I am 35 year old and I have income of 1.2 lac.
I have 42 lacs in pf and 16 lacs in NPS. I want to save for higher education of two kids and their marriage. One 5 year old and other two year old girl child. I have started investing in Sukhanya Samridhi for girl child 1.5 lacs per year. I have one SIP of 10 thousand. Kindly guide how to plan to achieve goals.
Ans: Current Financial Overview
You are 35 years old with a monthly income of Rs. 1.2 lakh.
Your provident fund balance is Rs. 42 lakhs, which is a strong retirement corpus.
You hold Rs. 16 lakhs in National Pension Scheme (NPS), which provides good tax benefits and long-term growth.
You have started investing Rs. 1.5 lakhs annually in a girl child savings scheme for your daughters.
Currently, you maintain a monthly SIP of Rs. 10,000 in mutual funds.
You have two young daughters, aged 5 and 2, for whose higher education and marriage planning is a priority.
Appreciating Your Financial Habits
Holding a strong PF and NPS corpus shows disciplined long-term savings.
Investing regularly in a dedicated scheme for girl child’s future is a good move.
Starting mutual fund SIP at Rs. 10,000 is a positive step towards wealth creation.
You clearly have a focus on important financial goals for children and retirement.
Setting Clear Financial Goals
Higher education for both children typically begins around age 17-18.
Marriage expenses usually arise between ages 23-30 for your daughters.
These goals require significant corpus accumulation over 12-15 years for education.
Marriage planning needs corpus buildup over 18-25 years.
Both goals require inflation-adjusted planning to meet future costs.
Assessing Your Current Investment Strategy
Provident Fund and NPS are retirement-focused and not ideal for child goals.
Girl child savings scheme offers safety and tax benefits but moderate returns.
Your Rs. 10,000 SIP, if actively managed, can grow to support education and marriage goals.
A single SIP may be insufficient given the scale of future needs for two children.
Consider diversifying investments across equity and debt to balance risk and return.
Optimizing Child Education Planning
Prioritize increasing your monthly SIPs gradually to build a bigger corpus.
Invest through actively managed equity mutual funds for higher growth potential.
Equity mutual funds outperform index funds in the long run due to active management.
Avoid direct mutual fund investments without guidance; professional help is vital.
Systematic Investment Plans through a Certified Financial Planner ensure goal alignment.
Complement equity investments with safer debt funds for stability as goals near.
Planning for Child Marriage Corpus
Marriage goals are long term and require disciplined accumulation over 15-20 years.
Begin a separate investment plan with a mix of equity and debt funds for this goal.
Increase contributions annually with salary growth to meet inflation-adjusted needs.
Use regular reviews to adjust allocations and avoid last-minute financial stress.
Managing Risk and Tax Efficiency
Maintain adequate term insurance to protect family financial security.
Health insurance is equally important to avoid draining investments during emergencies.
Utilize tax-saving instruments wisely, but don’t compromise on return potential.
NPS provides tax benefits but is locked till retirement; not suitable for children’s goals.
Balance tax saving with liquidity and growth needs for children’s education and marriage.
Reassessing Existing Policies
Review if you have any LIC, ULIP, or insurance cum investment plans.
These often have high costs and lower returns compared to mutual funds.
If present, consider surrendering and reallocating funds to mutual funds via MFDs with CFP guidance.
Professional advice ensures smooth transition without loss of benefits or penalties.
Income and Expense Management
Track monthly expenses and aim to increase savings rate with income growth.
Avoid lifestyle inflation that reduces available investment capital.
Create a contingency fund to manage unforeseen expenses without disrupting investments.
Use bonuses and increments for boosting SIPs or special investments.
Professional Portfolio Monitoring
Periodic portfolio reviews are essential to keep investments aligned with goals.
Rebalance equity and debt allocation based on age of children and market conditions.
Certified Financial Planners provide ongoing advice and timely adjustments.
Active fund management protects against market downturns and enhances returns.
Education and Marriage Cost Inflation
Factor in education cost inflation which can be 10% or more annually.
Marriage expenses also rise with inflation and changing social standards.
Start early and invest aggressively in growth assets to beat inflation.
Delay in investing means higher monthly savings later, which can be difficult.
Long-term Retirement Considerations
Your PF and NPS corpus are substantial and well positioned for retirement.
Continue regular contributions and monitor asset allocation for retirement corpus.
Retirement corpus can also serve as fallback for children’s goals if needed.
Practical Investment Steps for You
Increase SIP amount from Rs. 10,000 gradually as income grows.
Open a separate SIP for child marriage planning with actively managed funds.
Maintain existing girl child savings but avoid overdependence due to limited returns.
Consider professional help for portfolio construction, risk assessment, and tax planning.
Review insurance needs and surrender expensive insurance cum investment policies if any.
Ensure emergency fund of 6 months to protect investments from premature withdrawals.
Final Insights
Your current savings and investments provide a solid foundation for goals.
Active and diversified investments are key to beating inflation and meeting costs.
Professional guidance ensures disciplined investment, tax efficiency, and risk control.
Start with gradual increase in SIPs and maintain separate goals-based funds.
Review and adjust your financial plan yearly or as life events occur.
Focus on children’s future without compromising retirement security.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment