I am 43. I am the only earning member. I have 4 family members. At present, I have 1.2 cr cash asset in shares, mf, ppf, epf, kvp, fd etc.. A flat for which i am paying 24k emi per month for last 2 years . Total loan 24 lacs.presently it is empty.
My son is in class 8. I have a separate own house for living. I have no other loans. At present i am saving
1. 21k p.m in sip
2. 3 lacs in ppf yearly
3. 16k p.m in vpf (total epf contribution is 42k p.m )
4. 5k p m in nps
6. 50k lic policies yearly
7. 25k for personal heath insurance ( addtional to office heathe insurance)
At present my monthly expense in 60k.
My current yearly package is 40lpa.
I am passionate about traveling. I have a desire to by a car.
1. What is the earliest time i can retire so that child education and medical coverage is covered
2. How do i need to plan to achive point 1.
Ans: I truly appreciate the discipline and clarity you have shown. At 43, being the sole earning member, having built Rs 1.2 crore of financial assets, maintaining high savings, and still thinking about early retirement shows strong intent and control. You are already far ahead of most people at your age.
» Your current financial strength in simple terms
– Strong income of around Rs 40 lakh per year
– High monthly savings across SIP, EPF, VPF, PPF, and NPS
– Well-diversified assets across equity and fixed-income
– No major liabilities except one manageable home loan
– Separate own house for living, which reduces future stress
– Insurance awareness is good with personal health cover
This is a solid foundation for early retirement planning.
» Family responsibilities you must fully cover
– You are the only earning member, so margin for error must be low
– Child education is a non-negotiable goal in the next 8–10 years
– Medical coverage must continue lifelong, even after retirement
– Lifestyle needs include travel and a car, which add joy but need planning
Early retirement is possible only if these are ring-fenced properly.
» The earliest practical retirement window
– With your current asset base and savings rate, early retirement before traditional age is realistic
– However, complete work stoppage before your child’s higher education phase is risky
– A more balanced option is partial or flexible retirement first
– Full retirement becomes safer after child education funding is secured
This approach reduces pressure and protects peace of mind.
» How your existing savings are helping you
– SIPs and equity exposure are doing the heavy lifting for long-term growth
– EPF and VPF create strong retirement stability
– PPF adds tax-efficient safety
– NPS gives structure but should remain a supporting pillar, not the core
Your asset mix already supports long-term independence.
» Important review point – LIC policies
– LIC policies are low-growth and long-term locking products
– They do not align well with early retirement goals
– You should evaluate surrender value and future benefit
– If returns are weak, consider exiting and redirecting money into mutual funds
This single step can improve long-term outcomes meaningfully.
» Managing the unused flat wisely
– EMI of Rs 24,000 is manageable, but the flat is currently idle
– An empty property creates cash outflow without benefit
– You should either generate rental income or reassess holding it
– Do not let emotional attachment weaken cash flow discipline
Assets must support goals, not slow them down.
» How to plan for early retirement step by step
– Separate child education fund completely from retirement corpus
– Keep retirement investments untouched for any other goal
– Maintain higher equity exposure while income is active
– Gradually reduce risk only after education goal is secured
– Build a clear post-retirement monthly income plan
Clarity brings confidence.
» Medical security after retirement
– Continue personal family health insurance without break
– Keep cover independent of employer policy
– Build a separate medical contingency fund over time
– This avoids touching retirement corpus during health events
Health planning is as important as wealth planning.
» Lifestyle goals – travel and car
– Travel should be planned as a recurring lifestyle expense, not impulse spending
– A car purchase is fine if done without disturbing long-term SIPs
– Avoid large upfront cash usage from long-term investments
Enjoyment is important, but not at the cost of future freedom.
» What you must avoid to protect early retirement
– Avoid stopping SIPs during market volatility
– Avoid increasing fixed commitments unnecessarily
– Avoid locking too much money in low-return products
– Avoid assuming one-time corpus is enough without cash-flow planning
Early retirement fails due to small mistakes, not big ones.
» Final Insights
– You are on a strong path toward early retirement
– Partial retirement can be explored earlier; full retirement should wait until education goal is secured
– Fine-tuning asset allocation and exiting inefficient LIC policies will accelerate progress
– Medical security and cash flow clarity are critical
– With discipline and periodic review, stress-free retirement is achievable
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment