Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Experts Explain How to Spot 'Dead Investments' Quietly Hurting Wealth
Sometimes people keep things that they no longer use, and those things just take up space.
Money experts say the same thing can happen with investments - they call these 'dead investments' or 'dead money.'
A dead investment is one that stops helping your money grow or no longer fits your plans.
It could be a fund that has been doing badly for years, or a stock that is not creating value anymore.
Even an investment that has not lost money can become wrong for you if your goals change, like when you get closer to retirement.
Experts say you should check your investments once or twice a year.
But they also warn that checking too often can make people panic and make hasty choices.
A good question to ask yourself is: 'Would I still buy this investment today?'
If the answer is no, it might be time to think about whether it should stay in your portfolio.
Wealth managers call assets that quietly stop serving their purpose 'dead investments' or 'dead money' because they tie up capital that could earn better returns elsewhere.
A dead investment is not simply a poor performer; it is an asset that no longer helps an investor achieve their financial goals, such as a fund that has underperformed for years.
Experts suggest reviewing portfolios every six months to at least once a year, and after major life events like a new job, changing goals, or approaching retirement.
Rhishabh Garg of FundsIndia.com warns that checking portfolios too often leads to emotional decisions, noting that 'a bad quarter does not make an investment dead.'
Experts advise investors to ask 'Can I still explain why I own this investment?' and say the answers should trigger a review, not necessarily an immediate sale.
- Who
- Investment experts including Vijay Kuppa (CEO, InCred Money), Gibin John (Senior Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited), and Rhishabh Garg (CEO, FundsIndia.com), advising investors on portfolio management.
- What
- Guidance on identifying 'dead investments' - assets that no longer generate growth or serve a portfolio purpose - and deciding when to review or sell them.
- When
- Not specified in the article.
- Where
- Not explicitly stated in the article (the featured firms and experts are Indian financial services companies).
- Why
- Because dead investments lock up capital that could earn better returns, and investors rarely revisit the reasons behind their investment decisions.
More Frequent Reviews
Annual Reviews Only
How often to review your portfolio
More Frequent Reviews
Kuppa recommends long-term investors review their portfolios every six months or at least once a year, and after major life events such as a change in financial goals, a new job, or approaching retirement.
Annual Reviews Only
Garg believes annual portfolio reviews are sufficient for most investors and warns that checking portfolios too frequently leads to emotional decisions and premature exits from good investments.
- Concept
- Dead investments ("dead money") are assets that no longer serve their purpose in a portfolio
- Signs of a dead investment
- Returns below the risk-free rate, prolonged negative growth, low liquidity, and limited prospects for future value creation
- Recommended review frequency
- Every six months to at least once a year (Kuppa); annual reviews for most investors (Garg)
- Key question to ask
- "Can I still explain why I own this investment?"
- Review triggers
- Changing financial goals, a new job, approaching retirement, or material changes in management, fundamentals, corporate governance, or regulations
- Experts quoted
- Vijay Kuppa (InCred Money), Gibin John (Geojit Investments Limited), Rhishabh Garg (FundsIndia.com)
- Caution
- Frequent portfolio checks can cause emotional decisions and premature exits from good investments
- Action guidance
- Review questions should trigger a review, not necessarily an immediate sale