• Mutual Funds
  • Fund of Funds

Best Fund of Funds to Invest in India

Invest in the Fund of funds recommended by Scripbox that are scientifically and algorithmically selected that best suit your needs.

Learn how Scripbox Recommends funds

Fund of Funds to Invest in 2024

Fund Name
Kotak Nasdaq 100 FOF (G)
Kotak Nasdaq 100 FOF (G)
NANA
Kotak Gold Fund (G)
Kotak Gold Fund (G)
NANA
Mirae Asset ELSS Tax Saver Fund (G)
Mirae Asset ELSS Tax Saver Fund (G)
NANA
HDFC Gold Fund (G)
HDFC Gold Fund (G)
NANA
HDFC Large and Mid Cap Fund (G)
HDFC Large and Mid Cap Fund (G)
NANA
Kotak Nifty SDL Apr 2027 Top 12 Equal Weight Index Fund (G)
Kotak Nifty SDL Apr 2027 Top 12 Equal Weight Index Fund (G)
NANA
HDFC Floating Rate Debt Fund (G)
HDFC Floating Rate Debt Fund (G)
NANA
ICICI Prudential Bluechip Fund (G)
ICICI Prudential Bluechip Fund (G)
NANA
HDFC Overnight Fund (G)
HDFC Overnight Fund (G)
NANA
BHARAT Bond ETF FOF - April 2032 (G)
BHARAT Bond ETF FOF - April 2032 (G)
NANA
Aditya Birla Sun Life Savings Fund (G)
Aditya Birla Sun Life Savings Fund (G)
NANA
DSP ELSS Tax Saver Fund (G)
DSP ELSS Tax Saver Fund (G)
NANA
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty SDL Plus PSU Bond Sep 2026 60:40 Index Fund (G)
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty SDL Plus PSU Bond Sep 2026 60:40 Index Fund (G)
NANA
Bandhan CRISIL IBX Gilt April 2028 Index Fund (G)
Bandhan CRISIL IBX Gilt April 2028 Index Fund (G)
NANA
BHARAT Bond FOF - April 2031 (G)
BHARAT Bond FOF - April 2031 (G)
NANA
ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund (G)
ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund (G)
NANA
Nippon India Arbitrage Fund (G)
Nippon India Arbitrage Fund (G)
NANA
Aditya Birla Sun Life Money Manager Fund (G)
Aditya Birla Sun Life Money Manager Fund (G)
NANA
Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund (G)
Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund (G)
NANA
ICICI Prudential US Bluechip Equity Fund (G)
ICICI Prudential US Bluechip Equity Fund (G)
NANA

Note : *NA implies that Fund is relatively new. Not enough data available

build-long-item-wealth-img
Long Term Portfolio

Invest in these funds with automated best practices like quarterly scans, updates & tax-optimised withdrawals

  • Inflation beating returns
  • Grow wealth, retirement, kids education
  • One click investing & tracking
Start Investing Now

What is Fund of Funds (FoF)?

Funds of Funds are a type of mutual fund investing in other mutual fund schemes. It is also known as a multi-manager investment. Instead of directly investing in stocks or bonds or other securities, a fund manager makes a portfolio of mutual funds. The underlying fund for FOFs is either from the same fund house or other fund houses. 

Funds of funds aim to achieve sound diversification and appropriate asset allocation by investing in a variety of funds across different categories. This category of funds attracts small investors with low-risk appetite and also with access to a range of different asset classes. Thus these funds aim to ensure lower volatility of funds and aggressive returns for its investors. 

FOFs are actively managed, and they undergo frequent reallocation of underlying funds to stay up to date with market fluctuations. They offer tax-friendly rebalancing of the portfolio. The FOFs offered in India belong to the same fund house. In the instances where investment is made in unaffiliated mutual funds (FOF investing in a different fund house), it attracts a higher cost versus the investment made from a related specialist. It is primarily because of the additional cost for investment management research.

Top 5 Fund of Funds to Invest in 2024

Fund NameReturns Since InceptionExpense Ratio
Motilal Oswal Nasdaq 100 Fund of Fund18.70%0.50%
Mirae Asset Equity Allocator Fund of Fund26.60%0.39%
Edelweiss US Technology Equity Fund of Fund10.3%2.37%
Axis Global Equity Alpha Fund of Fund9.60%1.66%
ICICI Pru US Bluechip Equity Fund15.30%2.18%

Funds of Funds (FOF) in India

With a wide range of Funds of Funds available in the market, the following FOFs are the ones that are in demand:

  • Asset Allocation Funds: These funds invest in a variety of asset classes, ranging from equity to debt to others such as commodities, gold, and other metals.
  • International Funds of Funds: These FOFs invest in mutual funds that have exposure to shares and bonds of global companies. 
  • Gold Funds: These FOFs invest in physical gold or in stocks of companies that are into gold mining.
  • Multi-Manager Funds of Funds: These have multiple funds that are professionally managed in one single portfolio. 

