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Ramalingam Kalirajan |10870 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Sep 11, 2025

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

Asked by Anonymous - Sep 08, 2025Hindi

I am 42 yr old earning roughly 74000 per month. However I do not have any saving and having loan of about 1.5 lac. By end of month I usually have max. 5000. If I wish to retire by 55, how much monthly should I save and where?

Ans: You are showing honesty and courage by sharing your financial situation. That is the first and most important step. Many people ignore reality, but you have started asking the right question. That deserves appreciation.

Let us build your retirement plan with a simple and clear 360-degree view.

» Current financial standing

– Age 42 with retirement target at 55 gives you 13 years.
– Current income is Rs. 74,000 monthly.
– Outstanding loan of Rs. 1.5 lakh is small and manageable.
– Surplus savings at present is only Rs. 5,000 monthly.
– No significant savings built so far.

Your present situation looks challenging. But with consistent efforts, you can still create a respectable retirement corpus.

» Loan management

– First step is to clear your Rs. 1.5 lakh loan quickly.
– Prioritise this before heavy investments.
– Redirect your Rs. 5,000 monthly surplus fully to this loan.
– Try to reduce lifestyle expenses or generate extra side income.
– Closing this loan in the next 2 to 3 years is possible.

Becoming debt-free will give mental freedom and more surplus to invest for retirement.

» Expense restructuring

– Your income is good, but your savings rate is low.
– Retirement planning needs higher savings than Rs. 5,000.
– Review household expenses and cut avoidable spending.
– Keep monthly budget discipline and track cash outflow.
– Target minimum Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 monthly savings.

Increasing savings is the only way to achieve your retirement goal in 13 years.

» Building emergency fund

– Once the loan is closed, start building emergency savings.
– Keep 3 to 6 months’ expenses in a bank account or liquid mutual fund.
– This will protect you from unexpected medical or job-related shocks.
– Without emergency fund, you may break retirement investments early.

An emergency fund is a shield that will save your long-term plan.

» Retirement corpus assessment

– You are 42 and want to retire at 55.
– You will need at least 25 years of retirement income post 55.
– Considering inflation and rising medical costs, the corpus target should be big.
– Based on your lifestyle, a ballpark figure of Rs. 2 crore will be safe.
– The exact number depends on your future expenses and inflation.

This is not a small figure, but you have time if savings increase.

» Investment approach

– Avoid keeping money idle in bank or fixed deposits.
– Returns will be too low for retirement wealth creation.
– Invest mainly through mutual funds with Certified Financial Planner support.
– Use actively managed diversified funds, not index funds.
– Index funds look cheap but lack research-driven active management.
– Actively managed funds give professional judgement, better downside control and long-term growth.
– Always use regular funds through a CFP and MFD.
– Direct funds look cheaper but give no professional handholding.
– Regular funds ensure guidance, asset allocation, discipline and timely reviews.

This approach creates better risk-adjusted returns for long-term goals.

» Asset allocation

– Keep higher allocation to equity mutual funds for wealth growth.
– A mix of large-cap, flexi-cap and multi-cap funds works well.
– Add some balanced advantage funds for stability.
– Use debt mutual funds for short-term needs and rebalancing.
– Avoid real estate as it blocks liquidity.
– Avoid annuity products, they give poor returns and no inflation hedge.

Diversification across categories will help manage market ups and downs.

» Phased action plan

Step 1: Close loan of Rs. 1.5 lakh in next 2 years.
Step 2: Build emergency fund of 3-6 months’ expenses in liquid fund.
Step 3: Start SIPs in equity mutual funds after loan is cleared.
Step 4: Gradually increase SIP from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 or more monthly.
Step 5: Review portfolio once a year with a CFP.

This sequence will create discipline and stability in your financial life.

» Importance of increasing income

– With only Rs. 5,000 savings now, goal looks difficult.
– Explore side income opportunities, freelancing, consulting, or skill upgrades.
– Even Rs. 10,000 extra monthly income can change the future picture.
– Use all increments and bonuses for investments, not lifestyle.
– The higher the savings rate, the higher the chance of early retirement success.

Income growth is as important as investment returns in your case.

» Insurance protection

– Retirement planning is not just investing. Protection is equally vital.
– Take adequate term insurance to cover family till retirement.
– Health insurance should be in place for you and dependents.
– Without insurance, one medical or life risk can destroy savings.

Insurance secures the foundation for wealth creation.

» Tax planning

– Use ELSS mutual funds for both wealth growth and tax saving.
– Avoid depending only on PPF, as returns are lower.
– Debt mutual funds can be used for short-term needs, but taxation is as per slab.
– For equity mutual funds, LTCG above Rs. 1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.
– STCG is taxed at 20%.
– Plan redemption in a tax-efficient way during retirement.

Tax-efficient investing increases net returns and retirement wealth.

» Lifestyle choices

– Retirement planning is not only about money.
– Your lifestyle choices also matter.
– Control unnecessary spending on gadgets, vacations and luxuries.
– Maintain healthy habits to reduce medical costs post-retirement.
– Live below income level to create bigger savings.

Discipline today brings freedom tomorrow.

» Risk and patience

– Stock market investments move up and down.
– Short-term volatility should not scare you.
– Long-term patience is key to wealth creation.
– Review performance annually, not monthly.
– Stick to the plan even during market falls.

Retirement corpus is built on patience and consistency, not chasing returns.

» Role of Certified Financial Planner

– You should not do trial-and-error investing.
– A Certified Financial Planner will design a suitable plan for you.
– Asset allocation, fund selection, tax planning and risk control all need expertise.
– A CFP will also review and rebalance yearly.
– Regular funds via CFP ensure professional monitoring.

Professional guidance avoids costly mistakes and keeps you on track.

» Finally

Your starting point is late, but not impossible.
You must first clear the Rs. 1.5 lakh loan.
You must increase savings from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 15,000–20,000 monthly.
You must invest through actively managed mutual funds in regular mode with CFP guidance.
You must secure yourself with term and health insurance.
You must build an emergency fund before retirement investing.
You must stay consistent and patient for the next 13 years.

If you follow these steps, you can still create a strong retirement plan and live with dignity after 55.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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

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