43-Year-Old with Rs 12 Lakh Income: How to Save for Children's Higher Studies?

Ans: I understand your concerns about financial planning, especially with the responsibility of your children's education on your shoulders. Here's a simplified plan to help you get started:

Emergency Fund: Start by building an emergency fund. Aim to save at least 3-6 months' worth of expenses. This fund will provide a safety net in case of unexpected expenses or job loss.

Budgeting: Create a monthly budget to track your income and expenses. This will help you identify areas where you can cut back on expenses and save more.

Children's Education: For your children's education, consider investing in a Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) or Public Provident Fund (PPF). These are government-backed schemes with tax benefits that can help you save for their future education.

Investments: With a monthly income of 22k, it's crucial to start small but consistent investments. Look for Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) in mutual funds that align with your risk tolerance and investment goals. Even a small amount invested regularly can grow significantly over time.

Scholarships: Research and apply for scholarships for your children. Many organizations and educational institutions offer scholarships based on merit or financial need.

Rental House: While renting provides flexibility, consider your long-term housing needs. If possible, start saving for a down payment on a house. Owning a home can provide stability and serve as an investment for the future.

Additional Income: Explore ways to increase your income, such as taking up a part-time job or freelancing. Every extra rupee can make a difference in your savings and investments.

Remember, financial planning is a journey, not a destination. Start small, stay consistent, and review your plan regularly to make necessary adjustments. Seek advice from a financial advisor if needed to tailor a plan that suits your specific situation and goals.

Ans: Given your monthly income, expenses, and family responsibilities, it's essential to start saving and investing for your child's future education. Here's a simple plan to help you get started:

Budgeting and Savings:

Track Expenses: Monitor your monthly expenses to identify areas where you can reduce spending and increase savings.
Emergency Fund: Build an emergency fund equivalent to 3-6 months of expenses in a liquid and accessible form to handle unexpected expenses without tapping into your investments.
Start SIPs for Child's Education:

Investment Amount: Allocate a portion of your monthly savings towards SIPs in mutual funds to build a corpus for your child's education.
Asset Allocation: Consider a balanced allocation between equity and debt mutual funds based on your risk tolerance, time horizon, and financial goals.
Investment Duration: Start SIPs with a long-term perspective (e.g., 10-15 years) to benefit from the power of compounding and potential market growth.
Education Planning:

Calculate Future Expenses: Estimate the future cost of education for your children based on the current cost and expected inflation rate.
Investment Goal: Set a specific investment goal and target amount to achieve by the time your children reach college age.
Regular Review: Periodically review and adjust your SIPs and investment strategy to stay on track towards achieving your education savings goal.
Insurance Coverage:

Life Insurance: Ensure you have adequate life insurance coverage to provide financial security to your family in case of any unforeseen events.
Health Insurance: Invest in a comprehensive health insurance plan to cover medical expenses and ensure your family's well-being.
Recommendation:

Start Early: Begin investing as early as possible to benefit from the power of compounding and achieve your education savings goal.
Systematic Investment: Start SIPs in mutual funds to build a disciplined saving habit and accumulate wealth over time.
Financial Discipline: Maintain financial discipline, avoid unnecessary expenses, and stay committed to your investment plan to achieve your financial goals.
Consult with a financial advisor to create a personalized education savings plan tailored to your needs, helping you achieve your financial goals and secure your children's future.

Ans: You have a monthly income of Rs. 50,000. Your monthly expenses are Rs. 35,000. You haven't been able to save anything so far. You also have two children and wish to fund their education with your savings.

Understanding Your Situation
I understand the pressure you feel managing expenses and trying to save. You're not alone, many face this challenge. Let's work on a plan to help you save and secure your children's future.

Evaluating Expenses
First, let's examine your expenses. Your monthly expenses are Rs. 35,000 out of Rs. 50,000 income. This leaves Rs. 15,000 as potential savings. Identifying areas where you can cut costs can significantly impact your savings.

Expense Breakdown
Let's categorize your expenses:

Essential Expenses: Rent, groceries, utilities, education fees.
Non-Essential Expenses: Dining out, entertainment, luxury items.
Tracking your spending for a month will highlight areas to reduce non-essential expenses.

Creating a Budget
Creating a budget is essential. Allocate a specific amount to each category:

Essentials: Rs. 25,000
Non-Essentials: Rs. 5,000
Savings: Rs. 10,000
Stick to this budget and monitor regularly.

Setting Financial Goals
Set short-term and long-term financial goals. Short-term goals include building an emergency fund. Long-term goals are funding your children's education and retirement.

Emergency Fund
Building an emergency fund is crucial. Aim for 3-6 months of living expenses. Start with Rs. 1,000 a month and gradually increase it.

