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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 21, 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 - May 20, 2025
Money

Hi I am 43 me and wife earning 3 lcs per month with no kids we have a liability of 45 lacs housing loan and car loan of 8 lacs Housing loan balance 38 lacs ( we paid 5 lacs as part payment in two years) and also increase our installments from 38000 to 50000 for the last 5 months and reduce our tenure from 20 years to now 12 years Expenses:- 50000 housing laon per month 19000 car loan per month 30000 house hold expenses including travel expenses etc.. 30 lakhs mediclaim insurance premium 25000 annually Investment:- 35000 mutual funds per month ( funds like multi assets,multi cap and large cap one or two funds in small cap,and flexi funds ) Lic premium annual around 2 lacs 65000 annually premium for term plan ( unit linked plan) of 50 lacs 1 lakhs in PPF 50 lakhs corpus in mutual funds (90% equity and 10% hybrid) 15 lakhs FD 30 lakhs worth gold (300 grm) apprx 1 flat worth 1 crore ( on loan paying 50k pm) 10 lakh cash 3 lakh in savings Want to build a corpus of minimum of 10 crores befor 60 years of age How do invest in more systametic manner so that we can grow our money and how much amount do we need more to invest to reach this targetAnd another imp question is do I need to pay housing loan first so that I can save the intrest or kept the money in account as emergency fund. I am really confused Do I sell gold and pay loan ?? Do I break my FD ? What to do??

Ans: Appreciate your clarity and discipline with money. You are far ahead of many at your age. You already have a strong income, valuable assets, and good savings habits. Now let’s look at a complete 360° view of how to reach Rs. 10 crore target by 60.

We’ll go step by step with each area of your financial life.

Income and Cash Flow Overview
Monthly income of Rs. 3 lakhs is very healthy.

Loan EMIs total around Rs. 1.19 lakhs, approximately 40% of income.

Household expenses are just Rs. 30,000 – very efficient.

SIPs of Rs. 35,000 are a great start, but more growth investment is needed.

Scope exists to steadily increase investments each year.

Savings of Rs. 13 lakhs (FD + cash + savings) gives a solid buffer.

Actionable Insight:
Maintain a detailed monthly budget tracking income, expenses, EMIs, and surplus. Review it quarterly to stay in control.

Loan Repayment Strategy
Home loan of Rs. 38 lakh with Rs. 50,000 EMI and reduced tenure to 12 years – good progress.

Car loan of Rs. 8 lakh with Rs. 19,000 EMI.

Rs. 69,000/month in loan EMIs is manageable at your income level.

Recommendations:

Don’t rush to close home loan if interest is below 9% – you get tax benefits.

Prioritise closing the car loan if interest rate is high – it's not tax beneficial.

Avoid using FD or gold for loan repayment unless it’s an emergency.

Emergency Fund Evaluation
Rs. 10 lakh in cash + Rs. 3 lakh in savings is already strong.

With Rs. 15 lakh in FD, total emergency reserve is Rs. 28 lakh.

That’s more than sufficient; no need to expand emergency fund further.

Use sweep-in FD or split across multiple banks for liquidity and safety.

Insurance Assessment
Rs. 30 lakh health insurance is adequate – continue maintaining this.

Term insurance of Rs. 50 lakh via ULIP is too low.

Ideal cover should be around Rs. 4 crore (12x annual income).

Recommendations:

Take an independent term insurance plan of Rs. 3.5 crore.

Continue existing health cover.

Evaluate surrender of ULIP and LIC if returns are low (generally ~5%).

Redirect those premiums (Rs. 2.65 lakh annually) to mutual fund SIPs.

Investment Portfolio Review
Monthly Investments:

Rs. 35,000 into mutual funds (multi-cap, flexi-cap, small-cap, etc.)

Annual Contributions:

Rs. 1 lakh into PPF

Total Investment Corpus:

Rs. 50 lakh in mutual funds

Rs. 15 lakh in FD

Rs. 30 lakh in gold

Rs. 10 lakh in cash

Rs. 3 lakh in savings

Positives:

Strong equity exposure for long-term growth.

Balanced support from gold and FD.

Suggestions for Improvement:

Increase SIPs annually by at least 10%.

Limit small-cap exposure to 10-15%.

Gradually move from FD to debt mutual funds for better returns and tax-efficiency.

Surrender low-return policies (LIC, ULIP) and reinvest in growth-oriented funds.

Continue PPF contributions for safe, tax-free returns.

Realistic Path to Rs. 10 Crore by Age 60
You are 43 now, with 17 years to invest.

Current investment corpus is around Rs. 1.08 crore.

With Rs. 35,000 SIP, you might reach Rs. 2.5–3 crore by 60 – not enough.

To Reach Rs. 10 Crore Goal:

Gradually increase SIPs to Rs. 1 lakh/month in 5 years.

Reinvest proceeds from surrendering LIC/ULIP (Rs. 2.65 lakh annually).

Redirect EMI amounts (car loan, etc.) once loans are closed.

Make lump sum additions from bonuses or surplus income.

Mutual Fund Taxation Notes
From 2024, equity LTCG above Rs. 1.25 lakh taxed at 12.5%.

Short-term equity gains taxed at 20%.

Debt fund gains taxed as per slab.

Advice:

Avoid frequent withdrawals.

Use ultra-short term or debt funds for short- to medium-term needs.

Fund Selection Guidelines
Avoid direct funds unless you manage the portfolio yourself.

Use regular plans through a certified financial planner for guidance.

Avoid index funds if you seek alpha and personalized management.

Stick to a blend of active multi-cap, flexi-cap, and large-cap funds.

Suggested Asset Allocation
60% – Equity mutual funds

15% – Debt mutual funds

10% – Gold (already in place)

10% – Emergency fund (FD + cash)

5% – PPF

Annual Portfolio Rebalancing Recommended

Year-Wise Action Plan
Year 1–2:

Repay car loan using surplus or gold if needed.

Surrender LIC and ULIP; shift Rs. 2.65 lakh to mutual funds.

Take new term plan of Rs. 3.5 crore.

Increase SIPs to Rs. 50,000/month.

Year 3–5:

Redirect closed EMIs (Rs. 19,000) to SIPs.

Gradually move FD into debt mutual funds.

Add lump sum investments from annual bonuses.

Year 6–10:

Continue SIPs at Rs. 1 lakh/month.

Keep gold as is.

Rebalance asset allocation annually.

Final Insights
You are on the right track.

No need to sell gold or break FD prematurely.

Gradually increase SIPs and equity exposure.

Maintain emergency reserve.

Improve term cover and simplify insurance portfolio.

Avoid panic, follow the strategy, and review annually.

With this approach, you can confidently build Rs. 10 crore or more by 60 and ensure financial independence.

With better planning and yearly reviews, you will secure a strong retired life.

 

Best Regards,
?
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
?
Chief Financial Planner,
?
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment
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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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jul 10, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Jul 04, 2024Hindi
Money
Sir I 47 year old and am earning 3 lakhs per month. My monthly expenditure is 2 lakhs. I have the following assets: 1. 3 houses with outstanding loan amount of 8 lakhs. Net worth : 3 crores 2. 1.5 crore in Equity and Mutual Funds 3. 1 crore in ppf. 4. Have a term insurance of 2 crore till my age of 75. 5. 10 lakhs liquid cash for emergency funds. 6. 20 lakhs - for child benefit plans I am currently invested in following Mutual Funds a. UTI ELSS Tax Saver Fund - IDCW - 15000 b. ICICI prudential nifty next 50 index fund - growth - 10000 c. Axis foccused fund - growth - 10000 My wife is also working and she is invested in 75k in mutual funds and we plan to use it for our daughter's future. She has built a corpus of 55 lakhs till now and she plans to continue to work for another 8 years. Requesting your kind advise on how to go about the following: I am ready to invest in another 40k in mutual funds. My goals are the following: 1. Set up corpus for my son's higher education in 5 years time. Want to have 1.5 crore setup for him for his higher studies. 2. Plan to work for another 8 years and then plan to retire. Need to have 1 lakh per month for expenses post retirement. 3. Currently I and my family are covered by Company medical insurance. I would need a cover post retirement, pls advise on that as well. Thanks
Ans: I appreciate your detailed input. Your financial status is strong, and I can see you've done a great job managing your assets. Let's go through your situation and goals one by one. I'll provide a thorough plan to help you achieve them.

Current Financial Snapshot
You have a solid income of Rs. 3 lakhs per month and manage monthly expenses of Rs. 2 lakhs. This leaves you with a surplus of Rs. 1 lakh every month, which is great for additional investments and savings.

You have the following assets:

Three houses with an outstanding loan amount of Rs. 8 lakhs. The net worth of these properties is Rs. 3 crores.

Equity and Mutual Funds worth Rs. 1.5 crores.

PPF with Rs. 1 crore.

Term insurance of Rs. 2 crores till age 75.

Liquid cash of Rs. 10 lakhs for emergency funds.

Child benefit plans amounting to Rs. 20 lakhs.

You also have current investments in mutual funds:

UTI ELSS Tax Saver Fund - IDCW - Rs. 15,000

ICICI Prudential Nifty Next 50 Index Fund - Growth - Rs. 10,000

Axis Focused Fund - Growth - Rs. 10,000

Your wife is working and has invested Rs. 75,000 in mutual funds, building a corpus of Rs. 55 lakhs, planning to work for another 8 years.

Setting Up a Corpus for Your Son's Higher Education
Your goal is to set up a corpus of Rs. 1.5 crores for your son's higher education in 5 years. This is a substantial goal, but with disciplined investment, it is achievable.

Steps to Achieve This Goal:

Review Existing Investments: First, evaluate the performance of your current mutual fund investments. Keep the ones that have shown consistent performance.

Additional Investment: Since you can invest another Rs. 40,000 monthly, consider adding to equity mutual funds, which have the potential for higher returns over five years.

Mutual Fund Categories: Invest in a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, and multi-cap funds. Large-cap funds offer stability, while mid-cap and multi-cap funds provide growth potential.

Systematic Investment Plan (SIP): Utilize SIPs for these funds to benefit from rupee cost averaging and compound growth.

Monitor and Rebalance: Regularly monitor your portfolio and rebalance as needed to stay on track with your goal.

Planning for Retirement
You plan to retire in 8 years and need Rs. 1 lakh per month for expenses post-retirement. Here's how you can achieve this:

Steps to Achieve This Goal:

Retirement Corpus: Calculate the corpus required to generate Rs. 1 lakh per month. Assuming a safe withdrawal rate of 4%, you'll need around Rs. 3 crores.

Current Investments: You already have Rs. 1.5 crores in equity and mutual funds and Rs. 1 crore in PPF. Continue investing in these to reach your goal.

Additional Investments: With your monthly surplus and the extra Rs. 40,000, increase your investment in diversified mutual funds.

Equity Exposure: Maintain a good portion of your portfolio in equities for growth. As you near retirement, gradually shift some investments to debt funds for stability.

Medical Insurance: Post-retirement, you will need a comprehensive health cover. Consider a family floater plan with a high sum assured and critical illness cover.

Reviewing and Optimizing Your Portfolio
Let's break down your current mutual fund investments:

UTI ELSS Tax Saver Fund: ELSS funds offer tax benefits under Section 80C. Continue with this investment for tax efficiency.

ICICI Prudential Nifty Next 50 Index Fund: Index funds are passively managed and mirror the index. Consider shifting to actively managed funds for potentially higher returns.

Axis Focused Fund: Focused funds invest in a limited number of stocks. If it has performed well, continue with it. Otherwise, explore diversified funds.

Investing Through a Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Advantages of Actively Managed Funds:

Expert Management: Actively managed funds are handled by experienced fund managers aiming to outperform the market.

Flexibility: Fund managers can adjust the portfolio based on market conditions, potentially providing better returns.

Potential for Higher Returns: Though they have higher fees, the potential for higher returns often justifies the cost.

Disadvantages of Direct Funds:

Limited Guidance: Direct funds do not offer the guidance provided by a CFP. This can lead to less informed investment decisions.

Time-Consuming: Managing direct investments requires significant time and knowledge, which might not be feasible for everyone.

Benefits of Regular Funds via CFP:

Professional Advice: A CFP can provide tailored advice based on your financial goals and risk appetite.

Portfolio Management: Regular monitoring and rebalancing of your portfolio to ensure it aligns with your goals.

Setting Up a Medical Insurance Cover Post-Retirement
Steps to Secure Health Insurance:

Family Floater Plan: Choose a family floater plan with a high sum assured to cover major medical expenses.

Critical Illness Cover: Add a critical illness rider to cover diseases like cancer, heart attack, etc.

Top-Up Plans: Consider top-up or super top-up plans to enhance your coverage at a lower premium.

Portability: Check the portability options to transfer your current health cover benefits to a new insurer without losing benefits.

Building a Comprehensive Financial Plan
Holistic Approach:

Emergency Fund: Maintain your Rs. 10 lakhs liquid cash for emergencies. It provides a safety net for unforeseen expenses.

Child Benefit Plans: Evaluate the performance of these plans. If they are underperforming, consider reallocating to better-performing funds.

Loan Repayment: Pay off the outstanding Rs. 8 lakhs on your properties to reduce debt and interest burden.

Regular Review: Conduct regular reviews of your financial plan with a CFP to stay aligned with your goals and make necessary adjustments.

Final Insights
You have a robust financial base and clear goals. By optimizing your current investments, adding to your SIPs, and managing your portfolio with the help of a CFP, you can achieve your goals.

Focus on equity mutual funds for growth, maintain a diversified portfolio, and ensure you have adequate health cover post-retirement.

Keep monitoring and rebalancing your investments to stay on track. With disciplined investment and professional guidance, your financial goals are well within reach.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP

Chief Financial Planner

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Sep 08, 2025

Money
Hi I am 43 me and wife earning 3.5 lcs per month with no kids we have a liability of 45 lacs housing loan and 2 car loan total of15 lacs Housing loan balance 33 lacs ( we paid 9 lacs as part payment in two years) and also increase our installments from 38000 to 50000 for the last 9 months and reduce our tenure from 20 years to now 09 years @7.6%per anum Expenses:- 50000 housing laon per month 29000 car loan per month 30000 house hold expenses including travel expenses etc.. 30 lakhs mediclaim insureace premium 25000 annually Investment:- 45000 mutual funds per month ( funds like multi assets,multi cap and large cap one or two funds in small cap,and flexi funds ) Lic premium annual around 2 lacs 65000 annually for term plan ( unit linked plan) of 50 lacs 1 lakhs in PPF 65 lakhs corpus in mutual funds (90% equity and 10% hybrid) 15 lakhs FD 40 lakhs worth gold (400 grm) apprx 1 flat worth 1 crore ( on loan paying 50k pm) 1 car loan is on floating ROI of 8% Want to build a corpus of minimum of 10 crores before 60 years of age and also want to travel the world.. How do we invest in more systametic manner so that we can grow our money and how much amount do we need more to invest to reach this target
Ans: It is very good to see your clarity about goals and disciplined approach toward financial planning.
Earning Rs 3.5 lakh per month with no kids gives you a big advantage.
Your plan to grow wealth systematically and travel the world is achievable.
Let me explain the entire situation carefully and give a full 360-degree perspective.

» your current financial situation

– Your age is 43, and your wife is working.
– You have no kids, which reduces current financial responsibility.
– Your total monthly income is Rs 3.5 lakh.

– Housing loan balance is Rs 33 lakh.

EMI increased to Rs 50,000 per month.

Tenure reduced to 9 years from 20 years at 7.6% interest.

– Car loan outstanding is Rs 15 lakh.

EMI is Rs 29,000 per month.

One car loan is floating rate at 8%.

– Household expenses are around Rs 30,000 per month.

This includes travel and daily expenses.

You are living a comfortable but reasonable lifestyle.

– You have health insurance with Rs 30 lakh coverage.

Paid Rs 25,000 annually.

» your investments

– Monthly mutual fund SIP is Rs 45,000.

Investments include multi-assets, multi-cap, large-cap, small-cap, flexi-cap funds.

Current mutual fund corpus is Rs 65 lakh.
– Out of this, 90% is equity, and 10% is hybrid.

– You have Rs 15 lakh in fixed deposits.
– Gold worth about Rs 40 lakh (400 grams).
– You own one flat worth Rs 1 crore, under home loan.

EMI is Rs 50,000 per month.
– LIC premium is Rs 2 lakh annually (unit-linked plan).
– Term insurance of Rs 65,000 annually, covering Rs 50 lakh.
– You also contribute Rs 1 lakh annually into PPF.

Your overall asset base and disciplined savings are very good.
But a few important improvements are needed to build a corpus of Rs 10 crore.

» home and car loan assessment

– You are paying Rs 50,000 EMI for home loan.

This is aggressive but good, because tenure is now 9 years.
– Continue this, as early repayment helps save interest.

– Car loan of Rs 29,000 EMI is high.

Car loan should ideally be repaid fast.

Consider making prepayments to reduce outstanding faster.

– Car is a depreciating asset.

Do not take another car loan unless really essential.

Two cars are fine, but avoid increasing liabilities.

– Home loan is productive liability, because property value appreciates.
– Car loan is non-productive, best to repay faster.

» insurance coverage and LIC investment

– Your term plan of Rs 50 lakh is sufficient.

