10 Best Liquid Fund Scheme to Increase your Returns

Liquid fund is a type of debt fund that holds the least amount of risk, still, gets you the best returns possible. It invests your money in very short-term market instruments such as treasury bills, government securities, and call money. These funds can invest in instruments till maturity of 91 days. The maturity is frequently much lower than that. Let us know about liquid fund returns.

Characteristics of liquids funds:

Given below are the main characteristics of liquid funds:-

1. Out of all debt funds, liquid funds offer the most permanent returns.

2. They can easily be converted into cash within a day.

3. The best liquid funds for the investors, who have the extra money in their savings bank accounts or surpluses. But cannot put that in fixed deposits due to some personal reason or predict some emergency.

4. They invest in instruments with up to 91 days of maturity period.

5. Return on investment in liquid funds is around 6-8%. Which is more than fixed deposits.

6. Easy Liquidity: You can withdraw your money within one day.

7. Dividends available on these liquid funds are tax-free.

8.  Net Asset Value (NAV) of liquid funds does not change much against other mutual fund schemes.

9. The expense ratio for investment in liquid funds is lower than all other types of mutual funds.

10. Liquid funds are best for those investors who do not want to take out more risk, do not want to invest in the stock market and want permanent returns on the investment.

Taxation on Liquid Funds:-

 Liquid fund taxation is of two types depending on their time period. Below are the two types:

  • Short Term Capital Gain Tax: This applies to Liquid Funds held for 36 months or less, i.e. less than 3 years. In short term capital gain tax, tax on funds is calculated according to the income tax slab of the person, i.e. 5%, 20% or 30% on the amount of profit.
  • Long-term capital gain tax: This applies for 36 months or more, i.e. over 3 years of liquid funds. Taxes on funds in Long-Term Capital Gain Tax are calculated on the amount of profit depending on their indexation.
  • Indexation is a way of reducing the effect of inflation on your purchasing value. And you need to pay less tax.

For example,

ParticularsFixed DepositsDebt Funds
Invested Sum₹10 lakhs₹ 10lakhs
Return Rate (suppose)10%10%
Lock-in Period5 year5 year
At the end of tenure, Fund worth ₹15,00,000₹15,00,000
Inflation per year8%8%
Indexed Investment Sum –₹ 14,00,000
Taxed Amount₹5,00,000₹1,00,000
Tax to be paid₹1,50,000₹20,000
Possible returns after tax₹3,50,000₹4,80,000

Come see the 10 best liquid funds for 2018, which you can invest in. To choose from in 2018, the list of the 10 best liquid funds available in the market is given here.

Top 10 Liquid Fund Returns

Here are some of the best liquid funds, before investing which you should pay attention:

1. Reliance Liquid Fund

At present, Reliance Fund is one of the most popular liquid funds in the market and its objective is to provide consistent returns with a good risk and high liquidity. Reliance liquid fund is one of the best liquid funds in 2018.

Important information about this fund is given here:

Launch Date09/12/2003
NAV₹4,282.4676
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹21,747
RiskometerLow
Minimum SIP₹500
Minimum SWPNot Supported
 Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Liquid since its launch.
Age of the fund16 years old
Expense Ratio0.23%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended
Returns of the fund in the last few years:-
PeriodReturns
1 year6.90%
3 year7.42%
5 year8.14%
From the launch8.21%

2. HDFC Liquid Fund

The basic purpose of this plan from the house of HDFC MF is to increase the income by keeping more liquidity, for which the money market and debt instruments (debt instruments) are made into a portfolio with intelligence. HDFC liquid fund is also one of the best performing Liquid Funds of 2018.

Important information about this fund is given here:

Launch Date
‎17/10/2000
NAV (24 May 2018)₹3,457.8237
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹30,233
RiskometerVery High
Minimum SIP₹500
Minimum SWP₹500
 Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Liquid since its launch.
Age of the fund19 years old
Expense Ratio0.15%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the fund in the last few years:

PeriodReturns
1 year6.73%
3 years7.33%
5 years8.08%
From the launch8.15%

3. Axis Liquid Fund

Axis MF with this scheme tries to give better returns with lower risk and higher liquidity than the money market and portfolio of high-quality debt securities.

Important information about Axis liquid fund is given here:

Launch Date09/10/2009
NAV (24 May 2018)₹1,947.0198
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹24,161
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹1,000
 Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Liquid since its launch.
Age of the fund10 years old
Expense Ratio0.11%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the fund in the last few years:

PeriodReturns
1 year6.93%
3 years7.41%
5 years8.13%
From the launch8.19%

4. Indiabulls Liquid Fund

At present, Indiabulls Liquid Fund is one of the best liquid funds in the market and it aims to provide higher liquidity and lower risk returns than the portfolio of money market and high-quality debt securities (whose maturity is 91 days).

Be given Important information about this fund is given here:

Launch Date25 October 2011
NAV (24 May 2018)₹1,715.633
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹4,541
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹500
 Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Liquid since its launch.
Age of the fund8 8 years old
Expense Ratio0.07%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the fund in the last few years:

PeriodReturns
1 year6.93%
3 years7.55%
5 years8.21%
From the launch8.27%

5. Principal Cash Management Fund 

Here is the key information of Principal cash management fund:

Launch DateAug 31, 2004
NAV (24 May 2018)₹1,710.8879
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹1,271
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹500
Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Liquid since its launch.
Age of the fund15 years old
Expense Ratio0.15%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the liquid fund returns in the last few years:

PeriodReturns
1 year6.96%
3 years7.46%
5 years8.71%
From the launch8.22%

6. ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund – Direct-Growth

ICICI Prudential Liquid fund is also the best mutual fund of the liquid category, from ICICI AMC. Important information about ICICI prudential liquid fund is given here:

Launch Date
17/11/2005
NAV (24 May 2018)₹259.0551
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹27,290
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹1,000
Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Money Market Index since its launch.
Age of the fund14 years old
Expense Ratio0.15%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the fund in the last few years:

PeriodReturn
1 year6.85%
3 years7.38%
5 years8.12%
From the launch8.26%

7. L&T Liquid Fund – Direct-Growth

This fund, giving proper returns, keeps them safe, and also gives better liquidity to the investor. This helps in investing in high liquidity and well-diversified portfolios such as Money Market Instruments, Government Securities and Corporate Loans.

Important information about this fund is given here:

Launch Date
03/10/2006
NAV (24 May 2018)₹2,407.753
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket3 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹13,995
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹500
Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Money Market Index since its launch.
Age of the fund13-years old
Expense Ratio0.04%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the liquid mutual funds in the last few years:

PeriodReturns
1 year6.92%
3 years7.40%
5 years8.11%
From the launch8.17%

8. Essel Liquid Fund 

Essel Liquid Fund also gives reasonable returns to low risk as well as liquidity from the money market and loan securities portfolio.

Important information about this fund is given here:

Launch Date19/02/2010
NAV (24 May 2018)₹1,934.29
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹471
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹500
Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Liquid since its launch.
Age of the fund9 years old
Expense Ratio0.07%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the fund  in the last few years:

PeriodReturns
1 year6.97%
3 years7.53%
5 years8.26%
From the launch8.32%

9. HSBC Cash Fund

HSBC cash fund is one of the lowest expense ratios (expense ratio) of this category and some of the liquid funds that give returns.

Important information about this fund is given here:

Launch Date
01/06/2004
NAV (24 May 2018)₹1,748.759
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹3,364
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹500
Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Liquid since its launch.
Age of the fund15 years old
Expense Ratio0.08%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the liquid fund returns in the last few years:

PeriodReturns
 1-year6.90%
3-year7.36%
5-year8.11%
From the launch8.15%

10.Tata Money Market Fund

Tata money market fund also offers more liquidity and reasonable returns, while keeping the capital safe by investing in money market instruments issued by the highly-rated corporate sector.

Important information about this fund is given here:

Launch Date22/05/2003
NAV (24 May 2018)₹3,236.1152
Plan TypeDirect
Ratings by Wealthbucket2 Star
AUM (Fund Size)₹3,367
RiskometerVery Low
Minimum SIPNot Supported
Minimum SWP₹500
Benchmark PerformanceHas consistently outperformed its benchmark CRISIL Money Market Index since its launch.
Age of the fund16 years old
Expense Ratio0.1%
Exit LoadNIL
TypeOpen-Ended

Returns of the fund in the last few years

PeriodReturns
1 year6.86%
3 years7.35%
5 years8.08%
From the launch8.22%

How Liquid Fund Give you Better Returns than Saving Bank Accounts

Investing in Liquid Funds is a better option than investing in popular Savings Bank Account Schemes.

  • Due to the good image of Savings Bank Accounts and being associated with the Institution, Indians paying tax rely more on these. However, it seems that they are no longer the most popular short-term investment plan. This is because mutual funds are increasing popularity among investors for different investment purposes.
  • Your hard-earned money in Savings Bank Account gives you only 4% interest every year. However, in the past year, the best liquid funds have given an average 6-7% interest every year. Therefore, only if the returns are taken as criteria, liquid funds tend to score better than the savings bank account. If you are going to get any bonus, then invest in liquid funds and party later.

But remember, you should finally take decisions on the basis of risk, time horizon, and investment objective. Since the market has been good for the past few years and there is also the possibility of economic growth in the coming years with the announcement of the Union Budget 2018, it is more intelligent to choose liquid funds from Savings Bank Accounts.

The data provided in this article is dated 31st Dec 2018. Please visit the Wealthbucket site for the latest data.

If you want to know the Best Performing Mutual Funds India. And want to make the best profits on your money, visit our website Wealthbucket. Let us guide you to reap the benefits Debt Mutual fundLarge Cap Mutual fund or Multi-Cap Mutual fund, to achieve your objectives.

Ring us at +91 9999379929. or shoot on our email at contact@wealthbucket.in.

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About the Author:

This article has been posted by Pulkit Jain - the founder of WealthBucket - To raise awareness about Mutual Funds Investments. WealthBucket has made investing in Mutual Funds an easy, quick and welcome process, in India. An interactive online platform providing Trustworthy and sincere services to all its clients.