One-Time Mandate (OTM) for Automated Investment in Mutual Funds
A young boy dropping a newspaper at our doorstep or waking up to a doorbell at 5 in the morning only to find a pouch of milk at the door is the daily routine of most Indian households. So, why do we subscribe to these when the shops are easily accessible? To save the hassle, correct?
Imagine investing in a scheme of your choice on a fixed day of every month to build a corpus to achieve small or big financial dreams. That’s equally cumbersome. But why do it manually when one can also automate this service (like paperwala or doodhwala)? OTM, or One-Time Mandate, is a facility that enables mutual fund investors to automatically invest a fixed amount on a selected date in the mutual fund of their choice. Let’s understand what OTM is in detail.
What is OTM in a Mutual Fund?
OTM is a one-time registration process for Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) investors. When investors start SIP in a mutual fund, they select a scheme of their choice and make the first payment. But for subsequent instalments, they have to register OTM. To do this, the investor has to fill in required details mentioned in the OTM form and submit it duly signed for registration. This way, the investor instructs the bank to periodically transfer the fixed amount (SIP amount) to the SIP portfolio.
OTM is a critical registration process, as, without this, neither the bank nor the mutual fund house will proceed with the investor’s SIP. This single process can automate investment and smooth the financial journey like a magic wand.
Advantages of OTM in Mutual Fund
- OTM saves the hassle of transacting manually in a selective scheme until the achievement of the goal.
- There are higher chances of unit allotment on the same day if SIP is started via OTM, as the funds are released on the same day of the transaction.
- The automated SIP deduction instils financial discipline within an investor and saves the efforts of timing the market.
- OTM registration ensures secure payment as there’s no risk of failure due to net banking errors or other online transaction-related failures.
FAQ
1.What is the benefit of OTM over ECS (Electronic Clearance Service)?
ECS, or Electronic Clearing Service mandate, requires the customer to submit a cheque or demand draft to set up future payments, and it generally takes 30 days to activate this process. OTM is much easier, more convenient and faster than ECS.
2.Is OTM available for all?
Yes, both individuals and corporates can register OTM.
3.Can the OTM be modified?
Yes, the OTM application, once submitted, can be modified by filling in another form (modify OTM).
4.Can the OTM get rejected?
Yes. The OTM can get rejected if the investor’s bank is not a part of National Automated Clearing House(NACH) or if the investor has provided incorrect bank details.