?

Now that you know what is a debt fund, here are a few strategies you can use to make the most out of it-

1. Invest in ultra-short-term and money market funds

The hikes in interest rates by RBI can make your debt investments more volatile. Therefore, if you have a fixed income, you must invest in top performing debt mutual funds for a short term. But what are debt funds with ultra-short-terms and how to invest in them? Here's a guide you can follow-

1. Ultra-short-term bond funds- Invest for up to 1 month

2. Money market funds- Invest for 1-3 months

3. Floating rate funds- 4-6 months

4. Banking and PSU or Corporate bond funds- Invest for over 1 year

If you're looking to invest for a medium term, you can invest in credit funds. If you want to invest for a longer term, you can consider investing in five-year constant maturity funds, gilt funds, and income funds to benefit from their high accrual and indexation. 

2. Invest in liquid funds

When talking about what is debt fund or how to invest in debt funds, you must know there are several categories under this instrument. There are debt funds with high returns, moderate returns, and low returns. You must consider what are debt funds categories before making an investment as well as what is the debt fund liquidity. One option to consider when you have a fixed income is liquid funds. 

Following the sharp hike in bond yields, liquid debt funds are witnessing improved return potential. If you have a low risk appetite and want to invest for a short period, then liquid funds are the best fixed income investments. These are low-risk debt investments that generate steady returns and come with no lock-in period.

With liquid funds, you not only get quick redemption but multiple options for investment, growth, and dividends. Moreover, when you have a fixed income source, your liquid fund investment can double down as your emergency fund. This way, you can easily create an emergency fund while growing your wealth with minimal risk. 

3. Invest in dynamic bond funds

Another investment option to consider when talking about what are debt funds categories is dynamic bond funds. If you're looking to hold your investment for over two to three years, these are what you can go for. As the name suggests, these bonds have a dynamic maturity and composition. These are the best fixed income investments in the debt funds with high returns category as they generate optimum returns in the bull as well as bear market cycles.

For example, the fund manager will anticipate what is the debt fund market trend. If they expect the interest rates to drop in the short term, they will switch to long-term bonds and vice versa. This guards your investment against fluctuations in interest rates making it one of the best fixed income investments. Dynamic funds also invest in corporate bonds or gilt funds depending on the expected changes in interest rates.

Remember, these funds have a moderate risk. So, make sure to understand what is the debt fund’s past performance before understanding how to invest in debt funds. 

To Wrap Up

Investing in debt funds is an excellent option for investors who have a fixed monthly income and are looking to grow their wealth without taking huge risks. But with the recent volatility in the market, it's best to tweak your existing debt fund strategies and diversify your portfolio. Invest for a short duration and focus on liquid funds. If you want to invest for a longer period, consider investing in dynamic bonds.

But before making any investment, make sure you understand the interest rate risk and credit risk associated with the fund to avoid any confusion later.