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When it comes to investing in mutual funds, investors have a wide variety of categories to choose from viz. large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and many more. While most of the categories have hard limits in terms of exposure to market cap segments (for example, large cap funds have to invest minimum 80% of its assets in large cap companies), one category that stands out in terms of flexibility is Flexi-Cap Funds.

Flexi-cap funds are equity-oriented funds that invest across various market capitalization segments — large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap stocks. These funds allow fund managers to dynamically invest across different market cap segments and investment styles (growth, value, etc) based on their relative attractiveness, thus offering an unconstrained and diversified portfolio.This adaptability could also allow investors to benefit from the stability of large-cap stocks and highergrowth potential ofmid and small-cap stocks.

If I was to draw an analogy, Flexi-cap funds are like skilled navigators on a sailing voyage. Just as a navigator adjusts the sails and course based on changing wind and sea conditions, flexi-cap funds shift their investments across market cap segments to adapt to market fluctuations. This ability to adjust and balance their portfolio helps flexi-cap funds manage risks and navigate the unpredictable waters of the equity markets.

Another advantage of Flexi Cap Funds is its tax efficiency, when it comes to reallocation of investments between different market cap segments.For instance, if an investor is invested in a small-cap fund and wants to move their investment to a large-cap fund due to changing market conditions, there will be a tax incidence during the transition.

In contrast, when an investor is invested in a flexi-cap fund, the fund manager has the flexibility to move between small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap stocks without triggering a taxable event for the investor. This is because the investor is not selling their units and repurchasing them; the fund is merely rebalancing its portfolio internally. As a result, the investor does not face any immediate tax liabilities on the transitions between market cap segments. This makes flexi-cap funds an efficient way to manage investments without worrying about the tax impact of reallocating across different market segments.

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