Hi sir, I am 30 years old, have 1 year old, have health insurance of 20 lacks and term insurance of 1 crore and home EMI of 30,000 per month, tenure left is 202 months, principal 33 lacks remaining, SIP of 21,000 per month - planning to increase it to 30,000 per month, home expenses currently are - 25,000 per month( me, wife, 1 kid), I stay in wagholi - sub urbs of Pune, currently making 1.27 lacks per month, mutual funds portfolio of 6.7 lacks investing since 2019 - my question is - 1. Should I prepayment my home loan faster and better debt free or use the prepayment annual amount in mutual fund lump sum ?
2. I am thinking when my principal amount of home loan reduces to 20 lacks from 33 lacks, then I am thinking of buying a second hand car or 5-6 lacks budget - what do you suggest here ?
Ans: You are just 30 years old. You have already taken steps in the right direction. Your protection planning is strong. Your SIP is consistent. You are also planning for the future. This mindset is very valuable.
Now let us evaluate your financial situation carefully from every angle.
Current Financial Picture – Strong and Promising
You are 30 years old, married, with one-year-old child.
Monthly income is Rs 1.27 lakhs. This gives decent monthly surplus.
SIP of Rs 21,000 already running. Planning to raise it to Rs 30,000 soon.
You have Rs 6.7 lakhs in mutual funds. Investing since 2019. Good commitment.
Health insurance of Rs 20 lakhs is in place. Very good step.
Term insurance of Rs 1 crore is active. Strong protection for family.
Home loan principal of Rs 33 lakhs remaining. EMI is Rs 30,000 per month.
Loan tenure left is 202 months. That is around 17 years.
Household monthly expenses are Rs 25,000. Good control over lifestyle.
Question 1: Prepay Home Loan or Invest in Mutual Fund?
Let us assess this question from multiple directions. This is a very common doubt. Your thinking here is mature.
Loan interest rate is likely between 8% to 9%.
Mutual funds give long-term returns of 12% to 14%. But not fixed.
Home loan interest is fixed cost. Mutual fund return is market-linked.
Loan gives tax benefit under Section 24. But real benefit is limited.
For your income level, net tax saving does not fully justify keeping full loan.
You are young. You have time on your side. You can take little more risk.
However, do not chase higher returns at the cost of mental peace.
If EMI is manageable and savings are growing, continue EMI as usual.
But you can do small annual part prepayment. This reduces interest burden.
Use bonuses or yearly hikes for small prepayments. Not full lump sum.
Avoid large part prepayments unless income becomes uncertain.
At this stage, compounding in mutual funds will benefit you more.
A 30-year-old with long SIPs gains more wealth than early loan closer.
Keep investing lump sum into mutual funds in a staggered way.
Do not invest lump sum all at once. Invest gradually over 3 to 6 months.
Always choose actively managed equity funds. They aim to beat index returns.
Index funds look easy but they can never outperform the market.
Don’t opt for direct funds. They miss expert guidance.
Regular funds through a Certified Financial Planner offer better support.
Suggested Approach for You
Raise SIP from Rs 21,000 to Rs 30,000 per month.
If you get bonus or hike, invest some in SIP top-up. Use some to prepay.
Target one small prepayment per year. Keep it flexible.
This keeps EMI same but cuts down years from the loan.
At same time, you grow your wealth through mutual funds.
This is balanced approach. No emotional stress. No wealth compromise.
Question 2: Buying a Second-Hand Car – Is It Wise?
You plan to buy a used car once loan balance becomes Rs 20 lakhs. Car budget is Rs 5 to 6 lakhs. Let us assess this decision.
This is a personal use decision. Not a financial investment.
If your existing cash flow permits, then it is reasonable.
Do not take car loan. Buy with savings or SIP maturity.
Avoid using mutual fund corpus built for long term.
If planning car in next 2 years, begin a separate short-term fund now.
Save Rs 10,000 monthly in ultra-short or low-duration fund.
By year two, you will have Rs 2.4 lakhs or more. Add bonus to reach Rs 6 lakhs.
Used car means lower depreciation. Better decision than new car.
Don’t break long-term SIPs for buying car. That hurts future goals.
Maintain Rs 2 to 3 lakhs as emergency fund after car purchase.
Planning for Child’s Future – Early Steps Needed
Your child is one year old. You have a good chance to build future corpus now.
Open a separate SIP for child’s education. Start small. Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 monthly.
Equity mutual funds can help with long-term compounding.
Start now. You get 15+ years for the goal.
Do not mix this with your retirement or other goals.
Make it a goal-based SIP. Review once a year.
Retirement Planning – Build It Parallelly
You are young now. But retirement planning should start today.
Beyond your home loan EMI and SIP, keep Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 monthly for retirement.
Don’t depend only on EPF or PPF.
Equity mutual funds build strong retirement wealth over 25+ years.
Keep this SIP separate. This builds financial freedom faster.
Insurance – You Are On the Right Path
You already have:
Health insurance of Rs 20 lakhs. Continue with it. Upgrade later if required.
Term insurance of Rs 1 crore. That covers basic needs. Reassess every 5 years.
Avoid ULIP or endowment policies. They give poor returns.
If you hold any LIC or investment-linked policy, surrender and move to mutual funds.
Emergency Fund – Protects You from Life Shocks
Keep minimum Rs 2 to 3 lakhs as cash or liquid fund.
Use this only for job loss or medical emergency.
Keep this separate from other savings.
This gives peace of mind when markets or jobs are uncertain.
Asset Allocation – Rebalance Regularly
Your current asset mix is mostly in mutual funds and home equity.
Gradually raise equity exposure with age-appropriate risk.
Avoid heavy FD or gold allocation. They don’t beat inflation.
Once loan is under control and income rises, diversify across equity and hybrid funds.
Review portfolio every year with Certified Financial Planner.
Final Insights
Continue home loan EMI as per schedule. Avoid large prepayments.
Increase SIP now to Rs 30,000. Later increase it yearly.
Invest bonus in combination of SIP top-up and small prepayment.
Don’t touch long-term mutual funds for car. Create separate short-term savings.
Buy car only when savings allow. Don’t go for car loan.
Start SIP for child’s education goal separately. Small amount is fine.
Begin retirement SIP now. Do not delay.
Stay away from direct funds. Regular plans via CFP give guidance and review.
Avoid index funds. They cannot outperform market. Active funds do better.
Keep Rs 3 lakhs in emergency fund. Protects from life surprises.
Review goals every year. Adjust based on salary or family needs.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment