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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7922 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 17, 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
Asked by Anonymous - Apr 25, 2024Hindi
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I am 47 years old&I want to retire now.I have 70 lakhs in my various savings.please suggest me where should I invest to get 45000/- per month

Ans: Crafting a Retirement Strategy for Financial Independence
Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone in your life journey. Transitioning into retirement necessitates a thoughtful approach to ensure a secure and fulfilling future. Let's explore strategic investment avenues to generate a monthly income of 45,000 INR from your existing savings of 70 lakhs.

Assessing Your Financial Landscape
Before embarking on your retirement journey, it's essential to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your financial situation, including existing savings, expenses, and desired lifestyle in retirement. This evaluation forms the foundation of your retirement strategy.

Creating a Sustainable Income Stream
To generate a monthly income of 45,000 INR, you'll need to rely on investment vehicles capable of providing consistent returns while preserving capital. Consider allocating a portion of your savings towards income-generating assets such as fixed deposits, debt mutual funds, and dividend-paying stocks.

Leveraging Annuities for Guaranteed Income
Annuities offer a reliable source of income during retirement, providing regular payments over a specified period or for life. Explore the option of investing a portion of your savings in immediate annuities to secure a steady stream of income to supplement your retirement finances.

Balancing Growth and Stability
While prioritizing income generation, it's essential to strike a balance between growth and stability in your investment portfolio. Allocate a portion of your savings towards equity mutual funds or diversified portfolios to capitalize on long-term growth potential while mitigating risk through debt instruments.

Embracing Tax-Efficient Strategies
Maximizing tax efficiency is crucial in retirement planning to optimize your income and preserve wealth. Explore tax-saving investment options such as Senior Citizens' Saving Scheme (SCSS), Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), and tax-free bonds to minimize tax liabilities and enhance your retirement income.

Seeking Professional Guidance
As a Certified Financial Planner, I emphasize the importance of seeking professional guidance to tailor a retirement plan aligned with your financial goals and risk tolerance. A qualified advisor can provide personalized recommendations and navigate you through the complexities of retirement planning.

Regular Review and Adjustment
Retirement planning is an ongoing process that requires regular review and adjustment to align with evolving financial objectives and market conditions. Stay vigilant in monitoring your investment portfolio's performance and make necessary adjustments to ensure long-term financial security.

Conclusion
Transitioning into retirement signifies a new chapter filled with opportunities for growth, exploration, and fulfillment. By strategically allocating your savings across income-generating assets, embracing tax-efficient strategies, and seeking professional guidance, you can embark on this journey with confidence and peace of mind.

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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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7922 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jul 03, 2024

Money
Hlo I am 33 and married and I have a kid 2 yrs of age.Rs 40000 salary and I wish to retire in 50 advice me where I invest.
Ans: You are 33 years old with a monthly salary of Rs. 40,000. You are married and have a 2-year-old child. You want to retire at 50, which means you have 17 years to build a solid retirement corpus.

Analyzing Current Financial Situation
Let's start by analyzing your current financial situation.

Income and Expenses

Monthly Salary: Rs. 40,000
Monthly Expenses: To be determined (Let's assume it's Rs. 30,000 for now)
Assuming your monthly expenses are Rs. 30,000, you have a monthly surplus of Rs. 10,000 which can be directed towards investments.

Setting Financial Goals
Retirement Corpus

Goal: Build a retirement corpus to sustain your lifestyle post-retirement.
Child's Education and Marriage

Goal: Accumulate enough funds for your child's education and marriage.
Emergency Fund

Goal: Maintain an emergency fund to cover 6-12 months of expenses.
Building Your Investment Portfolio
1. Emergency Fund
First, you need to build an emergency fund. An emergency fund should cover at least 6-12 months of your expenses.

Monthly Expenses: Rs. 30,000
Emergency Fund Required: Rs. 1,80,000 - Rs. 3,60,000
Start by setting aside a portion of your monthly surplus until you have built a sufficient emergency fund.