Funds of Funds Taxation in India

Though FOFs invest in equity mutual funds, their taxation is similar to that of a debt fund. Only upon redeeming their investment from the FOF the investor is taxed. The investor is not obligated to pay tax when the fund is actively managed by the fund manager, where he is frequently buying and selling the units of an underlying mutual fund. 

FOFs also attract Dividend Distribution Tax when invested in equity securities of domestic companies. There is a dual levy of DDT for these FOFs. The dual DDT is when the companies distribute dividends to its shareholders and again when the FOF distributes it to its unit holders.

Fund TypeHolding Period for Long TermShort TermLong Term
Equity Fund1 year15%10% – If gains exceed Rs. 1 lakh in a year
Aggressive Hybrid Equity Fund1 year15%10%
Other Hybrid Funds*If more than 65% of assets in equity, same as equity funds. Otherwise the same as debt funds.If more than 65% of assets in equity, same as equity funds. Otherwise the same as debt funds.If more than 65% of assets in equity, same as equity funds. Otherwise the same as debt funds.
Debt Fund*3 yearsIT Slab rate20% with indexation
International Funds*3 yearsIT Slab rate20% with indexation

*Note: As per the Finance Bill 2023, Debt mutual funds and International FoFs will no longer have the benefit of LTCG. Thus, from April 1st 2023, capital gains arising from debt mutual funds will be taxed as per the investor’s IT slab rate.

FOF Fees and Charges

FOFs have a higher expense ratio. FOFs charge management fees on the service rendered for asset allocation. Compared to a regular fund, this fee is nominally high. The annual report of the fund clearly states all the applicable charges incurred during the operation of the fund. While investing, it’s quite essential to take into consideration the total expense, as it has a direct impact on the returns on investment. 

Advantages

  • Convenience: Since FOFs invest in other mutual funds, tracking their NAV is easy since it’s just one folio. Managing and reviewing them is a lot easier compared to multiple individual funds. 
  • Rebalancing: When a FOF is rebalanced to stay up with the market fluctuations or maintain the debt-equity ratio, this transaction won’t attract any capital gains tax. Therefore, rebalancing the assets in the fund internally is tax-free. 
  • Small Investors: FOFs are best suited for investors having low capital available for investing. These funds allow them to invest in multiple funds at a time, which otherwise would have been an expensive affair to invest individually. 
  • Fund Manager and Management Services: FOFs require a manager with excellent experience and track record; this assures that a credible person maintains the funds. FOFs offer professional management services, where it provides investors with a fund that is backed by research. 

Disadvantages

  • High Expense Ratio: Similar to other funds schemes, FOFs too incur expenses. However, these expenses are higher compared to a mutual fund. In addition to the administrative and management fee, there are expenses related to the underlying funds. Though the expense ratio for FOF is 1%, the investor is obligated to pay this amount on every fund that the FOF owns. 
  • Diversification: As FOFs invest in multiple funds, there is a high probability that these underlying funds are investing in similar stocks and securities. Hence this might reduce the diversification opportunity. Unless there is a balance in the holdings, diversification wouldn’t add value to the investment. Therefore, frequent vigilance is required to hold the balance. Otherwise, the FOF will have too much exposure to the same assets. 
  • Tax Implications: In the Debt and International funds category, the STCG tax would be applied according to the investor’s income tax slab if it were redeemed before three years. For units sold after three years, LTCG tax of 20% with indexation is applicable. However, from April 1st 2023, there is no LTCG benefit. Thus, the capital gains from debt mutual funds will be taxed as per the investor’s IT slab rate.
    While for Equity funds, STCG tax at 15% for less than one year and LTCG at 10% for gains above INR 1,00,000. 

Funds of Funds investing in ETFs

FOFs allows its investors to invest in ETFs. An ETF is a portfolio that matches the composition of an Index in the same proportion. ETFs are traded on the stock exchange, unlike other mutual funds. Therefore, investors are required to have a Demat account to invest in ETFs. Ergo, to address this issue, fund houses have introduced FOFs with ETFs. This has opened the opportunity for all investors to invest in ETFs. 

You may also like to read about ETF vs FOF

Things to consider before investing in FOF

Majorly FOFs provide a good diversification for an investor with a single fund. However, it is always advised to weigh the pros and cons before investing. Firstly, evaluate the fund manager’s efficiency, pick a fund with the most experienced manager. Secondly, ensure that your investment objective is in line with that of the fund. Thirdly, based on your risk appetite, investment horizon, and tax implications, choose the fund that best matches your profile. And lastly, consider the high expense ratio of these funds.