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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7548 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 06, 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
Dinesh Question by Dinesh on Apr 13, 2024Hindi
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Hi sir, I am 30 and currently doing a sip of 5k in ppfas and 5k in quant infrastructure fund. I have home loan of 65 Lakhs as well at 8.75%. I am planning to invest another 10k per month. Could you kindly suggest where I can invest for my son (3 years) higher education and for retirement. Can investing in nps beat mutual funds?

Ans: It's commendable that you're prioritizing financial planning at such a young age. Let's delve into your investment options:

• Firstly, I appreciate your disciplined approach to investing through SIPs, which is a smart way to build wealth over time.
• It's great that you're thinking ahead about your son's future education and your retirement needs.

• Considering your current investments, we can explore additional mutual fund options to diversify your portfolio.
• Diversification helps spread risk and optimize returns, essential for achieving long-term financial goals.

• When it comes to investing for your son's education and your retirement, it's crucial to align your investments with your time horizon and risk tolerance.
• For long-term goals like these, equity mutual funds offer the potential for higher returns, albeit with higher volatility.

• Regarding your query about the National Pension System (NPS) versus mutual funds, both have their pros and cons.
• NPS offers tax benefits and a structured retirement savings platform, but it comes with restrictions on withdrawals and limited investment choices.

• On the other hand, mutual funds provide greater flexibility in investment choices and withdrawal options.
• However, they lack the tax benefits of NPS.

• Ultimately, the decision between NPS and mutual funds depends on your individual preferences, risk appetite, and financial goals.
• It's essential to weigh the pros and cons of each option and choose the one that best aligns with your needs.

• As a Certified Financial Planner, I can help you analyze your financial situation and goals to create a customized investment plan.
• Together, we'll select suitable mutual funds that balance growth potential and risk for your son's education and retirement.

• Remember, investing is a journey, and it's essential to stay disciplined and focused on your long-term objectives.
• With careful planning and prudent decision-making, you can build a secure financial future for yourself and your family.

• Keep up the excellent work with your investments, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or need assistance.
• You're on the right track towards achieving your financial aspirations, and I'm here to support you every step of the way.
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.
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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7548 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 27, 2024

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Hallo Sir, I'm Railway employee, aged 33 yrs, married and glad to have 8 months baby boy. My gross income Rs. 8,00,000/- Per annum... I have House building lone of Rs. 31,000/- pm. After all expenditure of per month. Deduction of NPS fund are there per month as the guide line of govt. Except the NPS deduction I have PPF account where I'm Investing of Rs. 1,500/-pm. Now I am determined to invest of Rs. 17,000/- pm per month to secure the future of my son and I have a long term goal minimum of 10 years. May please advise me where I shoud invest the Rs. 17,000/- pm. Let me also know how to invest the aforesaid amount in different ways to earn maximum profit. Thanking you in anticipation.
Ans: Congratulations on the newest addition to your family! It's heartwarming to see your dedication to securing your son's future. With a clear goal of investing Rs. 17,000 per month for the next 10 years, you're taking a significant step towards long-term financial stability.

Considering your circumstances, it's wise to explore a diversified investment approach tailored to your risk tolerance and financial goals. This might include a mix of equity mutual funds, debt instruments, and possibly even some exposure to balanced or hybrid funds.

By diversifying your investments, you spread risk and maximize potential returns over the long term. Remember, investing is a journey, and it's crucial to stay focused on your goals while navigating market fluctuations.

Consulting with a Certified Financial Planner can provide personalized guidance aligned with your aspirations. Together, you can craft a robust investment strategy that caters to your son's future needs and ensures financial security for your growing family.

Your commitment to securing your son's future is truly commendable, and with strategic planning and prudent investment choices, you're laying a solid foundation for his bright tomorrow.

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7548 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 17, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Apr 29, 2024Hindi
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Hi sir I am 42 year old and have a lumpsum amount of 40lakh to invest but have no idea where to invest. Currently paying 22500 monthly sip in mutual fund. I am thinking of investing in property(land) or SWP or pension plan. Kindly guide me to choose right option or you have any other option which fruitful for me. My goal is to save money for my child's higher education and after retirement life.
Ans: Strategic Investment Planning for Long-Term Goals

Greetings! It’s great to see your proactive approach to investing for your child’s higher education and your retirement. Let's evaluate your current situation and explore the best options for investing your ?40 lakh lump sum amount.

Current Financial Situation
Age: 42 years
Lump Sum Amount: ?40 lakh
Existing SIP: ?22,500 per month in mutual funds
Goals:
Child’s Higher Education
Retirement Planning
Investment Options Analysis
1. Real Estate (Land)
Investing in property, especially land, can be lucrative but also comes with challenges such as liquidity issues, market fluctuations, and maintenance costs. Real estate investments require significant capital and may not provide regular income or ease of access when needed for education or retirement.

2. Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP)
An SWP from mutual funds can provide regular income, ideal for retirement. It allows you to withdraw a fixed amount periodically while keeping the rest invested. However, this might not be the best choice for maximizing growth for future education expenses.

3. Pension Plan
Pension plans provide regular income post-retirement but often come with lower returns compared to mutual funds. They are less flexible and can have higher costs.

Recommended Investment Strategy
Given your goals, a diversified approach combining equity, debt, and balanced funds can provide growth, stability, and flexibility.

1. Equity Mutual Funds
Equity mutual funds offer high growth potential, essential for long-term goals like education and retirement.

Allocation: Invest 60% of your lump sum (?24 lakh) in a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, and multi-cap funds. Large-cap funds offer stability, while mid-cap and multi-cap funds provide growth potential.
2. Debt Mutual Funds
Debt funds provide stability and lower volatility, preserving capital and offering steady returns.

Allocation: Invest 20% of your lump sum (?8 lakh) in debt mutual funds. Include short-term, long-term, and corporate bond funds for diversification.
3. Balanced Advantage Funds
Balanced advantage funds dynamically adjust their equity and debt allocation based on market conditions, providing a balanced risk-return profile.

Allocation: Invest 20% of your lump sum (?8 lakh) in balanced advantage funds. These funds offer stability with the potential for growth and are suitable for medium to long-term goals.
Systematic Investment Plan (SIP)
Continue your existing SIPs of ?22,500 per month in equity mutual funds. Consider increasing your SIP amount as your income grows to enhance your corpus over time.

Setting Up a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP)
As you approach retirement, you can set up an SWP from your mutual fund investments. This provides regular income while keeping your corpus invested and growing.

Strategic Rebalancing
Regularly review and rebalance your portfolio to maintain the desired asset allocation. This helps manage risk and aligns your investments with your financial goals.

Benefits of This Approach
Diversification: Combining equity, debt, and balanced funds provides a diversified portfolio, reducing risk and enhancing returns.
Flexibility: Mutual funds offer flexibility in terms of liquidity and adjusting your investment strategy as your financial situation changes.
Professional Management: Actively managed funds with professional oversight can outperform passive investments, particularly in dynamic markets.
Consulting a Certified Financial Planner
Regularly consult a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) to tailor your investments to your specific needs. A CFP can provide personalized advice, ensure tax efficiency, and adjust your strategy based on market conditions and your evolving financial goals.