2. Retirement Planning
To achieve your retirement goal, you need to start investing systematically. Here’s a breakdown of how you can allocate your investments:

A. Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are a great way to build wealth over the long term. Here are some categories to consider:

Equity Mutual Funds: These funds invest in stocks and have the potential for high returns. They are suitable for long-term goals like retirement.
Debt Mutual Funds: These funds invest in fixed income securities and provide stable returns. They are suitable for short to medium-term goals.
B. Systematic Investment Plan (SIP)

A SIP is a disciplined way of investing in mutual funds. It allows you to invest a fixed amount regularly, thereby averaging the cost of investment and reducing risk.

Equity SIP: Start a SIP in equity mutual funds for your long-term goals. Considering your age and risk appetite, you can allocate a higher percentage to equity funds.
Debt SIP: Start a SIP in debt mutual funds for your short to medium-term goals.
C. Public Provident Fund (PPF)

PPF is a government-backed savings scheme that offers tax benefits and attractive returns. It has a lock-in period of 15 years, making it suitable for long-term goals like retirement.

Open a PPF account and invest regularly. You can invest up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs per year in PPF.
3. Child's Education and Marriage
A. Child Education Fund

Start a dedicated fund for your child's education. Given the time horizon, equity mutual funds can be a good option.

Open a SIP in an equity mutual fund dedicated to your child's education.
B. Child Marriage Fund

Similarly, start a fund for your child's marriage. You can use a mix of equity and debt mutual funds.

Open a SIP in a hybrid mutual fund for your child's marriage.
Diversifying Your Investments
Diversification is key to managing risk and ensuring steady returns. Here’s how you can diversify your investments:

Equity Mutual Funds: High growth potential but higher risk. Suitable for long-term goals.
Debt Mutual Funds: Stable returns with lower risk. Suitable for short to medium-term goals.
PPF: Government-backed with tax benefits. Suitable for long-term goals.
Gold: Acts as a hedge against inflation. Allocate a small portion of your portfolio to gold.
Risk Management
A. Insurance

Ensure you have adequate insurance coverage to protect your family’s financial future.

Term Insurance: Provides financial security to your family in case of your untimely demise.
Health Insurance: Covers medical expenses and protects your savings.
B. Emergency Fund

Maintain an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses. This provides financial stability and peace of mind.

Tax Planning
Maximize tax-saving investments to reduce your tax liability and boost your savings.

Section 80C: Invest in PPF, ELSS, and other tax-saving instruments to avail tax benefits under Section 80C.
Section 80D: Avail tax benefits on health insurance premiums under Section 80D.
Regular Review and Adjustment
Financial planning is an ongoing process. Regularly review and adjust your investment portfolio to ensure it aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

Annual Review: Review your financial plan at least once a year.
Adjust Investments: Adjust your investments based on changes in your financial goals, market conditions, and risk tolerance.
Final Insights
Achieving your retirement goal at 50 requires disciplined saving and investing. Here are some final insights to help you stay on track:

Start Early: The earlier you start investing, the more time your money has to grow.
Be Disciplined: Stick to your investment plan and avoid unnecessary expenditures.
Diversify: Diversify your investments to manage risk and ensure steady returns.
Seek Professional Advice: Consult a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) for personalized financial advice.
By following this comprehensive financial plan, you can achieve economic independence and ensure a comfortable retirement.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |7922 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jan 17, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Jan 17, 2025Hindi
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I'm 35 years old. I want to invest INR 65000 for retirement at 50 years old. My current expenses 65000 per month. Please guide me.
Ans: Retiring at 50 with your current lifestyle requires a carefully crafted investment strategy. Here’s a detailed guide tailored to your goal.

Step 1: Define Retirement Corpus Requirement
Current Monthly Expenses: Rs. 65,000.
Inflation Adjustment: At 6% inflation, your expenses will increase significantly by 50.
Retirement Corpus: The corpus must sustain you for at least 30+ years post-retirement.
Lifestyle Goals: Include travel, medical emergencies, and aspirational expenses in calculations.
Step 2: Asset Allocation Strategy
A balanced mix of equity and debt instruments can help grow your wealth steadily while minimizing risks.

