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Ramalingam Kalirajan |6845 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Oct 28, 2024

Ramalingam Kalirajan has over 23 years of experience in mutual funds and financial planning.
He has an MBA in finance from the University of Madras and is a certified financial planner.
He is the director and chief financial planner at Holistic Investment, a Chennai-based firm that offers financial planning and wealth management advice.... more

Asked by Anonymous - Oct 26, 2024Hindi

Hi Sir, I'm 34 years old. I have one kid. I'm investing 13000 per month in sip Axis Bluechip Direct Plan(Equity Large Cap) - 1000 Parag Parikh Flexi cap - 1000 Tata small cap - 2000 UTI nifty 50 index - 4500 Aditya Birla sun life nifty midcap 150 index - 1000 Kotak Emerging Equity fund Midcap - 1000 Motilal Oswal Equity Midcap - 1000 UTI nifty next 50 index - 1500 My monthly savings is 1.5 Lakh. I'm planning to retire by 45 years old. I'm investing 1.5 lakh in ppf per year Investing NPS 3000 per month Investing LIC 30000 per year Remaining amount investing in FD Is my Monthly sip is good balanced portfolio? How I can maximize my savings so i will get good corpus for kid education, marriage and passive income after 10 years. Please provide your valuable suggest on this

Ans: You are doing a commendable job saving Rs. 1.5 lakh per month and making SIP investments. Your goals of early retirement by 45 and building a corpus for your child’s education and marriage show great foresight. Let’s now evaluate your current investments and suggest strategies to maximise your savings and returns over the next decade.

Portfolio Review and Balance
Excessive Focus on Index Funds:

Around 50% of your SIPs are allocated to index funds. While index funds mirror benchmarks, they lack flexibility to outperform the market.
Actively managed funds allow professional fund managers to identify opportunities and respond to market changes quickly.
Overlapping in Midcap Funds:

You are investing in multiple midcap funds, such as Kotak Emerging, Motilal Oswal Midcap, and Nifty Midcap 150 Index. This leads to over-diversification without adding real value.
Consolidating into one actively managed midcap fund can offer better results with fewer redundancies.
High Equity Exposure:

Most of your SIPs are concentrated in equity funds. While equities generate good long-term returns, it is important to balance risk with some allocation to debt instruments.
Recommendations for an Optimised Investment Strategy
Shift from Index Funds to Actively Managed Funds:

Replace some index fund SIPs with actively managed diversified funds. These funds can outperform benchmarks over time, especially in volatile markets.
Invest Through a Certified Financial Planner (CFP):

Instead of using direct funds, consider investing through a Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD) with a CFP credential. Regular funds give access to expert advice and portfolio reviews.
Streamline Your Midcap Investments:

Pick one strong midcap fund to avoid overlapping. This will help in better tracking and focused growth.
Increase Allocation to PPF and NPS:

Both PPF and NPS offer tax benefits and stable returns. Increasing your contributions to these will help you create a balanced portfolio with lower risks.
Add Debt Mutual Funds for Stability:

Debt funds reduce volatility and offer steady returns, balancing your overall portfolio. It will also ensure liquidity for short-term goals.
LIC and FD – Reconsider Allocation
Review Your LIC Policies:

If you hold LIC investment-cum-insurance policies, you may want to surrender them. The returns are often lower compared to mutual funds.
You can reinvest the proceeds into mutual funds or PPF, which will build a larger corpus over time.
Re-evaluate FD Investments:

Fixed Deposits provide safety but offer lower returns. Consider shifting a portion to debt mutual funds, which can offer better post-tax returns.
Building Corpus for Child’s Education and Marriage
Dedicated Child Education Fund:

Start a separate investment fund for your child’s education using balanced or hybrid mutual funds. These funds offer moderate risk with steady returns over time.
SIPs in child-specific mutual funds with a 10-year horizon can create a sizeable corpus.
Plan for Marriage Expenses:

Allocate a portion of your investments to conservative hybrid funds. These will provide safety and moderate growth, ideal for a 10-15 year goal like marriage.
Passive Income Planning for Early Retirement
Focus on Creating a Dividend Income Stream:

Invest in equity mutual funds with a dividend option. This will generate passive income after your retirement.
As you approach retirement, gradually shift to conservative debt funds to protect your corpus.
Invest in Systematic Withdrawal Plans (SWP):

Use SWPs to receive a regular monthly payout from your investments. This ensures steady cash flow while keeping the corpus intact.
Taxation Awareness for Mutual Fund Gains
Plan for Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG):

LTCG above Rs. 1.25 lakh on equity funds is taxed at 12.5%.
Short-term capital gains (STCG) are taxed at 20%.
Debt Fund Taxation:

Both long-term and short-term gains from debt funds are taxed as per your income tax slab.
Understanding these tax implications helps in timing redemptions and optimising returns.

Adjusting for Inflation and Contingencies
Account for Rising Costs:

Education and marriage costs will increase due to inflation. Regularly increase SIP amounts to match the rising expenses.
Maintain an Emergency Fund:

Set aside 6-12 months of expenses in a liquid fund or savings account for emergencies. This ensures you are not forced to redeem long-term investments prematurely.
Finally
You are on the right track with disciplined savings and investments. However, shifting some funds from index funds to actively managed funds will improve your portfolio’s growth potential. Streamlining overlapping investments and increasing contributions to debt instruments will also bring balance.

Building a separate corpus for your child's education and using systematic withdrawal plans will secure passive income post-retirement. Keep reviewing your portfolio regularly to adapt to changing market conditions and goals.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

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

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.