
Hi, I'm 34 years.
I've a home loan of 48L emi is 50k (home loan pending tenure is 13years)... my net salary in hand is 1.3L. currently I don't have much monthly exp as I live in joint family n I have good control on my exp..
- My monthly investments are MF sip 30k, NPS 3K, ICICI child gift ulip plan 4K monthly for 5years, Bajaj retirement goal III ulip plan monthly 5k for 10years, LIC premium monthly 5K. And I pay extra Home loan pricipal monthly 12k..
-I've other investments 10fd, MF around 21L, equity stock around 17L, PPF 10L, NPS 2L, SGB 1L, suknya account 1.3L, ..
1) What you suggest shall I continue the my MF sips and other investments?
2) shall I increase monthly home loan prepayment from 12k by reducing monthly MF sips ?
3) guide am I in right direction in order to have retirement fund at the age of 50-55 ?
4) In future I'll have the exp of my two kids marriage and educational exp (they're now 2years)
5) Is child plan good? Shall I continue?
7) Also I'm planning to have another house (in year 2029-2034) which will cost nearly 1.7cr. currently the house for which loan is taken sale value is approx 70-75L..
Ans: At 34, you are doing many good things.
You live within your means and invest well.
Still, you asked the right questions.
Let us go step by step.
This answer will be simple but deep.
We will assess from a 360-degree angle.
Let us now begin.
Income, Loan and Lifestyle Assessment
Your net monthly salary is Rs. 1.3 lakh.
Your current EMI is Rs. 50,000. This is almost 38% of your income.
You pay Rs. 12,000 extra as home loan prepayment.
Your total home loan outflow is Rs. 62,000 per month.
You have strong cost control because you live in a joint family.
That is a big plus at this age. Keep it up.
Your current lifestyle gives you surplus money. That is a strength.
Do not let lifestyle inflation spoil this later.
Review of Your Ongoing Monthly Investments
SIP in mutual funds: Rs. 30,000 monthly. This is a good habit.
NPS contribution: Rs. 3,000 per month. But NPS has lock-in and limited flexibility.
LIC: Rs. 5,000 monthly. LIC policies mostly offer low returns.
ICICI child ULIP: Rs. 4,000 monthly. ULIPs are not cost-effective.
Bajaj Retirement ULIP: Rs. 5,000 monthly. Also not efficient.
You are paying Rs. 17,000 per month towards ULIP and LIC combined.
This money can earn more if invested in mutual funds.
ULIP and LIC Policies: Need Review
ULIP plans have high costs and complex structures.
They mix insurance and investment. That is never a smart idea.
LIC plans also give low returns (around 5-6% only).
Instead of continuing for full term, check surrender value now.
You may stop future payments after checking terms.
A Certified Financial Planner can assist in evaluating surrender wisely.
That money should be moved to mutual funds via SIP.
Assessment of Mutual Fund Investments
SIP of Rs. 30,000 monthly is excellent. Continue it.
You already have Rs. 21 lakh in mutual funds. That is solid.
Don't reduce SIP to increase home loan prepayment.
Mutual funds help build wealth faster than home loan savings.
Prepayment gives 8.5% benefit (loan rate).
But mutual funds (active ones) can give 12-14% over long term.
So reducing SIPs to prepay loan is not wise.
Continue SIPs. Increase them if income increases.
PPF, NPS and SGB – Conservative, Yet Useful
PPF: Rs. 10 lakh. Tax-free and safe. Keep investing the max every year.
NPS: Rs. 2 lakh. Good for tax saving. But retirement corpus gets locked.
SGB: Rs. 1 lakh. Gold bonds are fine for partial diversification.
Use PPF more than NPS because of better flexibility.
FDs and Stocks – Balancing Safety with Growth
You have Rs. 10 lakh in fixed deposits. Good for emergency or short-term needs.
Equity stocks: Rs. 17 lakh. Shows you are growth-oriented.
Review stock portfolio once every 6 months.
Don’t hold stocks if you're unsure of their quality.
If needed, shift to mutual funds where experts manage the money.
Child ULIP Plans – Better to Avoid
These child ULIPs are sold emotionally, not financially.
High costs and limited transparency are common issues.
Returns are low due to charges.
For your kids’ education and marriage, mutual funds are better.
Start two SIPs – one for education and one for marriage.
Invest in multi-cap and flexi-cap mutual funds.
Keep increasing these SIPs as income grows.
Future Second Home Purchase – Evaluation Needed
You are planning to buy another house worth Rs. 1.7 crore.
Your current home value is Rs. 70–75 lakh.
Don’t look at second house as an investment.
Real estate brings risk, low liquidity and high maintenance.
If it's for self-use, then fine.
But for wealth creation, mutual funds are better.
Don’t take another big loan just for second house.
That can disturb cash flow and limit investments.
If needed, sell existing house and use that as down payment.
Debt vs Equity Thinking – Long-Term Wealth Needs Equity
You are still young. Just 34.
Retirement goal is 50–55. You still have 16–21 years.
Equity mutual funds help in wealth creation.
Debt products like FDs, PPF, NPS are safe but grow slowly.
So, most savings should go to equity mutual funds now.
Only emergency and near-term goals should use FDs or PPF.
Tax Efficiency – Optimise Your Structure
Income tax savings from home loan are fine.
NPS gives extra deduction under 80CCD(1B).
But ULIPs and LIC do not give long-term tax benefits.
Mutual funds are now taxed at 12.5% for long term.
Still, mutual funds offer better post-tax growth than LIC/ULIP.
Emergency Fund and Insurance Coverage
Keep 6 months’ expense in FD or savings as emergency fund.
Check if you have term life cover. Minimum Rs. 1 crore is needed.
Also check family medical insurance. Rs. 10–15 lakh cover is good.
Don’t mix insurance with investment. Keep both separate.
Action Plan: Clear, Simple and Step-by-Step
Continue your Rs. 30,000 SIP. Increase yearly if possible.
Review and surrender ULIPs and LIC if suitable.
Stop all future ULIP premiums. Redirect to mutual funds.
Don’t reduce SIPs to prepay loan. Let SIPs continue.
Make home loan prepayment only if surplus money is idle.
Start SIPs for child education and marriage.
Don’t go for second house as investment.
Review stocks and replace with mutual funds if not confident.
Maintain FDs for emergency, not as long-term investment.
Ensure term life and health cover are in place.
Update nominations and keep all documents organised.
Finally
Your financial journey has a strong start.
You have right habits and long-term thinking.
But your portfolio needs cleaning.
ULIPs and LIC are eating your returns quietly.
Your SIPs are your strongest weapon. Don’t pause them.
Buy house only if it’s for personal use, not wealth building.
Your retirement goal at 50–55 is achievable.
But only if equity investment continues and grows.
Children’s goals will come faster than you think.
Start SIPs now for them. Don’t depend on ULIPs.
You are on the right track. Just remove the low-return blocks.
Review regularly with a Certified Financial Planner.
That will help you move confidently, year after year.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment