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Confused 26-Year-Old After State PCS Delay: What's Next?

Inderpaul

Inderpaul Singh  |33 Answers  |Ask -

Leadership Coach - Answered on Feb 25, 2025

Major Inderpaul Singh (retired) served in the Indian Army for eight years.
In the year 2008, he moved to the corporate sector and worked with Century Plyboards for 14 years, specialising in people management and organisation improvement interventions.
He is currently employed as a partner with Amishrit Terrene Pvt Ltd, an IT solutions start-up located in Mohali, Punjab.
A certified life coach, he also helps students and individuals handle challenges in their personal and professional lives.
He holds a commerce degree from DAV College, Amritsar, and a post-graduate diploma in business administration from Symbiosis, Pune. ... more
Asked by Anonymous - Jan 19, 2025Hindi
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I completed my graduation in 2018 , started preparing for upsc i couldn't clear in 5 attempts, but recently I cleared state pcs examination prelims, mains exam supposed to be happen on sept 28 2024, but it was suddenly postponed for no reason without announcing dates , now iam clueless what to do , from self confidence iam in self pity of myself of achieving nothing in my life, I even dropped upsc for this state pcs , it's very difficult to ask money to you parents at 26yrs... Since dates are not announced i even completed mains syllabus ,, iam getting frustrated and binge watching web series .so what to do

Ans: Hello
Simple and straight advice will be to either pick up a job in your field or go for some vocational/higher course that will improve your employability.
No one stops your from pursuing your PCS goal as and when things become clear, we have many examples of people doubling up and still cracking the exams. But just sitting idle in the wait is not advisable since you have already spent considerable time/energy in that pursuit.
All the Best!
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Anu

Anu Krishna  |1535 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Feb 25, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Feb 20, 2025Hindi
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I and my wife married 2 years ago. She is eldest in her home with a brother and sister. To put into context her father and sister both are manipulation artists. His father used to use her as a punching bag for his emotional baggage since her childhood. He used to vent his all negativity on her. My wifes sister in order to escape it promoted it and even became a part of the act. In the name of " emotions" they have ruined her mental well-being as she is in a constant state of worry for her father. Even if he has slight fever it has to become an agenda like he might die due to it. So this overwhelming and exaggerated representation has affected our marriage. We have a kid but she is unable to focus on us. She doesn't get good sleep because a daily 1 hour video call has to be done to take notes on his well bieng and her sister has to update her on every detail of his father. Sister has been feeding her with thoughts of separation so that they both (father and sister) get access to her life even more. I have set boundaries but shes naive. And in doing so they resort to all the melodrama that they can. What should i do? This father sister duo are ruining our marriage as they are not letting go off her.
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
This is what obsessive care can look like...but what are you going to do? Your wife is clearly deep into it and no amount of reasoning is going to make her see what this is doing to you and your child.
My suggestion would be to actually take your child and go on a long holiday or get away from home long enough for her to feel your absence and that of your child's. She has begun to take you and the child for granted and she must know what it is to not have you both around.
It is a bit extreme, but obsessive care to someone need extreme steps, right? It's an attempt into putting things in order...see how it goes! It could prove to shake the mind up a bit in order for her to realize that she needs to focus on her marriage as well.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

...Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8030 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Feb 25, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Feb 22, 2025Hindi
Hi. I am almost 40 and planning to retire. I have a corpus of around 17 cr: about 5 cr in MF, 7.5 cr in vested RSUs, 1.6 cr in AIF, 1 cr in EPF, PPF and NPS, and the remaining across bonds, Savings accounts, ULIPs and others. Is this amount sufficient for me to retire comfortably? My parents are financially independent, My wife and I don't have kids yet, but we are planning to have soon. My wife and I have an health insurance for 30 lakhs and I have a term insurance for 1 cr. We currently live with my parents, at their home, but we are planning to buy one soon. Our monthly expense is about 60k.
Ans: You have done well in accumulating Rs 17 crore before 40. That is a great achievement. Now, let's analyse whether this corpus can support your early retirement.

We will assess your financial situation based on multiple factors.

1. Understanding Your Current Expenses
Your current monthly expenses are Rs 60,000.
Annually, this comes to Rs 7.2 lakh.
Over time, expenses will increase due to inflation.
Expenses will also rise once you have children.
You will need to factor in home purchase costs.
Medical and lifestyle costs will increase with age.
Your actual post-retirement expenses will likely be higher than today.

2. Inflation Impact on Expenses
Inflation reduces the purchasing power of money.
If inflation is 6%, your Rs 60,000 monthly expense will double in 12 years.
Over 40 years, even basic expenses could rise significantly.
Future medical, education, and travel costs will be much higher.
Your retirement corpus should generate inflation-adjusted returns.
Without proper planning, inflation can erode your wealth over time.

3. Corpus Allocation Analysis
Your Rs 17 crore corpus is spread across different assets. Let's analyse their suitability.

Mutual Funds (Rs 5 crore):

Growth potential but subject to market volatility.
Should be actively managed to ensure optimal returns.
RSUs (Rs 7.5 crore):

Dependence on company stock is risky.
Should be diversified to reduce concentration risk.
AIF (Rs 1.6 crore):

Alternative investments are illiquid.
Returns may be uncertain over long periods.
EPF, PPF, and NPS (Rs 1 crore):

Safe but low liquidity and fixed returns.
Suitable for stability, but not for major expenses.
Bonds, ULIPs, and Savings (Remaining corpus):

ULIPs should be surrendered and reinvested in mutual funds.
Bonds provide safety but may not beat inflation.
Savings accounts should only hold emergency funds.
You need a well-balanced portfolio to ensure sustainable retirement income.

4. Cash Flow Planning for Retirement
You need an investment strategy to generate regular income.
Withdrawals should not deplete your corpus too early.
A mix of growth and income assets is essential.
Equity exposure is needed to outpace inflation.
Debt instruments should provide stability.
Safe withdrawal strategies will help in the long term.
A planned withdrawal strategy ensures financial security in retirement.

5. Home Purchase and Its Impact
Buying a house is a major financial decision.
It will reduce your liquid assets significantly.
Real estate is illiquid and cannot be accessed easily.
You should allocate funds carefully without disturbing retirement plans.
Your home purchase should not impact your retirement sustainability.

6. Future Expenses: Children and Healthcare
Raising children involves significant costs.
Education, healthcare, and lifestyle costs will rise.
You may need additional insurance coverage.
Medical inflation is higher than general inflation.
A dedicated health corpus is advisable.
Planning ahead ensures financial security for your family.

7. Risk Management and Asset Allocation
Over-reliance on a single asset class is risky.
RSUs should be diversified to reduce risk.
Equity allocation should be adjusted based on risk tolerance.
A mix of growth and stability-focused investments is key.
Emergency funds should be set aside separately.
Proper asset allocation reduces financial uncertainties in retirement.

8. Tax Efficiency in Withdrawals
Withdrawals should be structured to reduce tax liability.
Equity mutual funds have capital gains tax rules.
Debt investments are taxed as per income slabs.
Selling RSUs may attract capital gains tax.
Proper planning can minimise tax impact.
Tax-efficient withdrawals can maximise your retirement income.

9. Evaluating Your Retirement Sustainability
Your corpus seems sufficient based on current expenses. However, certain factors can impact sustainability.

Inflation will continuously increase expenses.
Market risks can affect investment returns.
Unexpected costs like medical emergencies may arise.
Tax liabilities should be managed efficiently.
Asset rebalancing should be done periodically.
A well-structured plan will ensure a financially secure retirement.

10. Recommendations for Long-Term Stability
Diversify RSUs to reduce dependency on one asset.
Surrender ULIPs and reinvest in mutual funds for better growth.
Allocate funds for children's expenses well in advance.
Maintain equity exposure to beat inflation.
Create a medical corpus beyond health insurance.
Structure withdrawals wisely to avoid excessive taxation.
Review your financial plan every year.
A dynamic approach ensures long-term financial security.

Final Insights
Your Rs 17 crore corpus is strong. But early retirement requires careful planning.

You must protect your wealth from inflation, taxes, and market risks.
A sustainable investment strategy is necessary.
Cash flow planning should be structured for long-term security.
Your home purchase and child planning must be factored in.
Regular financial reviews will keep your plan on track.
With proper management, you can enjoy a financially stress-free retirement.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP

Chief Financial Planner

www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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