It protects family against unforeseen events.

– Health insurance of Rs 30 lakh is adequate for both.

– But your unit-linked insurance policy (ULIP) needs review.

ULIPs have high charges and poor returns.

They combine insurance and investment but are costlier than mutual funds.

– I strongly suggest you surrender the ULIP.

Use proceeds to invest in mutual funds.

This improves flexibility, lowers cost, and increases returns.

» mutual fund strategy

– You invest Rs 45,000 per month in mutual funds now.

Good mix of multi-asset, multi-cap, large-cap, small-cap, and flexi-cap.

– Actively managed funds are preferable.

They adapt based on market situations.

Index funds do not actively rebalance or protect in downturns.

Index funds purely track market indices without expert decision-making.

So they don’t offer good risk management.

– Direct mutual funds are also not ideal.

They lack professional monitoring and regular rebalancing.

MFD regular plans give expert CFP support.

They adjust asset allocation based on goals and market.

– Suggested systematic plan:

Rs 25,000 in multi-cap and large-cap funds for stability.

Rs 10,000 in mid-cap and small-cap funds for growth.

Rs 5,000 in aggressive hybrid funds for stability plus growth.

Rs 5,000 in balanced advantage funds to manage volatility.

– Over time, shift allocation toward safer assets like hybrids and debt funds.

As you approach age 60, reduce equity allocation gradually.

» target corpus and investment gap

– You aim for Rs 10 crore corpus by age 60.
– Current corpus:

Rs 65 lakh in mutual funds.

Rs 15 lakh in FD.

Rs 40 lakh in gold.

Property is worth Rs 1 crore.

– Your current net assets approx Rs 2.2 crore (ignoring liabilities).

House loan and car loan outstanding still reduce net worth.

– To reach Rs 10 crore in next 17 years:

Systematic investments must grow consistently.

Expected long-term return of equity mutual funds: 12-15% p.a.

Gold has limited long-term growth; better kept for emergencies or family events.

– Your current SIP of Rs 45,000 is good.

But to reach Rs 10 crore, you must invest more monthly.

– Suggested additional monthly investment:

At least Rs 1.5 lakh total (including current Rs 45,000).

Allocate:
– Rs 75,000 in equity mutual funds (multi-cap, mid-cap, large-cap).
– Rs 30,000 in hybrid funds (balanced advantage, aggressive hybrid).
– Rs 20,000 in debt mutual funds or PPF for stability.
– Rs 25,000 in liquid funds for emergencies.

This systematic investment approach builds a strong long-term corpus.
Your monthly contribution target should be around Rs 1.5 lakh.

» managing gold holdings

– Gold is good as a safety net.
– But avoid increasing gold holdings further as investments.
– It does not generate income or compounding returns.

– Gradually reduce gold holding (especially over 300 grams beyond the marriage corpus).

Use proceeds to repay jewel loans or invest in mutual funds.

» emergency fund strategy

– Emergency fund should cover 6 to 12 months expenses.

Around Rs 15 to 20 lakh based on your expenses.

– Keep it in liquid mutual funds or ultra-short-term debt funds.

Avoid keeping it in FDs or speculative swing trading.

» speculative investments like swing trading

– I see no mention of speculative trading now, which is good.
– Swing trading is risky and unsuitable for long-term wealth.
– Focus entirely on systematic mutual fund investments.

» tax planning

– For equity mutual funds, LTCG above Rs 1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.
– STCG is taxed at 20%.
– Debt funds follow income tax slabs.

– Long-term investments reduce tax impact.

Hold equity funds for over 1 year.

– PPF offers tax-free growth.

Suitable for safe part of portfolio.

» goal of global travel

– Traveling the world is a great aspiration.
– Plan for travel as a separate goal.

Set aside specific SIPs or liquid funds for travel expenses.

– Example:

Rs 5,000 per month in liquid or short-term debt funds.

Build a corpus of Rs 20–30 lakh for global travel in 5–10 years.

» regular portfolio review

– Periodically review your portfolio.

Rebalance annually with a Certified Financial Planner.

Ensure asset allocation suits your age and goals.

– Shift gradually from equity to debt/hybrid after age 50.

This protects capital and reduces risk.

– Continue increasing SIPs as income grows.

Avoid reducing investments during market downturns.

