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Ramalingam Kalirajan |7290 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jun 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

Question by Ansh on Jun 16, 2024Hindi

Hi, I am 34 yr male, software engineer earning 2.2 lac/month in hand. My wife is homemaker and have 1.5 yr old twins.Below are few investments and liabilities details. Please help to plan it better, such that children's education and my retirement both things are planned better. Investments: 1. MF 20 lac 2. FD 15 lac 3. Equities 6 lac 4. EPF 20 lac 5. NPS 6 lac 6. PPF 4 lac 7. Gold 5 lac Loans: Home loan 25 lac pending Car loan 5 lac

Ans: It's great to see you're thinking about your financial future. Planning for your children's education and your retirement is essential. Let's look at your investments and liabilities to better plan for these goals.

Evaluating Your Current Investments
Mutual Funds (MF): 20 Lakhs

Mutual funds are a great way to diversify your portfolio. Actively managed funds offer professional management and have the potential to outperform index funds. They can adapt to market changes and provide better returns.

Fixed Deposits (FD): 15 Lakhs

FDs are safe, but their returns barely beat inflation. They should be part of your portfolio for liquidity and safety, but not for growth.

Equities: 6 Lakhs

Direct equity investments can yield high returns but come with higher risk. Diversification is key here to manage risk.

Employee Provident Fund (EPF): 20 Lakhs

EPF is a stable investment for long-term savings and provides tax benefits. It’s excellent for retirement planning due to its consistent returns and government backing.

National Pension System (NPS): 6 Lakhs

NPS offers good returns with tax benefits. It's a smart addition for retirement planning, providing a mix of equity and debt exposure.

Public Provident Fund (PPF): 4 Lakhs

PPF is another safe investment with tax benefits. It’s suitable for long-term goals due to its tax-free returns and safety.

Gold: 5 Lakhs

Gold acts as a hedge against inflation but doesn’t generate regular income. It’s good to have some gold, but it shouldn't be a major part of your portfolio.

Assessing Your Liabilities
Home Loan: 25 Lakhs Pending

Home loans come with tax benefits, but it's crucial to manage them wisely. Reducing this liability can free up funds for other investments.

Car Loan: 5 Lakhs Pending

Car loans have no tax benefits and should be paid off quickly to reduce interest outflow.

Strategic Financial Planning
Prioritizing Goals

Children’s Education
Retirement
Let’s break down how to align your investments with these goals.

Children’s Education Planning
Start an Education Fund

Estimate the future cost of education considering inflation. Invest in diversified mutual funds as they offer potential for high returns. This can help you build a substantial corpus over time.

Regular Contributions

Make systematic investments (SIPs) in mutual funds specifically earmarked for your children’s education. This will ensure disciplined savings and harness the power of compounding.

Retirement Planning
Maximize EPF and NPS Contributions

Continue maximizing your EPF contributions and invest regularly in NPS. These are tax-efficient ways to build your retirement corpus.

Diversified Mutual Funds for Retirement

Invest in diversified mutual funds for higher growth potential. Actively managed funds can adapt to market conditions and provide better returns compared to index funds.

Maintain Liquidity with FDs and PPF

Keep some investments in FDs and PPF for liquidity and safety. They can serve as an emergency fund or provide stable returns during market downturns.

Managing Liabilities
Home Loan Prepayment

Consider prepaying your home loan partially. This can significantly reduce the interest burden and free up funds for other investments.

Pay Off Car Loan

Aim to clear your car loan quickly. It’s a high-interest liability without any tax benefits. Paying it off will improve your cash flow.

Insurance Review
Life Insurance

Ensure you have adequate life insurance coverage. Term insurance is cost-effective and provides substantial coverage for your family’s financial security.

Health Insurance

With a family, comprehensive health insurance is crucial. Ensure your policy covers major medical expenses to avoid dipping into your savings.

Regular Review and Rebalance
Portfolio Review

Regularly review your investment portfolio. Ensure it aligns with your goals and risk tolerance. Rebalance it periodically to maintain the desired asset allocation.

Stay Informed

Keep yourself updated on market trends and economic changes. This will help you make informed investment decisions and adjust your strategy as needed.

Advantages of Regular Funds over Direct Funds
Professional Advice

Investing through a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) provides access to professional advice. CFPs can help you choose the right funds based on your goals and risk profile.

Expertise and Guidance

CFPs offer valuable insights and guidance, ensuring your investments are well-managed. This can result in better performance and goal achievement.

Ease and Convenience

Regular funds through a CFP provide ease and convenience in managing your investments. They handle the paperwork, monitor fund performance, and make necessary adjustments.

Disadvantages of Index Funds
Lack of Flexibility

Index funds track the market index and cannot adapt to changing market conditions. This limits their ability to outperform in different market scenarios.

Market Risks

Index funds are fully exposed to market risks. During market downturns, they can suffer significant losses without any defensive measures.

Lower Returns Potential

Actively managed funds, with expert fund managers, have the potential to outperform the market and generate higher returns. Index funds lack this advantage.

Holistic Approach to Financial Planning
Emergency Fund

Maintain an emergency fund with 6-12 months’ worth of expenses. This will provide a safety net during unforeseen events without disrupting your long-term goals.

Tax Planning

Optimize your tax planning to maximize savings. Use tax-saving instruments and exemptions effectively to reduce your tax liability.

Retirement Corpus Estimation

Estimate the corpus required for retirement considering inflation and lifestyle. This will help you set realistic goals and work towards achieving them.

Estate Planning

Plan your estate to ensure your assets are distributed as per your wishes. This includes drafting a will and considering other legal aspects.

Your dedication to securing your family's future is commendable. Balancing children’s education and retirement planning is a challenging task. Your proactive approach will yield positive results.

Your diverse investment portfolio shows you have a good understanding of financial planning. With a few strategic adjustments, you can achieve your financial goals more efficiently.

Final Insights
To summarize, align your investments with your goals, prioritize education and retirement, manage your liabilities effectively, and regularly review your portfolio. Investing through a Certified Financial Planner can provide expert guidance and improve your financial planning.

Your proactive steps today will ensure a secure and prosperous future for your family. Keep up the good work!

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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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