PCJ HOLDINGS
Udaan Aapki, Sahara Hamara
Book a ConsultationOpen Demat Account
Home/Learn/Mutual Funds & SIP
Knowledge Center

Mutual Funds & SIP

Fund types, NAV, costs, and how disciplined SIPs quietly build wealth.

How a mutual fund works

A mutual fund pools money from thousands of investors and a professional fund manager invests it as per the scheme’s mandate — large-cap shares, government bonds, gold and more. You own units; their price is the NAV (net asset value), declared daily. Funds are regulated by SEBI and run by Asset Management Companies (AMCs).

PCJ Holdings is an AMFI-registered distributor (ARN-63632): we help you select, execute and service investments in regular plans across AMCs — the fund itself is always managed by the AMC. Read our distributor disclosure.

The main categories

TypeWhat it holdsBest suited for
Equity fundsShares (large/mid/small-cap, flexi-cap)Long horizons (5 yrs+), growth
Debt fundsBonds, treasury billsStability, shorter horizons
Hybrid fundsMix of equity & debtMiddle-of-the-road investors
Index funds / ETFsA whole index like Nifty 50Low-cost, no manager risk
ELSSEquity with 3-yr lock-inTax saving under 80C

SIP — the habit that compounds

A Systematic Investment Plan invests a fixed amount every month automatically. It removes timing decisions, averages your cost through ups and downs (rupee-cost averaging), and lets compounding work: ₹10,000/month for 20 years at 12% p.a. grows to roughly ₹1 crore against ₹24 lakh invested.

Monthly SIP₹10,000
Horizon20 years @ 12% p.a.
Total invested₹24 lakh
Grows to roughly₹1 crore

Start with an amount you can sustain, step it up with your income (see the Step-Up SIP calculator), and resist stopping SIPs in market falls — those months buy you the most units.

Example: Model your own numbers in the SIP and Goal Planner calculators before you begin.

Costs, plans and taxes

Every fund charges a Total Expense Ratio (TER) deducted daily from NAV. Regular plans include distributor commission; direct plans don’t — read our note on Direct vs Regular to choose consciously. Some funds levy an exit load for early redemption.

Equity fund gains held over 12 months are LTCG (12.5% beyond the annual ₹1.25 lakh exemption); shorter holdings are STCG at 20%. Debt fund gains are taxed at your slab. Estimate with the Capital Gains Tax calculator.

Key terms

NAV

Per-unit value of a fund, declared daily. A low NAV is not “cheap” — growth % is what matters.

TER

Total Expense Ratio — the annual cost of running the fund, silently deducted from NAV.

Exit load

A small charge (often 1%) if you redeem before a set period.

XIRR

The annualised return of your actual cash flows — the right way to measure SIP performance.

Folio

Your account number with an AMC that holds your units.

Test yourself

1. NAV of ₹10 vs ₹500 means…

NAV level is irrelevant; % growth of the portfolio is what compounds.

2. Rupee-cost averaging means…

A fixed amount buys more units at lower NAVs and fewer at highs.

3. Equity fund LTCG (held > 12 months) is taxed at…

Post July-2024 rules: 12.5% beyond the ₹1.25 lakh annual exemption.

4. ELSS funds have a lock-in of…

ELSS carries a 3-year lock-in and 80C benefit.

FAQs

Yes — SIPs are flexible: pause, modify, or stop anytime from the PCJ Invest app.

No. Mutual funds are market-linked. Read all scheme documents carefully; past performance doesn’t guarantee future returns.

Direct is cheaper; regular includes service and our distributor support. We disclose our commission — the choice is always yours.

A SIP, or Systematic Investment Plan, invests a fixed amount into a mutual fund every month automatically. Because you invest the same amount at different prices, you naturally buy more units when markets are cheap and fewer when they are expensive — this is called rupee-cost averaging. Over the years, SIPs turn small monthly savings into meaningful wealth through compounding.

Yes. SIPs are completely flexible — you can pause, stop, increase or decrease them without penalty. An SIP is not a lock-in (except tax-saving ELSS funds, which have a three-year lock-in per instalment). That said, SIPs work best when you let them run through market ups and downs.

Mutual funds are regulated by SEBI and your units are held in your name with the fund's registrar. 'Safe' depends on the type of fund: liquid and debt funds are steadier, while equity funds move with the market and are meant for long horizons. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks — always read the scheme documents, and match the fund to your goal and time frame.

NAV is the per-unit price of a mutual fund, declared daily. A ₹10 NAV fund is not cheaper or better than a ₹100 NAV fund — your returns depend only on how much the fund's portfolio grows after you invest, not on the NAV number itself. Choose funds by strategy, quality and track record, not NAV.

PCJ Holdings is an AMFI-registered mutual fund distributor (ARN-63632). We help you choose schemes, set up SIPs and track everything in the PCJ Wealth app, with a Relationship Manager to guide you. The funds themselves are managed by SEBI-regulated asset management companies, and your units are always in your name.

A fund's advertised return assumes one lump-sum investment, but your SIP invests every month, so each instalment has a different journey. XIRR is the correct measure for SIPs — it accounts for the timing of every payment. The PCJ Wealth app shows your XIRR so you always see your true personal return.

Opening an account with PCJ is 100% online and paperless. Keep your PAN card, Aadhaar (linked to your mobile number) and a cancelled cheque or bank statement ready. Fill the eKYC form at ekyc.pcjholdings.in, upload the documents, complete a quick selfie verification and e-sign with your Aadhaar OTP. The whole process takes about 15 minutes, and your account is usually activated within 24 to 48 working hours. A dedicated Relationship Manager is assigned to help you from day one.

You need just three things: your PAN card, your Aadhaar card linked to your mobile number (for OTP-based e-sign), and a bank proof such as a cancelled cheque or a recent bank statement. If you want to trade in futures and options, commodities or currency, you may also need an income proof such as a salary slip, bank statement of the last six months, or your latest ITR acknowledgement — this is a SEBI requirement for derivative segments.

The online form itself takes about 15 minutes. After you e-sign, our team verifies your documents and your account is typically activated within 24 to 48 working hours. You will receive your client code and login details by email and SMS as soon as the account is live.

Please see our Pricing page for the current account opening and annual maintenance charges — we keep the schedule transparent and updated there. Your Relationship Manager will also explain every charge before you begin, so there are no surprises later.

Yes, Non-Resident Indians can invest in Indian markets through the proper NRI route, which needs an NRE or NRO bank account and a few extra documents such as your passport and overseas address proof. The process has more steps than a resident account, so the easiest way is to request a call back — our team will guide you end to end.

Yes. You can open a new account with PCJ and transfer your existing holdings from your old broker. Shares move from demat to demat without selling, so there is no tax event on the transfer itself. Our team helps you with the closure-cum-transfer form of your old depository participant so the shift is smooth.

Educational content for general awareness only — not investment, trading or tax advice. Investments in securities market are subject to market risks; read all related documents carefully. Figures/rates are indicative for FY 2025-26 and may change.