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Ramalingam Kalirajan |7290 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Oct 21, 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 20, 2024Hindi

Sir I have 1.3 cr in mf.A mix of equity and debt 80 equity .Another 85lacs in equity . Real estate house worth 1 cr.income is 3 lacs per month .age is 53.my indexed pension gets me 1 lac . Want to reach by 60 yrs 8 cr .please guide .I do lumpsum investment .Biggest md is ppfas and Franklin flexi

Ans: At 53 years of age, your goal to reach an Rs 8 crore corpus by 60 is ambitious but achievable with disciplined investment strategies. As a Certified Financial Planner, it’s important to assess both your current assets and income, along with the investments needed to achieve this goal. Let's break it down step-by-step while keeping your investment horizon in mind.

Assessing Your Current Financial Situation
Here’s an overview of your financial assets and monthly income:

Mutual Funds: Rs 1.3 crore
Your portfolio consists of an 80% allocation to equity and 20% to debt.

Direct Equity: Rs 85 lakhs
You have additional equity holdings worth Rs 85 lakhs.

Real Estate (House): Rs 1 crore
Though valuable, real estate provides no liquid income, and we will exclude it from active retirement planning.

Monthly Income: Rs 3 lakhs
This is a comfortable income, ensuring your immediate needs are met.

Indexed Pension: Rs 1 lakh per month
This will provide inflation-adjusted support during your retirement.

You have already laid a solid foundation for growth with significant exposure to equity. Equity investments are key for wealth creation over the long term, but as retirement approaches, we need to evaluate the balance between risk and growth.

Setting a Target of Rs 8 Crore
To achieve Rs 8 crore by the age of 60, you will need to strategically grow your existing portfolio. Given that you have seven years to achieve this goal, and considering inflation and market volatility, it's crucial to focus on both capital preservation and growth.

Equity Exposure and Active Management
Your current portfolio is heavily tilted towards equity, which is beneficial for long-term growth. However, nearing retirement, it's advisable to slightly rebalance your portfolio to reduce risk.

Avoid Index Funds:
Index funds often mirror market performance. While they are low-cost, they may not outperform actively managed funds. Actively managed funds have the potential to deliver higher returns, especially during volatile market phases.

Continue with Actively Managed Equity Mutual Funds:
The Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund and Franklin Flexi Cap Fund are actively managed funds that adjust their asset allocation based on market conditions. These funds have a better chance of outperforming the market compared to index funds, making them a suitable choice.

Diversify Across Market Caps:
Consider adding exposure to mid-cap and small-cap funds to capture the growth potential of emerging companies. However, keep the allocation lower than large-cap funds, given that you're approaching retirement.

Review Sectoral Allocations:
Ensure that your portfolio does not have overexposure to any single sector. A diversified portfolio across various industries like technology, healthcare, and FMCG will balance risks and potential returns.

Debt Exposure for Stability
Though your equity exposure drives growth, it's important to maintain an allocation to debt for stability and protection against market volatility. Your current allocation to debt is 20%, but you may consider gradually increasing this to 30-35% as you approach 60.

Avoid Direct Debt Funds:
Direct funds might seem attractive because of lower costs, but regular funds invested through a CFP offer professional advice, portfolio rebalancing, and better monitoring of your financial goals. CFPs add value by providing personalised advice that is not available in direct plans.

Add Dynamic Bond Funds:
Dynamic bond funds adjust their duration based on interest rate movements. They offer better returns compared to traditional debt instruments and can act as a good hedge against equity market volatility.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP):
Post-retirement, you can set up an SWP from your debt mutual funds to generate a regular income stream, in addition to your pension. This strategy ensures your investments continue to grow, while providing you with liquidity.

Maximising Lumpsum Investments
Since you prefer lump-sum investments, it's important to make calculated decisions with the timing and allocation of these investments. Here are a few strategies for lump-sum investing:

Invest in Phases:
While lumpsum investments offer convenience, they expose you to market timing risk. To mitigate this, consider spreading your lumpsum investments over a few months or quarters. This strategy is known as Systematic Transfer Plan (STP), where you transfer your lump sum into equity in smaller amounts to reduce the risk of entering at a market peak.

Utilise Balanced Advantage Funds:
Balanced advantage funds dynamically allocate between equity and debt. These funds can provide the growth potential of equity while cushioning market downturns with debt exposure. They are a good option for lump-sum investments if you are concerned about market volatility.

Tax Planning and New Mutual Fund Rules
Tax efficiency will play a key role in your investment decisions. The new mutual fund capital gains taxation rules should be considered while managing your portfolio:

Equity Mutual Funds:
Long-term capital gains (LTCG) over Rs 1.25 lakh per year are taxed at 12.5%. Short-term capital gains (STCG) are taxed at 20%.

Debt Mutual Funds:
Both LTCG and STCG from debt mutual funds are taxed as per your income tax slab. This makes debt funds less tax-efficient compared to equity, but they are necessary for stability.

By planning your withdrawals and utilising SWPs, you can manage tax liability while ensuring a steady cash flow during retirement.

Realign Your Direct Equity Holdings
Your direct equity holdings worth Rs 85 lakhs also contribute to your wealth-building journey. However, managing direct equity can be risky, especially as you approach retirement.

Assess Portfolio Performance:
Review your current equity holdings and assess if they are in line with your goals. Are they delivering the expected returns? If not, consider switching underperforming stocks to well-performing mutual funds or large-cap stocks with a steady growth track record.

Diversify into Mutual Funds:
Direct equity carries a higher risk, especially for someone nearing retirement. Consider shifting a portion of your direct equity holdings into actively managed mutual funds, which are professionally managed, diversified, and offer better stability.

Importance of Emergency Fund
An emergency fund is vital, especially as you approach retirement. Ensure that a portion of your assets, like your Rs 1 crore real estate investment, or part of your Rs 85 lakh equity, is kept liquid and accessible for emergencies.

Liquid Funds or Short-Term Debt Funds:
Instead of letting money sit idle in a savings account, you can park your emergency funds in liquid mutual funds or short-term debt funds. These funds provide better returns than bank savings, while still being accessible.
Structuring Your Retirement Income
Given that your indexed pension provides Rs 1 lakh per month, you will require an additional income source to meet your monthly expenses and lifestyle needs during retirement. Here’s how you can plan this:

SWP from Debt Mutual Funds:
Set up a systematic withdrawal plan from your debt mutual funds. This ensures a steady cash flow and keeps your equity investments intact for growth.

Use Equity Dividends:
Your equity mutual funds and direct equity can provide dividends, which you can use as additional income.

Final Insights
To achieve your goal of Rs 8 crore by 60, you need to optimise your current investments and manage risks as you approach retirement. Here's a quick recap of the key strategies:

Continue with actively managed equity mutual funds for growth, but diversify across market caps and sectors.

Avoid index funds as they offer limited growth potential compared to actively managed funds.

Gradually increase your debt exposure for stability, and consider investing in dynamic bond funds.

Invest lumpsum amounts in phases using Systematic Transfer Plans (STPs) to reduce market timing risk.

Utilise Systematic Withdrawal Plans (SWPs) for regular income post-retirement, ensuring liquidity.

Realign your direct equity holdings and shift a portion to diversified mutual funds for better stability.

By following these steps and regularly reviewing your portfolio, you can work towards your goal of Rs 8 crore while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle.

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.