Conclusion
Investing your ?40 lakh lump sum in a diversified mix of equity, debt, and balanced funds, along with continuing and potentially increasing your SIPs, will help you achieve your long-term goals of funding your child's higher education and securing a comfortable retirement. Regular portfolio reviews and rebalancing, guided by a CFP, will ensure your investments stay on track.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7548 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 10, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - May 06, 2024Hindi
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Hi sir I am 42 year old and have a lumpsum amount of 40lakh to invest but have no idea where to invest.Currently paying 22500 monthly sip in mutual fund. I am thinking of investing in property or SWP or pension plan. Kindly guide me to choose right option or you have any other option which you can suggest. My goal is to save money for my child's higher education and lively hood for me after retirement.
Ans: I appreciate your proactive approach to financial planning. With your lump sum amount of 40 lakh and ongoing SIP investments, you're in a good position to enhance your financial portfolio. Considering your goals of saving for your child's higher education and securing your livelihood post-retirement, let's explore your options:
1. Property Investment: While property investment can offer long-term appreciation potential, it also comes with significant costs, illiquidity, and maintenance hassles. Given your goals and the unpredictability of the real estate market, it might not be the most suitable option.
2. SWP (Systematic Withdrawal Plan): SWP can provide you with a regular income stream by redeeming units from your mutual fund investments. It's a flexible option that allows you to tailor the withdrawal amount according to your needs. However, the sustainability of SWP depends on the performance of your underlying investments.
3. Pension Plan: Opting for a pension plan can help secure a steady income stream during your retirement years. It offers the benefit of guaranteed payouts, but the returns may be lower compared to other investment avenues. Additionally, pension plans may lack flexibility in terms of contributions and withdrawals.
Considering your age and goals, I'd suggest exploring a combination of options:
• Continue SIPs: Maintain your ongoing SIPs to capitalize on rupee cost averaging and benefit from long-term compounding.
• Diversified Mutual Fund Portfolio: Allocate a portion of your lump sum amount to diversify your mutual fund portfolio across equity and debt funds, aligning with your risk tolerance and investment horizon.
• Emergency Fund: Set aside a portion of your lump sum for an emergency fund to cover unforeseen expenses.
• Term Insurance and Health Insurance: Ensure you have adequate insurance coverage to safeguard your family's financial well-being.
• Regular Financial Reviews: Periodically review your investment portfolio and adjust your strategy as needed to stay on track towards your goals.
As a Certified Financial Planner, I recommend consulting with a professional to create a customized financial plan tailored to your specific needs and objectives.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7548 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Oct 04, 2024

Money
Sir, After closing my home loan, I have free amount of 70kpm which I am looking to invest with low risk. I have planned in the below manner: 10 kpm - in gold etf or gold mf (which is better) 5 kpm - in NPS vatsalya scheme (for elder son 15y age) 5 kpm - in NPS vatsalya scheme (for younger son 10y age) 20 kpm - in RD for next year school fees of both sons 15 kpm - in RD for family vacation 15 kpm - in MF SIP. PLease suggest. Will NPS be a good option for our sons future? DO you suggest any other option? I am already investing 40kpm in SIP MF, 10kpm in Term plan of SA 1.5 CR. 20 kpm in conventional Insurance plans. 40 kpm in my PF & PPF. 10kpm in my NPS
Ans: Your current investment strategy is well thought out, considering various goals for your family’s future. With a monthly surplus of Rs 70,000 after closing your home loan, you’ve allocated this amount towards multiple financial goals. Let's assess each component of your plan and evaluate its effectiveness for low-risk investments while considering your children's future.

Gold ETF vs. Gold Mutual Fund
Gold ETF: Gold ETFs are cost-efficient and directly linked to the price of gold. They are traded like stocks and have lower expense ratios compared to gold mutual funds. They provide liquidity and allow you to hold physical gold in electronic form without the storage hassle.

Gold Mutual Fund: Gold mutual funds invest in gold ETFs. These funds are more accessible, especially for investors who don’t have a demat account. However, they come with a higher expense ratio compared to ETFs.

For long-term investment in gold, Gold ETFs would be a better choice because of lower costs and direct linkage to gold prices. However, both options are relatively safe for gold investments.

NPS Vatsalya Scheme for Children
You’ve planned to invest Rs 5,000 per month for each of your sons in the NPS Vatsalya scheme. Let’s analyse whether NPS is the best option for your children's future.

NPS Benefits: NPS is a low-cost, government-backed pension scheme. While it offers tax benefits, it is primarily a retirement planning tool. Since NPS locks in the corpus until retirement age, it may not be the most ideal choice for children's education or other financial needs before they turn 60.
For your sons’ future, it might be better to consider long-term equity mutual funds or child plans that provide flexibility and potential higher returns for educational needs or other significant life events. Mutual funds allow partial withdrawals and can align better with milestones like higher education or marriage.

Suggested Alternatives:

Consider equity mutual funds with a long-term horizon, which provide better growth potential for your sons' future goals.
You could also explore child education plans that offer benefits aligned with specific milestones like higher education.
Recurring Deposits (RDs) for Short-Term Goals
20K for School Fees: This allocation is prudent. RDs are safe, and since the goal is short-term, using an RD for your children’s school fees next year is a sound strategy. It ensures safety and liquidity.

15K for Family Vacation: Saving in an RD for your family vacation is a good idea for the short term. It keeps your savings safe and ensures you can use the funds when needed without risking market fluctuations.

Assessment:

For both these short-term goals, RDs are a low-risk and appropriate choice.
Mutual Fund SIPs
15K for Mutual Fund SIP: Allocating Rs 15,000 towards equity mutual funds via SIPs is a smart move for wealth creation. Equity mutual funds are suitable for long-term goals, and SIPs bring discipline and rupee cost averaging.
Since you are already investing Rs 40,000 per month in mutual funds, increasing this by Rs 15,000 strengthens your portfolio and ensures long-term growth potential. This balance between equity investments and safer options like RDs and gold is a well-rounded strategy.

Insight:

Diversifying your SIPs across large-cap, mid-cap, and hybrid funds can help manage risk and improve returns over time.
Ensure you are invested in actively managed mutual funds instead of index funds to maximize your returns, as actively managed funds have the potential to outperform in different market conditions.
Evaluating Your Current Investments
Rs 40K in SIPs: Your existing investment of Rs 40,000 per month in mutual funds shows a good focus on long-term growth. Since mutual funds offer better growth potential than traditional savings, it is a good strategy to balance risk and reward.

Rs 10K in Term Plan (SA 1.5 CR): A term plan is an essential part of any financial plan, especially for a family. Your term plan with a sum assured of Rs 1.5 crore is adequate to provide for your family in case of any unforeseen circumstances. Continue with this policy as it serves to protect your family financially.

Rs 20K in Conventional Insurance Plans: Conventional insurance plans often provide lower returns compared to mutual funds or other investment options. They usually mix insurance and investment, which results in sub-optimal returns. You may want to reconsider whether these plans align with your long-term goals. Instead, pure term insurance for protection, combined with mutual funds for growth, usually provides better results.

Rs 40K in PF & PPF: Your existing contributions to PF and PPF are ideal for low-risk, long-term saving. These schemes offer safe, tax-efficient growth. Keep contributing as they ensure stability in your portfolio.

Rs 10K in NPS: Investing in NPS for your own retirement is a sound decision, as it provides tax benefits and helps you build a retirement corpus with a mix of equity and debt exposure.

Suggestions for Improvement
NPS for Children: As discussed, NPS is not the best fit for your sons’ future. For their education and other life goals, consider investing in mutual funds or dedicated child plans instead.

Reevaluate Conventional Insurance Plans: These plans often come with low returns and high costs. If possible, shift the investment component to equity mutual funds or SIPs. You already have sufficient life insurance coverage through your term plan.

Increase SIP Contributions Gradually: Over time, as your income grows, try to increase your SIP contributions. Even a 10-15% increase every year can significantly boost your wealth over the long term, thanks to the power of compounding.

Ensure Proper Allocation for Retirement: While you are focusing on your children’s future and short-term goals, ensure that your retirement planning is not compromised. Continue contributions to PF, PPF, and NPS while allocating enough towards equity mutual funds for long-term growth.

Final Insights
Your approach is a solid mix of safety and growth, reflecting thoughtful planning. The inclusion of RDs for short-term goals, gold for diversification, and mutual funds for long-term wealth creation provides balance. However, reconsidering NPS for your children and conventional insurance plans can optimize your strategy further.

Your commitment to Rs 40K in PF, PPF, and Rs 10K in your NPS ensures long-term stability. The additional Rs 70K per month is wisely planned for both low-risk and growth-oriented goals. Keep reviewing your strategy periodically to adjust to any changes in income, goals, or market conditions.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

..Read more

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