Children's Education Fund
Investing in mutual funds can help grow your savings for your children's education. Mutual funds offer various options based on risk tolerance and investment horizon.

Mutual Funds: An Overview
Categories: There are equity, debt, hybrid funds. Equity funds invest in stocks, debt funds in bonds, hybrid in both.

Advantages: They offer diversification, professional management, and liquidity. They can deliver good returns over time.

Power of Compounding: Investing early helps. The returns on your investment earn returns, growing your wealth exponentially.

Actively Managed Funds vs. Index Funds
Actively managed funds have a fund manager making investment decisions. Index funds track a market index. Actively managed funds can outperform index funds, especially in volatile markets.

Disadvantages of Index Funds
Index funds have lower fees but don't beat the market. They follow the index and lack flexibility. Actively managed funds can adapt to market changes, aiming for higher returns.

Benefits of Regular Funds via MFD with CFP
Investing through a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) offers personalized advice. They help select funds matching your goals and risk profile. They provide regular reviews and adjustments to your portfolio.

Systematic Investment Plan (SIP)
SIP allows regular, disciplined investing. You invest a fixed amount monthly. This averages out purchase cost and reduces risk. Start a SIP in a mutual fund aligned with your goals.

Reviewing Insurance Policies
Ensure you have adequate life and health insurance. Avoid investment-linked insurance plans like ULIPs. Pure term insurance offers higher coverage at lower premiums.

Reducing Debt
If you have any debt, prioritize paying it off. High-interest debt can erode your savings. Create a plan to clear debt systematically.

Lifestyle Adjustments
Small lifestyle changes can lead to significant savings:

Cooking at Home: Reduces dining out expenses.
Public Transport: Saves on fuel and maintenance.
Bulk Buying: Reduces grocery costs.
Additional Income Streams
Consider side jobs or freelancing to boost income. This additional income can be directed towards savings and investments.

Educating Children on Financial Literacy
Teach your children the value of money. Encourage them to save and spend wisely. This fosters financial responsibility from a young age.

Tracking Progress
Regularly review your financial plan. Track your expenses and savings. Adjust your budget as needed to stay on track.

Seeking Professional Advice
Consulting a Certified Financial Planner can provide tailored advice. They can help create a comprehensive financial plan and guide your investments.

Emotional Well-being
Financial stress is common. Remember to take care of your mental health. Balance saving with enjoying life. Celebrate small financial milestones.

Final Insights
Saving for your children's education while managing expenses is challenging but achievable. Focus on budgeting, reducing non-essential expenses, and investing wisely. Utilize mutual funds for their potential returns and power of compounding. Avoid index funds in favor of actively managed funds. Seek guidance from a Certified Financial Planner for personalized advice. Small lifestyle adjustments can lead to significant savings. Remember to take care of your emotional well-being during this journey. You're on the right path, and with consistent efforts, you can achieve your financial goals.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: While your monthly salary is Rs 1 lakh, the surplus available after expenses is not known. But to give you an idea about how much would the investment requirement for both kids, we can run a simulation.

For the elder child aged 13 years, you have about 5 years to save money. If we assume a goal cost of Rs 20 lakh (in today's value) and adjust it for 10% inflation over the next 5 years, then the corpus required in 5 years will be about Rs 32 lakh. And since details of existing savings aren't available, then at 50:50 Equity:Debt allocation, you will need to start investing Rs 37,500 per month. And this amount needs to be increased by at least 5% each year (assuming similar growth in income) for the next 10 years.

Similarly for the younger child aged 8 years, you have about 10 years to save money. If we assume a goal cost of Rs 20 lakh (in today's value) and adjust it for 10% inflation over the next 10 years, then the corpus required in 10 years will be about Rs 52 lakh. And since details of existing savings aren't available, then at 75:25 Equity:Debt allocation, you will need to start investing Rs 20,500 per month. And this amount needs to be increased by at least 5% each year (assuming similar growth in income) for the next 10 years.

We don't have information about your risk appetite. But assuming that it is at least moderately aggressive, then, you can start investing in a combination of largecap index funds, flexicap funds, midcap funds.

Thanks
Dev Ashish,
SEBI Registered Investment Advisor (Fee-Only RIA)
Founder, StableInvestor.com
Twitter (@Stableinvestor)

Note (Disclaimer) - As a SEBI RIA, I cannot comment on specific schemes/funds that are provided or asked for in the questions in the platform. And the views expressed above should not be considered professional investment advice or advertisement or otherwise. No specific product/service recommendations have been made and the answers here are for general educational purposes only. The readers are requested to take into consideration all the risk factors including their financial condition, suitability to risk-return profile and the like and take professional investment advice before investing.