1. Equity Mutual Funds (70% Allocation)
Why Equity? High growth potential to beat inflation over the long term.
Recommended Categories: Flexi-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap funds.
SIP/Investable Amount: Invest Rs. 45,500 monthly in equity mutual funds.
2. Debt Instruments (30% Allocation)
Why Debt? Stability and regular income during volatile markets.
Recommended Options: PPF, short-term debt mutual funds, or NPS (Tier I).
SIP/Investable Amount: Allocate Rs. 19,500 monthly.
Step 3: Include Inflation Protection
Inflation reduces the value of money significantly over time.
Your retirement corpus should grow faster than the inflation rate.
Equity exposure helps overcome inflation impacts effectively.
Step 4: Ensure Tax Efficiency
1. Equity Mutual Funds
Tax Rules: Long-term capital gains (LTCG) above Rs. 1.25 lakh taxed at 12.5%.
Action Plan: Use annual redemption to manage gains below taxable limits.
2. PPF and NPS
Tax Benefits: Both offer tax-saving benefits under Section 80C.
Lock-in Period: Ensure alignment with your retirement timeline.
Step 5: Emergency Fund Creation
Build an emergency fund equivalent to 12 months’ expenses (Rs. 7.8 lakh).
Park it in liquid funds or a high-yield savings account for quick access.
Step 6: Health and Risk Coverage
Health Insurance: Ensure adequate coverage to avoid depleting investments during medical emergencies.
Life Insurance: Use a term plan to secure your dependents until you achieve your retirement goal.
Step 7: Regular Portfolio Reviews
Review your portfolio every six months.
Rebalance based on performance, changing goals, and market conditions.
Seek advice from a Certified Financial Planner for optimized asset allocation.
Step 8: Additional Recommendations
Avoid Real Estate: Illiquid and high transaction costs make it unsuitable for your timeline.
Avoid Direct Investments: Opt for regular plans via mutual fund distributors guided by a CFP.
Diversify Investments: Explore international mutual funds for added growth.
Step 9: Incremental Contributions
Increase your SIP amount annually by 10-15% to align with income growth.
This ensures your corpus grows significantly over time.
Finally
Achieving financial independence by 50 is ambitious but achievable. Consistency in investments, inflation-adjusted growth, and regular reviews are critical. Focus on disciplined execution of the outlined plan for a secure and fulfilling retirement.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

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

..Read more

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Janak

Janak Patel  |15 Answers  |Ask -

MF, PF Expert - Answered on Feb 10, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Feb 10, 2025Hindi
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Advice Needed: Transitioning Back to India & Financial Planning Hello, I’m currently in the process of transitioning back to India after spending the last 15 years abroad. My family includes my wife (early 30s) and our 1-year-old baby. We are staying with my parents for now but are planning to move into a larger, more comfortable residence, either by buying or renting. I’d love to hear some perspectives on my financial situation, as I’m trying to figure out the best course of action in this new chapter. Here’s a quick summary of where I stand: 1. Cash Savings: We’re consolidating assets from both India and abroad, and will have about ₹4 crore in liquid funds. 2. Retirement Savings: I have a PPF-equivalent account of around ₹70 lakhs, which I can only access at age 65. I’m hoping the modest returns from this will be sufficient for my retirement. 3. Inherited Assets: I’ve inherited ancestral properties valued around ₹30 crore. I’m not planning to liquidate these assets or touch them for at least the next 10 years. 4. Career: I work in IT and expect a salary of about ₹1.3 lakh per month (after tax) in India. My wife is in the early stages of her career, so we’re still deciding whether she will work here or possibly start her own small business. Given all of this, here’s where I’m at: * Investment options: I’m considering investing the ₹4 crore in commercial real estate to generate passive income. I’ve seen a couple of properties with rental guarantees of ₹1.5 lakh per month, with a 5% annual increase. * Housing preference: My family prefers to live in a gated community, so I’m not really inclined to invest in residential property for passive income. * Housing decision: Should I buy an apartment or villa now, betting on my career certainty here, or focus on creating more financial freedom first before making career moves in India? In my heart, I feel that achieving financial independence should be my first priority before diving into career opportunities or starting a business here. What would you do in my situation? I'd love to hear your thoughts or any advice you can offer!
Ans: Hi,

Welcome back to India and Congratulations on taking this big decision to move back to India.

