As an investor, one of the biggest challenges you may face is striking the right balance between two seemingly conflicting objectives – earning higher returns while ensuring capital protection. On one end of the spectrum are high-risk, high-return equity investments. On the other are safe but low-yielding savings instruments.
Optimising the risk-return tradeoff makes fixed deposits (FDs) an invaluable component of a well-designed investment portfolio. With their unique blend of assured returns, liquidity and safety of principal, FDs occupy the middle ground that satisfies multiple investment needs.
Here’s a closer look at why fixed deposit plans in India merit a meaningful allocation as part of your broader financial plan:
Security
In an era of stock market crashes, banking failures and economic uncertainties becoming increasingly frequent, the security of assured returns is immensely reassuring for risk-averse investors. This is precisely what fixed deposits offer – guaranteed growth of your capital regardless of external market forces or volatilities.
The interest rates may fluctuate based on market cycles, but your invested principal and accumulated interest are contractually secure under fixed deposit plans offered by regulated banks and NBFCs. This principal protection is further bolstered by deposit insurance covers that safeguard your capital up to prescribed limits.
For retirees seeking to protect their life savings or first-time investors testing the waters, the safety net offered by bank FDs is tough to beat. It serves as a stable foundation on which you can build a diversified portfolio by gradually mixing in riskier assets as per your risk appetite.
Liquidity for Emergencies
Another compelling advantage of fixed deposits compared to other debt and alternative investments is their innate liquidity. While equity investors have to sell at prevailing market rates, FD investors always have the option to prematurely withdraw their deposit by paying a small penalty.
This liquidity option proves invaluable for investors when faced with cash crunches during emergencies like medical bills, job loss, relocations or temporary loss of income. Rather than being forced to sell other illiquid assets at distressed valuations, the ability to break an FD and access funds whenever required adds great financial flexibility.
For building an emergency corpus, keeping funds in highly liquid FDs is a much smarter choice over completely locking them away in long-term instruments like real estate, retirement plans or public provident funds.
Powerful Compounding Multiplier
While the interest rates on fixed deposits may seem modest compared to equity returns, the power of compounding can transform FD investments into sizeable wealth over longer periods. For example, a modest monthly SIP of ₹10,000 invested in a recurring deposit at 7.5% for 20 years would accumulate to over ₹59 Lakhs on maturity. The compounding effect accelerates your gains over time, without any additional investment from your end.
More importantly, FDs provide guaranteed compounding devoid of any risks or volatilities, unlike market-linked instruments. This consistency and reliability of compounding makes FDs a preferred tool for conservative long-term wealth creation.
Retirement Income
For those seeking a steady passive income stream to fund their retirement expenses, fixed deposits fit the bill perfectly. You can strategically ladder your FD investments across shorter and longer tenors to ensure a regular income flow from maturity proceeds.
For instance, a laddered portfolio of FDs across 1, 2, 3 years and so on would mature annually to release income while the rest keeps earning compound interest. Many senior citizens also invest in longer-tenor FDs to earn periodic interest payouts, supplementing other fixed-income sources.
With NBFCs like Mahindra Finance offering FD rates up to 8.35% currently, an FD portfolio can generate a decent income yield post-retirement without any extra effort involved. This supplements other income sources like pension and helps sustain one’s lifestyle expenses during their better years.
Tax Planning Advantages
While interest income from fixed deposits is fully taxable, FDs offer certain tax planning advantages that boost their effective post-tax returns. Many banks and NBFCs offer special tax-saving fixed deposit schemes where you can claim deductions of up to ₹1.5 Lakhs under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
There are also additional tax benefits available for senior citizen investors like higher basic exemption limits and deductions up to ₹50,000 on FD interest income. Further, you can split FDs across multiple family members to bring the interest income below tax exemption thresholds for each.
Finally, for investors in the highest tax brackets, debt mutual funds and bond ETFs provide tax-efficient FD alternatives. Many such funds dynamically invest in a portfolio of top-rated fixed deposits to generate indexation benefits that reduce the effective tax outgo.
Wide Range of Issuers & Rates
Fixed deposit investors today enjoy a wide array of investment options across issuers like banks, NBFCs, housing finance firms, corporate houses and even post offices. This variety allows you to select higher FD interest rates based on your risk appetite and liquidity preferences.
Those with a lower risk profile can stick to large banks/PSUs while others can allocate a smaller portion to higher-yielding options like company FDs.
By actively monitoring and comparing FD rates using online calculators and laddering tenors, investors can optimise their debt portfolio returns across risk levels.
When it comes to financial planning, finding the right mix of security, returns and liquidity is paramount. Fixed deposits fulfil this role by occupying the sweet middle ground that caters to multiple investment needs across different life stages.
Whether it’s building an emergency fund, growing long-term wealth, securing a stable passive income or simply parking temporary cash surpluses, FDs remain a useful tool in a judicious investor’s arsenal. By seamlessly blending the safety of capital protection with interest incomes that outpace traditional savings options, fixed deposit plans serve as the reliable fallback that lets you take calibrated risks elsewhere in your investment portfolio.