» final insights

– Your financial discipline and clear goals are strengths.
– Prioritize repaying high-interest loans like car loan fast.
– Strongly surrender ULIP and reinvest in mutual funds.
– Maintain emergency fund in liquid form.
– Increase systematic mutual fund investments to Rs 1.5 lakh per month.

This helps target Rs 10 crore corpus by age 60.

– Focus on actively managed regular mutual funds.

Avoid index and direct funds.

– Gold should be held for specific purposes only.
– Plan global travel separately with dedicated savings.

– Continue simple lifestyle to increase savings capacity.
– Revisit plan yearly for adjustments.

Your thoughtful approach shows good financial awareness.
With disciplined actions, your 10 crore target is achievable.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

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

..Read more

Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |235 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 04, 2025

Money
Himanshu Asked on - Aug 11, 2025 Hi I am 43 me and wife earning 3.5 lcs per month with no kids we have a liability of 45 lacs housing loan and 2 car loan total of15 lacs Housing loan balance 33 lacs ( we paid 9 lacs as part payment in two years) and also increase our installments from 38000 to 50000 for the last 9 months and reduce our tenure from 20 years to now 09 years @7.6%per anum Expenses:- 50000 housing laon per month 29000 car loan per month 30000 house hold expenses including travel expenses etc.. 30 lakhs mediclaim insureace premium 25000 annually Investment:- 45000 mutual funds per month ( funds like multi assets,multi cap and large cap one or two funds in small cap,and flexi funds ) Lic premium annual around 2 lacs 65000 annually for term plan ( unit linked plan) of 50 lacs 1 lakhs in PPF 65 lakhs corpus in mutual funds (90% equity and 10% hybrid) 15 lakhs FD 40 lakhs worth gold (400 grm) apprx 1 flat worth 1 crore ( on loan paying 50k pm) 1 car loan is on floating ROI of 8% Want to build a corpus of minimum of 10 crores before 60 years of age and also want to travel the world.. How do we invest in more systametic manner so that we can grow our money and how much amount do we need more to invest to reach this target
Ans: Dear Himanshu,

Thank you for sharing detailed information about your finances and goals. Based on your current situation and your target of building a ?10 crore corpus by age 60, here’s a systematic approach you can follow.

1. Current Financial Snapshot

Income: ?3.5 lakh/month combined

Expenses: Housing loan EMI ?50k, car loans ?29k, household & travel ?30k

Investments: Mutual funds SIP ?45k/month (multi-cap, large-cap, flexi, small-cap), PPF ?1 L/year, MF corpus ?65 L (90% equity, 10% hybrid), FD ?15 L, gold ?40 L (400 gm), LIC & term insurance

Liabilities: Housing loan ?33 L (EMI ?50k, 9-year remaining at 7.6%), car loans ?15 L at 8% floating

2. Corpus Target Analysis

Current total assets: ~?2.35–2.4 Cr

Growth assumption: Equity 12% CAGR, debt 7% CAGR

Projection: With existing SIPs, your corpus may grow to ?5–5.5 Cr by 60 years.

Gap to target ?10 Cr: ~?4.5–5 Cr, which requires additional systematic investing.

3. Systematic Investment Approach

Increase SIPs: Consider additional ?50k–60k/month in diversified equity-oriented mutual funds.

Step-up SIPs: Increase SIPs yearly aligned with salary increments to accelerate corpus growth.

Portfolio diversification:

50–60% in large-cap and flexi-cap funds for stable growth

10–15% in mid-cap and small-cap funds for higher growth

10–15% in hybrid/debt funds for stability

10–15% in PPF or FDs for safe capital

5–10% in liquid funds for emergencies and travel

Debt Management: Prioritize prepayment of high-interest car loans if surplus cash arises. Housing loan prepayment is optional since EMI is already high.

Travel & short-term goals: Maintain a separate liquid fund or short-term debt fund for travel, avoiding disturbance to your retirement corpus.

4. Key Recommendations

Stick to a disciplined monthly investment plan with step-ups.

Maintain an emergency fund of 6–12 months of expenses.

Monitor your mutual fund portfolio annually and rebalance to maintain risk-adjusted allocations.

Consult a QPFP financial planner periodically to review progress and adjust SIPs or asset allocation if needed.

With this approach, disciplined investing, and annual portfolio review, you can systematically work toward your ?10 crore target by age 60 while keeping flexibility for lifestyle goals like travel.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
www.alenova.in
https://www.instagram.com/alenova_wealth

..Read more

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Nayagam P P  |10854 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Dec 14, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
Career
Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

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Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1841 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

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