40-Year-Old Professional Seeking Advice on Investment Strategy

I am 40 years old working professional, working in private firm getting in hand salary of Rs. 2.25 lacs/month. I am invested Rs. 50k via SIP in large/mid/small cap in 40:30:30 ratio from 2023 and one HDFC ULIP plan (premium is Rs. 1.5 lacs per year from 2018) . I had an home loan of Rs. 30 lacs o/s as on today for which I am paying around Rs 58k EMI. I had 2 sons of 8 years and 3 years and I have 2 financial goals, 1st is their higher education and 2nd is our comfortable retirement (if possible early retirement by age of 50). Pl guide, if I am on right path or need to amend the approach?

Ans: Hello;

You MF monthly sip(2023 onset)will grow into a sum of 1.47 Cr by the time you will be 50.

Add this to your estimated corpus expected from ULIP plan and you will get a better clarity for coverage on both the goals, kid's education and retirement corpus.

Leaving the ulip part aside, I feel you should double your monthly sip, or enhance it by 50% atleast, if you are planning for early retirement.

After 5-6 years reduce allocation to mid and small caps and increase allocation to large caps, debt and gold for balance and stability.

Happy Investing!!

*Investments in mutual funds are subject to market risks. Please read all scheme related documents carefully before investing.

Ans: Assessing Your Current Financial Situation
You are 41 years old, employed in a public sector organisation, and have a solid financial foundation. Your Rs. 75 lakh corpus in mutual funds and Rs. 5 lakh in the National Pension Scheme (NPS) reflect your diligent savings habits. Additionally, with two house properties and a net monthly income of Rs. 1,70,000 after paying off EMIs, your financial discipline is clear.

Your current monthly SIP of Rs. 90,000 showcases your commitment to growing your investments, while your monthly expenses of Rs. 60,000 leave you with a significant surplus for further investments. You also have the ambitious goal of retiring in 5 years, with the plan of having Rs. 2.5 crore after clearing your home loan of Rs. 50 lakh. Additionally, you expect Rs. 60,000 monthly pension, which will increase annually by 5% due to dearness relief.

Given your situation and goals, let’s break down and assess each area in detail.

Loan Management and Repayment Strategy
You currently have an outstanding home loan of Rs. 50 lakh, which you aim to clear within 5 years. This aligns well with your retirement timeline and ensures that by the time you retire, you will be debt-free.

Advantages of clearing the home loan: Once your home loan is fully paid off, the burden of EMIs will be removed from your financial planning. This will significantly free up your monthly cash flow.

Focus on increasing the principal repayment: If possible, you should consider making lump-sum payments toward your home loan principal. This will reduce the overall interest burden and help you clear the loan faster. The earlier you are debt-free, the more flexible your post-retirement plans become.

Investment Growth and Corpus Management
Your existing investment portfolio, with Rs. 75 lakh in mutual funds and Rs. 5 lakh in NPS, is on track. With five more years to invest, your SIP of Rs. 90,000 is expected to grow significantly.

The benefit of actively managed funds: Your focus on actively managed funds through SIPs is a great strategy. Actively managed funds offer the potential for higher returns compared to index funds. Index funds are limited by their market-linked performance and may not adapt well to market changes. Actively managed funds, on the other hand, benefit from the fund manager's expertise in navigating market conditions, providing more growth opportunities.

Avoid direct funds: You might be tempted by direct mutual funds because they have lower expense ratios. However, regular mutual funds, when invested through a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD), provide significant advantages. You receive expert advice, portfolio reviews, and ongoing support that can lead to better overall portfolio management. This service is especially valuable as you approach retirement, where regular portfolio management becomes crucial.

Diversification of investments: It is essential to maintain a well-diversified portfolio. Given your strong SIP contributions, it is advisable to ensure a balanced mix of equity and debt funds. Equity funds will drive your portfolio growth, while debt funds will provide stability. As you approach retirement, consider gradually shifting a portion of your equity holdings to debt funds for added security.

Pension and Post-Retirement Income
You are fortunate to have a guaranteed pension of Rs. 60,000 per month, which will increase by 5% annually due to dearness relief. This stable income source will cover a significant portion of your post-retirement expenses.

Inflation-adjusted pension: The fact that your pension will grow by 5% each year is a significant advantage. It will help you keep pace with inflation, ensuring that your purchasing power remains intact as living costs rise over time.

Post-retirement withdrawals from corpus: In addition to your pension, you will need to strategically withdraw from your Rs. 2.5 crore corpus. A well-planned Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) from your mutual fund investments can provide you with a steady income stream. The SWP can be tailored to provide monthly or quarterly withdrawals, ensuring you meet your expenses without dipping too much into your principal. This way, your remaining corpus can continue to grow and support your long-term financial security.

Monthly Expenses and Surplus Allocation
Your current monthly expenses are Rs. 60,000, and after paying EMIs, you have Rs. 1,70,000 left from your net income. This provides you with a substantial surplus of Rs. 1,10,000 every month, part of which you already allocate to your SIPs.

Surplus utilisation: You are already investing Rs. 90,000 into SIPs, which is commendable. The remaining Rs. 20,000 can be utilised for increasing your emergency fund or for making occasional lump-sum investments. It’s also wise to keep a small portion of this surplus in liquid funds to handle unexpected expenses.
Planning for Your Son’s Education
Your son is currently 10 years old, and you need to plan for his higher education expenses. With education costs rising, it is important to ensure that you have a dedicated investment plan for this goal.

Education planning strategy: If you haven’t already, consider setting up a separate investment plan for your son's education. You could increase your SIP or allocate a portion of your surplus to a child education-focused mutual fund. These funds are specifically tailored to accumulate wealth for long-term education goals.

Balancing education and retirement goals: While education expenses are a priority, ensure that they don’t compromise your retirement plans. Continue to prioritise your retirement corpus while setting aside enough for your son’s education. This way, both goals can be met without straining your finances.

Retirement Timeline and Lifestyle
You have set a target to retire in five years at the age of 46. Let’s evaluate whether your corpus of Rs. 2.5 crore and monthly pension of Rs. 60,000 will allow you to maintain your current lifestyle.

Post-retirement expenses: With Rs. 60,000 as your pension, you will need to assess whether this amount, along with any income generated from your corpus, will be sufficient to cover your post-retirement expenses. Since your current monthly expenses are Rs. 60,000, your pension may cover the majority of your living costs. However, inflation will increase these costs over time, so it’s important to have an additional source of income from your investments.

Retirement lifestyle adjustment: During retirement, your expenses may change. Healthcare costs tend to rise, while some discretionary expenses may reduce. Make sure to account for rising healthcare costs and any other lifestyle changes when planning your future expenses.

Insurance and Risk Management
As you approach retirement, securing your family’s financial future through adequate insurance is crucial.

Health insurance: Ensure that you have comprehensive health insurance that covers you, your spouse, and your son. As healthcare costs rise, having adequate coverage will prevent any financial strain in case of medical emergencies.

Life insurance: You should review your life insurance coverage to ensure that it’s sufficient to provide financial security for your family in case of any unforeseen circumstances. If you have any endowment or ULIP policies, consider surrendering them and reinvesting the proceeds into mutual funds for better returns. Term insurance should be the main focus for life coverage.

Estate Planning and Will
It is important to ensure that your financial assets are smoothly transferred to your heirs without legal complications.

Will creation: Drafting a will is essential to clearly outline how your assets will be distributed. Ensure that all your assets, including your house properties, mutual funds, and other investments, are accounted for in your will.

Nomination updates: Make sure that the nominations for all your bank accounts, mutual funds, and insurance policies are up to date. This will ensure a smooth transition of assets to your beneficiaries.

Final Insights
You are on the right path with your financial planning. Your current savings, SIPs, and pension ensure a strong foundation for your retirement. Clearing your home loan and managing your investments wisely will leave you in a comfortable financial position.

Your focus should be on balancing your investment portfolio, planning for your son's education, and securing insurance for healthcare and life coverage. With careful planning, your Rs. 2.5 crore corpus and Rs. 60,000 monthly pension should allow you to lead a good life post-retirement.

By continuing to grow your investments and managing expenses, you can confidently look forward to a secure and financially stable retirement.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: You are already on the right track. You have taken care of risk protection through insurance. You also follow goal-based investing. Still, there is scope to improve.

Let us take a full-circle look at your plan.

1. Evaluate the Present Financial Foundation

You earn Rs. 99,000 monthly. That is a stable income at your age.

You have a Rs. 2 crore term cover. That gives a good financial shield to dependents.

Health cover of Rs. 10 lakh for the full family is adequate. Please review it every 3 years.

PPF is also part of your portfolio. That adds a safe long-term corpus.

You have three goals: home, child education, and retirement. Each one needs careful planning.

2. Segregate and Prioritise the Goals Clearly

Buying a home in 10 years is a medium-term goal.

Child’s higher education is a long-term goal (15+ years).

Retirement is a very long-term goal. That gives you more compounding time.

Prioritise retirement first. You have no loan or pension benefit mentioned.

Education comes next. It must not be sacrificed.

Home goal can be approached more flexibly. A delay of 2-3 years is manageable.

3. Evaluate Your SIP Allocation Strategy

You invest Rs. 20,000 monthly through SIPs.

You follow the step-up SIP method. That is a smart move for long goals.

Small and mid caps for home goal are aggressive. But acceptable for a 10-year horizon.

Aggressive hybrid for education is okay. But consider more equity exposure due to longer horizon.

For retirement, a diversified or flexi cap fund works better than a retirement-labelled fund.

You also contribute to PPF. That adds stability. But the amount should be reviewed every 3 years.

Make sure all mutual fund investments are through regular plans with a trusted MFD and CFP guidance.

Avoid direct mutual fund platforms. You lose human guidance and may make emotional decisions.

Direct plans have no support for rebalancing, review or goal alignment.

4. Suggestions to Improve the Investment Portfolio

Revisit the retirement fund. Avoid funds with long lock-ins and rigid structures.

Avoid index funds. They lack downside protection and offer average returns in volatile markets.

Actively managed funds are better for creating real wealth. They adapt to market shifts.

Increase equity allocation in child education portfolio. Keep at least 70% equity there.

Consider adding balanced advantage or multi asset funds. They provide stability for medium-term goals.

Review your SIP fund mix every year. Do this with a Certified Financial Planner.

Aim to step up your SIPs by 10% every year if your salary grows. That will ease future burdens.

Don't chase high returns. Stick to suitable funds aligned to each goal’s timeline.

Track the CAGR of each goal. Rebalance if one portfolio grows too fast or too slow.

5. Emergency Fund and Contingency Readiness

Keep at least 6 months of expenses in liquid form. This includes EMIs and SIPs.

Keep this emergency corpus in liquid funds or short-duration debt funds.

Do not park this in equity or lock-in funds.

This is your buffer during job loss or family emergencies.

You are the sole earner with 3 dependents. Emergency planning is non-negotiable.

6. Taxation Awareness for Mutual Fund Withdrawals

Be aware of the new tax rules. Long-term capital gains above Rs. 1.25 lakh from equity funds are taxed at 12.5%.

Short-term capital gains are taxed at 20%.

Debt fund gains are taxed as per your tax slab.

So, when you withdraw for home or child education, plan the withdrawals smartly.

Avoid redeeming all units at once. Split withdrawals over financial years.

Talk to a CFP before redemptions to minimise tax impact.

7. Home Buying Strategy – Investment Viewpoint

You are saving in small and mid caps for the home goal.

That’s fine for now. But move to large cap or hybrid funds by year 7.

That way, you lock in the gains and reduce volatility.

Avoid counting real estate as a pure investment.

A home is an asset for use, not an appreciating wealth creator anymore.

When you buy, use at least 50% down payment. That will reduce your EMI burden.

Start estimating future EMI today. Aim for EMI less than 25% of income.

You can use some PPF or MF maturity for down payment.

Keep EMI tenure shorter than 15 years. Else, interest cost will be huge.

8. Plan for Education in Detail

15 years gives you time to grow wealth. Stay with equity-oriented funds.

Revisit the fund choice after 10 years.

Move to hybrid or large cap by year 12. That will avoid last-minute shock.

Estimate the cost of courses today. Inflate by 8% yearly.

Set a target amount to be ready by age 17 of your child.

Continue SIP till 2 years before that age.

Avoid ULIPs or child plans. They have low returns and high charges.

Stick to mutual funds and PPF mix. That will give best liquidity and tax efficiency.

9. Retirement Plan Strengthening

You started early. That is your biggest advantage.

Increase your SIPs toward retirement every year.

Use flexi cap and multi-cap funds for better compounding.

Add NPS contributions gradually. It will reduce your tax also.

But don’t rely only on NPS. It has limited flexibility.

PPF is safe. But returns are limited. Don’t allocate more than 30% retirement savings to PPF.

Build a large mutual fund corpus for retirement. That will offer inflation-beating growth.

Review the asset allocation between equity and debt every 2-3 years.

As you approach 50, reduce equity exposure step by step.

The target retirement corpus should provide 30 years of income post-retirement.

Have a will in place after age 40. That will protect your family’s rights.

10. Role of Review and Rebalancing

Make sure you review your plan once a year.

Rebalance funds based on goal progress and market shifts.

Don’t stop SIPs due to short-term fund underperformance.

Stick to goal-based investing. Avoid temptation to time the market.

Set clear target amounts for each goal.

Use a spreadsheet to track monthly SIPs, annual corpus growth, and gap to goal.

Rebalancing is key. It prevents overexposure to any one asset class.

A Certified Financial Planner can guide you on rebalancing effectively.

Finally

You are a disciplined and goal-focused investor. That is a rare quality at 31.

Your clarity on goals, SIPs, and protection shows financial maturity.

Just a few changes in fund selection, allocation, and annual reviews will help more.

Keep insurance and emergency funds active. They are the foundation.

Focus more on retirement and education. Home is secondary in priority.

Increase your SIPs every year with income growth. Don’t wait.

Use only regular funds. Avoid direct funds for long-term goal safety.

Track tax rules before redemption. Minimise tax and maximise returns.

Keep investing consistently. Compounding will reward you over time.

Never invest in ULIPs, endowment, or traditional insurance policies for wealth.

You are already 70% on the right path. Stay focused and stay invested.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment