I am 45 year old , married guy with 2 girl children. I am government employee and My salary is 1.5 lakh.Oneof my daughter is of 8 years and other 13 years old . I have a plot worth 50 Lakh, 15 lakh in fd, 10 lakh in savings account. Please guide me
Ans: You are 45 years old, a government employee, with a salary of Rs. 1.5 lakh per month.
You have two daughters aged 13 and 8.
You own a plot worth Rs. 50 lakh.
You have Rs. 15 lakh in fixed deposit and Rs. 10 lakh in savings account.
This is a great start. You have built a solid base.
Let’s now plan ahead to secure your family’s future.
Below is a step-by-step guide with professional inputs.
1. Family Protection First: Insurance Planning
You must have term insurance of at least 15 times your annual income.
That means, you need a cover of minimum Rs. 2.25 crore.
Term plan premiums are affordable. Ensure the policy is active until age 60 or 65.
Also, take a Rs. 10 lakh health insurance for family, separate from employer cover.
Medical inflation is high. A family floater policy is a must.
If not yet done, buy personal accident cover of Rs. 25 lakh.
2. Emergency Fund Strategy
You already have Rs. 10 lakh in savings account. That’s a good start.
Keep 6 months of expenses aside in bank savings or sweep-in FD.
Move the rest to better options like low-duration mutual funds.
These give better returns than a regular savings account.
3. Education Planning for Daughters
Your elder daughter is 13. She may need funds in 4-5 years.
For her, start a conservative mutual fund portfolio. Choose hybrid or balanced funds.
Avoid high-risk small-cap funds for short-term needs.
For younger daughter, you have more time.
Start a long-term mutual fund SIP for 10 years. Choose diversified equity funds.
Invest monthly from salary and use some lump sum from FD as well.
Keep a target of Rs. 25-30 lakh for each daughter’s higher studies.
Track the portfolio every 6 months. Rebalance if needed.
4. Marriage Planning for Daughters
You will need this fund in 10 to 15 years.
Begin a separate mutual fund portfolio. Invest lumpsum and start monthly SIPs.
Choose long-term equity-oriented hybrid mutual funds.
Don’t go for gold jewellery as investment. It’s emotional, not financial.
Buy gold only for final use. Instead, use long-term mutual funds.
5. Retirement Planning for Yourself
You plan to retire by age 60. You have 15 years to prepare.
Your pension will cover some costs. But not everything.
Start investing Rs. 30,000 monthly in mutual funds.
Choose actively managed equity mutual funds. They offer potential to beat inflation.
Avoid index funds. Index funds copy the market. They don’t beat it.
Index funds also fall equally when markets fall.
Actively managed funds by professional managers adjust during market ups and downs.
Also avoid direct funds.
Direct plans lack guidance. Regular plans through a certified financial planner give support.
A certified financial planner helps in reviews, tracking goals and changing strategy.
After 5-7 years, move 25% to hybrid funds. Reduce risk slowly as you near 60.
Review yearly. Don’t stop investing until your goal is met.
6. Utilisation of Existing Assets
The Rs. 15 lakh in FD is losing value due to inflation.
FD post-tax return is low. Shift Rs. 10 lakh to mutual funds.
Keep Rs. 5 lakh in FD as backup for emergencies.
The Rs. 10 lakh in savings account should be reallocated.
Keep Rs. 3 lakh in bank. Move Rs. 7 lakh to low-risk mutual funds.
Use these funds for daughters’ education or marriage needs.
Your plot is a good asset. But don’t depend on it.
Real estate is not a liquid asset. It may not sell when you want.
Property price appreciation is slow and uncertain.
Also, real estate needs maintenance and legal checks.
7. Estate Planning and Will Writing
Make a simple Will. It avoids legal troubles later.
Mention your spouse and both daughters as beneficiaries.
Clearly list all assets and how you want them shared.
Include bank accounts, mutual funds, plot, FD, insurance policies.
Register the Will if possible. Also keep it safe and inform your family.
8. Tax Planning for Better Savings
As a government employee, you are already saving via GPF.
Use Section 80C to save tax. PPF, ELSS funds and term plans qualify.
Invest in ELSS mutual funds for 3-year lock-in and equity exposure.
Choose regular plan ELSS through certified financial planner.
Direct ELSS funds may not guide you with goal reviews.
Avoid insurance-linked tax saving plans. Returns are low. Lock-in is long.
File ITR on time every year. Keep documents safe.
9. Future-Proofing Children’s Financial Life
Teach daughters about money. Start with small savings habits.
Open Sukanya Samriddhi Account for younger daughter if not yet done.
But don’t invest everything in it. Returns are fixed and taxable.
Give exposure to financial awareness early. Help them understand banking, investments.
This builds financial maturity by the time they turn 18.
10. Regular Reviews and Monitoring
Set one day every six months to review all finances.
Check investment performance and goal alignment.
Don’t stop SIPs if market is down. Down market helps in long term.
Increase SIP by 5-10% every year with salary hike.
Avoid frequent buying and selling. Long-term holding builds wealth.
Always stay goal focused. Not return focused.
Track how close you are to each target.
11. Emotional and Mental Preparation
Discuss your financial plans with spouse. Keep transparency.
Involve your daughters slowly as they grow.
Financial awareness at home reduces stress during emergencies.
Prepare for uncertainties. Stay confident in your plan.
12. Retirement Lifestyle Planning
Think of how you want to spend time after retirement.
Plan your health, travel and hobbies budget in advance.
Keep 30% of corpus in safe options post retirement.
Use mutual fund SWP for monthly income in retirement.
Avoid annuities. They lock your money and give low returns.
Mutual fund SWP gives flexible cash flow.
Plan a monthly income of Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 75,000 after retirement.
Rest can be for emergencies and legacy for children.
Finally
You are on the right track with your savings and assets.
You have financial discipline. That is the hardest part.
Now it’s time to channel these savings into growth-oriented strategies.
Mutual funds offer you flexibility, professional management, and goal-based planning.
Avoid depending only on FDs or property. Balance your investments.
Make insurance a priority. Protect your family first.
Build a long-term plan for each goal – education, marriage, retirement.
Stay committed. Review regularly. And take small steps every month.
That will give you peace and security.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment