Hello Sir,
Please suggest if I'm on the right path of saving for future.
I'm 32, unmarried, and earning 1.3L per month after deductions.
Relatively new to investing.
1. Started 15K MF SIP monthly since Feb '24 (66% equity, 14% debt and 20% hybrid).
2. Ppf started Apr '24 - Saved upto ~2lakh. Should I continue to invest here?
3. NPS and EPF are deducted from salary every month (7.5k and 18k resp)
4. Chit fund - Need to continue paying ~50k every month till Nov'25 and I'll get ~ 10 Lakh. What should I do with this amount?
5. LIC - need to pay ~2 lakh yearly (for another 15yrs)
6. No additional health or term insurance plans.
7. Office provides 5lakh health insurance + 60L personal accident + 80L term life (I don't understand how this works, but I believe these are yearly). Should I get separate health and term insurance?
8. Own house and no rent.
9. Personal expenses ~20k monthly
Might be getting married mid next year and need to have ~15lakh to cover expenses.
Please suggest.
Ans: You are thinking in the right direction.
Your structured savings approach is a good start. Let us now assess your investments step-by-step.
Your Income and Expenses Overview
Monthly take-home: Rs. 1.3 lakh
Monthly personal expenses: Rs. 20,000
No rental burden (as you own a house)
Existing liabilities: Chit fund (Rs. 50k/month till Nov 2025), LIC (Rs. 2 lakh/year)
You are saving more than 50% of your income. That’s very good.
This high saving rate gives flexibility for long-term wealth creation.
Mutual Fund SIPs
Started: Feb 2024
Monthly SIP: Rs. 15,000
Allocation: 66% equity, 14% debt, 20% hybrid
Our Evaluation:
SIP is a very effective way to build long-term wealth.
Your equity-debt-hybrid mix is acceptable for your age.
As you are young and unmarried, equity allocation can be a bit higher.
But make sure the equity funds are diversified, and not all are small/mid-cap.
Hybrid funds help to reduce volatility. Good for short to medium-term goals.
Debt fund allocation is small, but useful to keep liquidity and stability.
Suggestions:
Increase your SIP amount to Rs. 20,000 or more once chit ends in Nov 2025.
Review your MF schemes every 6 months with a Certified Financial Planner.
If you’re investing in direct mutual funds, please reconsider.
Why Regular Funds Through Certified Financial Planner are Better:
Regular funds come with guided support.
A Certified Financial Planner helps you manage risk and asset mix.
Direct funds offer no advice.
Without guidance, mistakes are common.
Wrong scheme choices can reduce returns.
Paying a small commission for long-term discipline and advice is worth it.
PPF Investment
Started in April 2024
Saved ~Rs. 2 lakh so far
Our Assessment:
PPF is a good low-risk savings product.
It gives tax-free interest and safe returns.
Useful for long-term goals like retirement or children’s education.
Lock-in is 15 years, so liquidity is low.
But the stability makes it a good balance to your equity investments.
Recommendation:
Continue investing in PPF every year.
Consider contributing Rs. 1.5 lakh per year if affordable.
Treat this as part of your debt allocation.
EPF and NPS Deductions
EPF: Rs. 18,000/month
NPS: Rs. 7,500/month
Assessment:
Both are mandatory and long-term focused.
EPF gives steady, tax-free interest.
NPS gives equity exposure with tax benefits.
Our View:
Continue both as they are salary linked.
NPS can be used as an additional retirement tool.
Do not rely solely on NPS for wealth building.
Equity mutual funds will help you build faster wealth.
Chit Fund Commitment
Paying Rs. 50,000/month till Nov 2025
Will receive ~Rs. 10 lakh at maturity
Our Analysis:
Chit funds are not safe or regulated like other investments.
Use chit funds only for liquidity, not long-term wealth creation.
Since you are already committed, continue till maturity.
What to Do with Rs. 10 Lakh?
Once you receive the maturity amount:
Keep Rs. 2–3 lakh as emergency fund in FD or liquid mutual fund.
Invest balance Rs. 7–8 lakh in mutual funds (mostly equity).
Allocate for medium/long-term goals.
Use regular plans through a Certified Financial Planner.
LIC Policy – Investment cum Insurance
Annual premium: Rs. 2 lakh
Tenure remaining: 15 years
Our Observation:
LIC traditional plans give very low returns.
Returns are 4% to 5% only, and locked-in.
Mixing insurance with investment is not efficient.
Real wealth creation needs better returns.
Suggestions:
Check if it is a traditional policy or ULIP.
If it is traditional or ULIP, consider surrendering it.
Use surrender value to invest in mutual funds.
Ensure you take proper term insurance first.
Insurance Cover – Provided by Employer
Health insurance: Rs. 5 lakh
Personal accident: Rs. 60 lakh
Term life insurance: Rs. 80 lakh
Important Insight:
Employer-provided policies are valid only till you are employed.
No control or portability.
Can stop anytime.
Not sufficient as standalone protection.
Term Insurance:
Rs. 80 lakh cover is decent for now.
But you need your own term insurance.
Take cover of at least 15–20 times your yearly income.
That’s Rs. 2 crore or more.
Premium is low if bought early.
Take term insurance only, not investment-linked.
Health Insurance:
Rs. 5 lakh cover is low.
If you leave job, you may be left uninsured.
Take separate individual or family floater plan.
Choose minimum Rs. 10 lakh cover.
Health costs are rising fast.
Buy now while you are young and healthy.
Upcoming Marriage Expenses
Marriage planned mid next year
Estimated expenses: Rs. 15 lakh
Suggestion:
Keep money in a safe, non-volatile place.
Use short-term debt mutual funds or fixed deposits.
Avoid equity for this goal.
Equity is risky for goals under 1 year.
If you don’t have full amount ready yet:
Start monthly RD or STP from liquid to short-term debt fund.
Use upcoming bonus or surplus to build corpus.
Other Suggestions for 360° Planning
Emergency Fund:
Keep 6 months of expenses as emergency fund
Include EMI + SIP + household costs
Use FD or liquid fund for this
Goals to Start Planning:
Retirement
Child education (once married)
Travel or sabbatical in future
Car or home upgrade if needed later
Investment Habits to Strengthen:
Set clear goals and match them with right investments
Don’t withdraw from investments for short-term needs
Don’t follow tips or friends for fund selection
Review portfolio once a year
Rebalance equity and debt allocation if it goes off track
Finally
You are doing many things right already
SIPs, PPF, EPF, NPS, and high savings rate are good signs
But a few gaps need fixing:
No personal insurance
LIC policy is not wealth-creating
Chit fund is not ideal
Direct mutual fund route can be risky without expert help
To move forward strongly:
Increase SIPs when chit ends
Build emergency and marriage fund separately
Take term and health insurance urgently
Exit poor-return products like LIC (after taking term cover)
Use regular mutual fund route with Certified Financial Planner
This way, you will move towards strong, stable wealth creation.
Life goals like marriage, family, and retirement can be achieved comfortably.
A 360° plan makes your future confident and clear.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment