A COMPARATIVE CHART

5

NAV (dividend)

Rs

15.843 (2)

9.831 (2)

15.816 (2)

16.7 (3)

19.49 (3)

74.6 (5)

11.422 (2)

42.746 (5)

23.17 (3)

21.936 (3)

16.737 (3)

Tax-free dividends

No entry load

10

Risk rating

Below average (7)

High (3)

High (3)

Below average (7)

Below average (7)

Average (5)

Low (10)

Below average (7)

Average (5)

Low (10)

Low (10)

15 Returns (since launch)

%

14.72 (5)

17.38 (8)

24.08 (12)

21.96 (12)

16.03 (8)

21.85 (12)

20.61 (12)

26.08 (15)

23.24 (12)

22.93 (12)

12.11 (5)

Expense ratio completely tax-free. If you compare the returns from NSC and tax-shield bank fixed deposits, these are completely taxable and paid interest is added to your income for tax computation. So, you end up paying tax on the interest received. Apart from the ELSS, only public provident funds offer tax-free returns, but these funds have a maturity period of 15 years.

ELSS schemes also give dividends at regular intervals and these dividends are tax-free.

Suppose you have invested Rs 15,000 in an ELSS. The entire sum of Rs 15,000 is invested in your ELSS mutual fund. So, it is you who have to decide how much to pay your financial advisor. Note that some insurance agents may try to sell unit-linked insurance plans (ULIPs) as an investment fund with an embedded insurance plan – be alert there since ULIP has an expensive entry load.

%

2.58 (3)

2.34 (5)

2.85 (3)

2.86 (3)

2.83 (3)

3.08 (1)

2.82 (3)

2.42 (5)

2.4 (5)

2.55 (3)

2.89 (3) Last declared

dividend

Rs/unit

1.90 (4)

2.00 (7)

0.35 (2)

0.50 (2)

2.10 (7)

4.50 (10)

2.85 (10)

3 (10)

2 (7)

2 (7)

1 (4) Consumer feedback Grand total

100

Equity funds can be volatile in the short run, but have been known to beat inflation and create wealth