Hello Sir. I'm 36. I earn net 1.25L per month. I have Plot Loan Outstanding 17L roi is 9%, 12 years pending, EMI 23k per month. I also have Personal Loan, outstanding 17 Lakhs,3 years pending, EMI 28k per month. I invest 12k per month for SSY for my daughter and 10K SIP in MF. I save about 10K monthly after all expenses. Please guide can I use that savings for prepayment of loan or to increase the SIP.
MF + Stocks - 6L
SSY - 3L
Emergency Fund - 3L
Term insurance - 1.5CR - Premium - 30K annualy.
Health Insurance - 15L - Premium - 30K annualy.
LIC - 8L insured - 36K annually
Plot - worth 40L - Loan outstanding
Please advise sir.
Ans: You have made a disciplined start towards financial planning. Your family responsibilities are being handled well, especially your daughter’s SSY and the insurance covers.
Let us now assess your current financial picture, and explore suitable action points.
Income, Expenses and Loan Burden
Your monthly income is Rs. 1.25 lakh.
Plot loan EMI is Rs. 23,000. Personal loan EMI is Rs. 28,000.
Total EMI is Rs. 51,000 per month. That is 40% of your income.
This is a high EMI-to-income ratio. It limits your flexibility.
Your monthly SIP is Rs. 10,000. SSY is Rs. 12,000 per month.
You save Rs. 10,000 monthly after all these.
Your committed outflow is around Rs. 83,000 monthly. This needs careful planning.
Assessment of Your Loans
Personal loan is expensive. Tenure is short. EMI is high.
Plot loan is long-term. EMI is moderate. But interest rate is also high.
Personal loan is not asset-backed. Interest is high without tax benefit.
Plot loan is secured. Interest is also high but offers tax benefit.
Total outstanding loan is Rs. 34 lakh. That is 27 times your monthly income.
This is a financial stress point. Needs correction step-by-step.
Investments and Insurance Review
Mutual fund + stocks total is Rs. 6 lakh.
Emergency fund is Rs. 3 lakh. You are well-covered for 3 months' expenses.
SSY corpus is Rs. 3 lakh. A good start for your daughter.
Term insurance of Rs. 1.5 crore is ideal. You are rightly covered.
Health insurance of Rs. 15 lakh is sufficient for now. Good family protection.
LIC policy of Rs. 8 lakh sum assured, with Rs. 36,000 premium yearly.
LIC plans are low-yield. You may evaluate this further.
Your Financial Strengths
You are consistently saving. That is a great habit.
You have SSY for your daughter. A strong step as a father.
You have term and health covers. Risk management is in place.
You have SIP in mutual funds. You are investing for the future.
Emergency fund of Rs. 3 lakh gives you safety.
Your Financial Pressure Points
Two large loans are a burden. EMI eats away 40% income.
Personal loan interest is costly. It slows down wealth growth.
LIC policy is eating Rs. 3,000 monthly. Returns are not linked to inflation.
Limited surplus for investments due to EMI load.
Equity investments are just Rs. 6 lakh. Needs increase over time.
Ideal Action Plan — Step-by-Step
1. Personal Loan Repayment First
This loan is costlier than plot loan.
It has short tenure. Paying extra saves more.
Use monthly savings of Rs. 10,000 to prepay personal loan.
Do not increase SIP now. Prioritise debt clearance.
Even a partial prepayment every 6 months will help.
2. Stop LIC Policy After Evaluation
LIC gives low returns. Around 4–5% annually.
You are already insured through term policy.
If this LIC is not a pension or ULIP, consider surrender.
Use surrender value to prepay personal loan or invest in mutual funds.
Reinvesting this Rs. 36,000 annual premium in mutual funds is better.
3. Hold SIP Steady, Don’t Increase Yet
You are investing Rs. 10,000 per month in SIP. Keep it unchanged.
Do not stop or reduce SIP unless emergency arises.
Use only savings and LIC money for loan prepayment, not SIP money.
Your SIP should continue to compound long-term.
4. SSY Contribution is Mandatory
Rs. 12,000 monthly SSY for daughter is locked-in. That’s fine.
This is a social commitment. Let it continue.
It will create a corpus at her age 21. Don’t disturb this.
5. Keep Emergency Fund Intact
You have Rs. 3 lakh emergency fund.
That covers 3 months' expenses. Good decision.
Do not use this for loan prepayment or investment.
Keep it in a liquid fund or sweep-in FD for access.
6. Avoid Direct Stocks or High-Risk Assets Now
You already hold Rs. 6 lakh in MF and stocks.
Stocks are volatile. You are in a debt-heavy phase.
Avoid buying more stocks till loans are reduced.
Focus on debt reduction, not aggressive returns.
7. No New Loans or Commitments
No gold loan, credit card EMI, or gadgets on EMI.
No car loan or new real estate plan.
Avoid real estate as investment. It's illiquid and costly.
Your plot is for long term. Keep it that way.
8. Regular Fund Investments Preferred
You may have SIPs in direct plans. These look cheaper.
But direct funds do not offer advice or personal review.
Wrong fund choice in direct plan can lower returns.
Regular plans via CFP-backed MFD ensure guidance and tracking.
Long-term returns improve with portfolio review and timely changes.
9. Stay with Actively Managed Mutual Funds
Index funds may look simple and low-cost.
But index funds lack flexibility. They mimic the market.
In falling markets, index funds fall fully. No downside protection.
Actively managed funds give better defence and opportunity.
Let fund managers make dynamic decisions for better outcomes.
10. Monitor and Review Every 6 Months
Keep track of loan balances and interest saved.
Review SIPs and funds with CFP every 6 months.
Check if additional surplus can be used to prepay loans.
Once personal loan is cleared, divert that EMI into SIP.
Over time, increase SIP to Rs. 20,000 monthly.
11. Children’s Education Plan Later
Your daughter’s SSY is a good start.
After clearing personal loan, build an education fund.
Begin with Rs. 5,000 monthly SIP when surplus increases.
Use child-specific mutual funds with 10–12 year horizon.
12. Retirement Planning from Age 40
You are 36 now. Clear loans in 3–4 years.
From age 40, begin long-term retirement SIPs.
SIP of Rs. 20,000 monthly for 20 years builds good retirement wealth.
Delay in retirement planning can lead to pressure later.
13. Avoid Frequent Changes or Panic
Stick to your strategy. Be consistent.
Don’t stop SIP during market fall.
Don’t switch funds without reason or advice.
Avoid short-term goals with equity mutual funds.
14. Use Surplus Cash or Bonus Wisely
Use any annual bonus to prepay loans.
Avoid spending bonus on lifestyle upgrades.
Any maturity from LIC or FD should go to loan or SIP.
15. Tax Planning Must be Optimised
You are investing in SSY, ELSS may be part of SIP.
Avoid traditional plans for tax benefit alone.
Use term plan and ELSS for tax and growth.
Finally
You are already making smart money choices. That’s encouraging.
Clear personal loan first. It frees up cash and mind.
LIC surrender and reinvestment improves returns.
Keep SIPs running. Keep SSY untouched.
Increase SIP later with surplus from EMI reduction.
Build a child education fund post-loan closure.
Retirement savings can start at age 40 with higher SIP.
Don’t invest in real estate now. Avoid gold loans and credit EMIs.
Review your financial plan with a Certified Financial Planner every 6 months.
Your journey is strong. With right steps, you will create lasting wealth.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment