Strategies For Locating Lost Mutual Fund Investments

It can be frustrating when you can't find the papers for your old investments. Luckily, there are ways to trace lost mutual fund investments. One advantage of mutual fund investments is that they are in a non-physical format, so you only need the folio number to redeem them, not the account statement. If you have an old account statement, this will contain the folio number, as well as investor details, holding pattern, address, bank account details, and more. You can also retrieve the folio number through a Consolidated Account Statement (CAS), which is sent to investors' email addresses periodically. If you have lost your mutual fund investment or your PAN is not linked to the investment, you can visit the office of the RTA (Registrar and Transfer Agent).

Search with the help of a Consolidated Account Statement (CAS)

The Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) is a periodic statement sent by the Asset Management Company (AMC) owning the fund to the investor's email address. It contains all the relevant information, such as the investor's folio number, name and residential address, the number of mutual fund units owned, the investment's Net Asset Value, and the type of scheme. This makes it easier to trace lost mutual fund investments.

If an investor loses relevant documents or deletes previous CAS-related emails, they can request a duplicate CAS from the AMC. It is important to keep the AMC informed of any changes to the email address. The CAS can also be used to trace lost mutual fund investments for DEMAT account holders, who will receive a monthly CAS on their registered email ID. This CAS will provide a comprehensive overview of their investments, including details of lost mutual fund investments.

To obtain a CAS, investors can visit the portal of K-Fin or CAMS and retrieve the Consolidated Account Statement by filing the required details. The CAS can be generated for a particular date or period and will list all the folio numbers attached to the email.

In addition to the above, investors can also view and download their mutual fund Portfolio & CAS on the portal of MFCentral, a collaborative online services hub launched jointly by KFintech and CAMS. Here, investors can choose to generate a 'Summary CAS' or a 'Detailed' CAS and select the desired period, such as the current financial year, previous financial year, or a specific period (not exceeding 365 days).

Visit the RTA office

If you have lost mutual fund investments and your PAN is not linked, you can visit the office of the RTA or Registrar and Transfer Agent. These companies manage the operations of mutual fund houses, and since mutual fund houses are burdened with many activities, they transfer some of their operational activities to the RTA. This means that investors can recover their lost mutual fund investments by making an application to the RTA.

To do this, you will need to provide the following information: name, photo ID proof, PAN card, address, and mobile number. The application should be supported by a self-attested PAN card copy and address proof. The RTA will then verify all the documents and contact the investor.

It is also possible to track the folio number of the lost mutual fund investment by looking at old payment transactions. The investor can trace the mutual funds through the payment receipt received when payment was made against the fund. If the PAN of the investor is not linked, or there are mistakes in the details of the mutual fund, the investor must visit the Fund house with the correct details and payment receipt.

Use MFCentral

MFCentral is an online platform developed by KFintech and CAMS to provide investors with access to their holdings at an industry level. It can be used to track all the investments that are linked with an investor's PAN. The investor can log in with their mobile number and PAN and retrieve the folio number of their lost mutual fund investment. MFCentral is a highly secure platform with multiple layers of protection and data encryption to perform mutual fund transactions.

MFCentral is a unified services gateway for all your mutual funds. It brings ease, convenience, and speed to your service requirements across all mutual funds. It allows you to view your portfolio across all mutual funds on a single platform. You can slice and dice your assets based on asset class, fund house, returns, scheme-level holdings, and performance.

MFCentral also allows you to manage your service requests digitally. You can explore a range of services such as bank mandate change, updating your personal contact details, and change in IDCW, all with just a single request.

Use old payment transactions

If you've misplaced or lost your mutual fund investment documents, there's no need to panic. You can use old payment transactions to trace and identify the relevant mutual fund folio. Here are some detailed steps to guide you through the process:

• Locate Payment Receipts: Gather all the payment receipts you received for your previous investments in the fund. These receipts will be essential in retracing your investment path.
• Verify Investor's PAN: Ensure that your Permanent Account Number (PAN) is correctly linked to your investment account. This is a crucial step, as discrepancies or errors in the PAN details may require you to visit the Fund house in person to resolve the issue.
• Reference Payment Receipts: Carefully examine the payment receipts to find any relevant information that can help identify your mutual fund investment. Look for details such as the folio number, investor's name, date of investment, or the amount invested.
• Contact the Fund House: In case you notice any discrepancies or errors in the mutual fund details on your payment receipts, don't hesitate to visit the Fund house in person. Bring along the correct information and your payment receipts to resolve the issue.
• Online Platforms: If you have access to online platforms or mobile applications associated with your investments, log in using your credentials. These platforms often provide a comprehensive overview of your investments, and you may be able to trace your lost mutual fund investment by reviewing your transaction history or account statements.
• Contact Customer Support: If you're unable to find the necessary information through your old payment transactions, don't hesitate to reach out for help. Contact the customer support or investor service centre of the mutual fund company. They may be able to assist you in tracing your lost investment by providing account statements or other relevant information.

Remember to keep your personal information, such as your address, bank account, and PAN details, up to date. This good housekeeping practice will make it easier to retrieve lost investment information and ensure that you receive important communications about your investments.

Search with the help of a folio number

Tracing lost mutual fund investments can be challenging, especially when it comes to retrieving the folio number. However, there are several ways to go about it:

Through Online Mode:

Investors can log in to the app or website of the concerned Asset Management Company (AMC) using their ID code and password. They can then access the details of their holdings by entering their folio number. This is similar to accessing a bank account online. It is important to keep the AMC informed of any changes to the email address registered with them.

Physically Visiting the AMC Office:

Investors can visit the AMC's office and trace their lost mutual fund investment documents with the folio number and PAN card. The AMC will help track and know the status of all investments for that folio. However, if investments are spread across multiple AMCs, separate visits may be required.

Through the Registrar's (RTA) Website:

The registrar and share transfer agent or RTA (e.g. Karvy or CAMS) maintain records of mutual fund schemes. Investors can access these records using their folio number, PAN number, and mobile number on the RTA's website.

Through the Mutual Fund Registrar's Website:

The mutual fund registrar is the record keeper of the fund. Investors can visit the registrar's website and enter their PAN, folio number, and mobile number to access their statement. Today, registrars also allow investors to consolidate folios across registrars using PAN mapping, making the process much simpler.

Through the MFCentral Online Platform:

MFCentral is an online platform developed by KFintech and CAMS that provides investors access to their holdings at an industry level. Investors can log in with their mobile number and PAN to retrieve the folio number of their lost mutual fund investment.

Through the Mutual Fund Statement:

When investors transact through SIPs or lump-sum investments or redemptions, a Mutual Fund Statement is sent to them, which contains the folio number.

By Contacting the AMC or Registrar:

If investors cannot locate their folio number, they can write to the AMC or its registrar, providing personal details such as PAN, date of investment, amount invested, and bank details. Based on this information, the AMC or registrar will trace the investment and provide the required statement.

Frequently asked questions