What is Portfolio Rebalancing, how to do it & when to do it

The number one thing that most investors get wrong about investing in mutual funds is that they want to build but not maintain. An initial portfolio make-up that perfectly aligns with your investment goals will not stay that way forever. Portfolio adjustments or rebalancing, much like regular oiling of a car, must be made to ensure steady returns throughout the tenure. Let's get to know all about it.

What does Portfolio Rebalancing mean?

Investing in the mutual funds market is never a 'fit and forget it' deal. Even for 'buy and hold' investors, periodic maintenance of the portfolio is mandatory to ensure positive returns. This is where rebalancing a portfolio comes in – it is the act of returning one's current investment allocations back to their original allocation value. This process ensures a mix of investment assets that are best-suited to your risk tolerance and investment objectives.

Portfolios naturally tend to get out of balance over time as prices of individual investments tend to fluctuate, and rebalancing sets them on the right track. When it comes to rebalancing, you have two options – Selling one investment and buying another or allocating additional funds to stocks or bonds.

Additional Read: All You Need to Know How To Review Your Investment Portfolio?

Why is portfolio rebalancing important?

To understand the importance of rebalancing a portfolio, it is necessary to revisit balancing. Balancing a portfolio means investing in fund types in a manner that perfectly aligns with the investor’s risk appetite and investment goals. To you, the asset allocation could look like 80% stocks and 20% bonds.

Now, over time, certain funds will perform better than the other, thereby disturbing this balance. Say the stocks market performed better than the bonds market, making your asset allocation 90% stocks and 10% bonds. You are now out of balance as this new aggressive allocation exposes you to greater risk than you can tolerate. Similarly, having the other way around (bonds market performing better than the stocks market) may now lower your risk level, exposing you to the possibility of losing out on gains in the stock market.

Either of the unfavourable scenarios can be avoided simply by rebalancing your investment portfolio on time.

Additional Read: Why it is Required to Diversify Your MF Portfolio

Advantages and disadvantages of portfolio rebalancing

Portfolio rebalancing involves adjusting your investments to maintain your desired asset allocation. Here are its-

Advantages

- Maintains portfolio performance by monitoring and realigning assets.

- Helps achieve desired returns while managing risks effectively.

- Supports long-term financial goals by adjusting to market conditions.

Disadvantages

- Rebalancing frequently increases transaction costs.

- It requires expertise to avoid unintended risks.

- Mistakes in rebalancing can expose the portfolio to unnecessary risks.

When to rebalance your portfolio

Often, investors are confused as to when is the right time to rebalance their portfolio. Simply put, there are two main ways in which portfolio rebalancing can be approached – one is rebalancing at fixed, regular intervals (typically, annually), or investors may also choose to rebalance their portfolio when it's clearly out of balance. The rule of thumb is to rebalance the portfolio periodically; however, there’s no right or wrong way of doing so.

In most cases, rebalancing the portfolio once or twice a year is sufficient to prevent the portfolio’s value from becoming extremely volatile.

Conclusion

Rebalancing might seem counterintuitive at first, as it involves selling well-performing assets and buying underperforming ones. However, during market shifts, rebalancing can help restore balance, control risk, and boost long-term performance. It ensures your portfolio remains inline with your investment goals despite market changes.

Think of it as a disciplined strategy, much like investing via SIPs. Rebalancing primarily serves as a risk management tool, reducing volatility and improving risk-adjusted returns over time. By making periodic adjustments, you can maintain the desired asset allocation and improve your portfolio’s overall stability and growth potential.

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FAQs on Portfolio Rebalancing:

What is the 5/25 rule of rebalancing?

The 5/25 rule says you should rebalance your portfolio when an asset class changes by 5% if it makes up 20% or more of your portfolio. For smaller allocations, the change should be 25%. For example, if you aim to have 10% in small-cap stocks, rebalance if it moves below 7.5% or above 12.5%.

How do you explain portfolio rebalancing?

Portfolio rebalancing means adjusting your investments to keep your asset allocation on track. As asset values change over time, your portfolio may drift from its original balance. Rebalancing helps bring it back to your target allocation so it matches your risk level and financial goals.

Does rebalancing reduce returns?

Rebalancing can involve selling well-performing assets and buying underperforming ones, which may lower short-term returns. However, it helps maintain your desired risk level and can improve long-term returns by preventing overexposure to volatile assets.