Before I start my response to your queries, just want you to know we share a couple of things in common. I was abroad for a considerable time and returned back to India and I was also in the IT field at that time, before I moved ship to Personal Finance and Financial Planning. So I can relate to some of your concerns, queries and thought process in that regard.

This may be a bit long but hopefully its helpful.
Your current Financial summary -
Cash/Liquid funds - INR 4 Crores
PPF equivalent - INR 70 Lakhs available at age 65
Inherited properties - valued at INR 30 crores no plan to liquidate as of now
Salary/Income - INR 1.3 lakhs per month in hand

As a few critical data points are not mentioned but with few indicators in queries, I will make some assumptions for the same - Age 37 years, Location for housing/work - Metro/2nd tier city.

Lets get a couple of things kept aside for this discussion -
PPF equivalent - INR 70 lakhs > for retirement can grow to an amount between INR 2 Crores (@4% returns) to INR 4.5 Crores (@7% returns), will cover this again when I mention Retirement below.
Inherited Properties - as there is no plan for liquidation, excluding this completely.

Decisions to be made -
1. Investment Options
2. Housing Buy/Rent
3. Financial freedom/independence

Lets go through each of these and I will add more for your consideration as they will have a weightage on all future decisions.

1. Investment Options
A> Commercial real estate with investment on INR 4 Crores and return of INR 1.5 lakhs per month
Pros -
Regular month income
Commercial Real Estate asset

Cons -
Return on Investment is 4.5% before reducing charges for maintenance, may be below 4% net in hand
Rental Income is taxable (added to other incomes and taxed as per slab rate) expect highest tax rate of 30% as total income will exceed INR 30 lakhs (Salary + rent)
All available funds will be deployed

Note - Commercial real estate appreciation is primarily based on location. Capital gains on Commercial real estate attract tax at 20% as of now.

B> Lets consider an alternative approach assuming investment is for a long term which is usually for real estate assets e.g. 20 years
Invest INR 4 Crores in Mutual funds.
A well diversified portfolio can generate 12% returns over the long term. The Corpus after 20 years will be over INR 38 Crores.

But considering your requirement for a monthly income from this investment, lets do another approach. Split your Investment.
Invest INR 2 Crores in a well diversified Mutual Funds portfolio expecting a 12% return - Corpus at the end of 20 years = INR 19+ crores
For regular income, Invest INR 2 Crores in Balanced Advantage mutual funds and considering a modest return of 10% (last 10 years data will show higher returns). Keep investment for 1 year before withdrawing to attract Long term Capital Gains tax (tax efficient approach). After 1 year you can receive INR 1.5 lakhs per month (increasing at 5% annually) for the next 20 years.

Pros -
Investment generates higher rate of return, Corpus growing/compounding at 12% return
Regular month income
Investment returns are more tax efficient
Flexibility to deploy all or partial funds towards building a corpus
Corpus can be liquidated in future much faster and easily than Real estate

Cons -
No real estate asset

Recommendation - Approach B is recommended as this will provide liquidity and appreciation towards wealth creation. This will also provide availability of funds for a new venture as and when required if that becomes a viable option in the future.

2. Housing Buy/Rent
If you plan to stay in India for long and settle down (not clearly indicated considering career options), you can consider buying a house property. But if the work location is not what you believe to be the place where you would like to settle down, then start with a Rental option and over time reconsider location for buying option.

Buying Property
Pros -
Asset is generated
Stability of residence if/when self occupied
Some amount of tax deductions/exemptions can be claimed if Loan is taken

Cons -
A large amount of funds required/blocked for full payment / partial payment (with loan)
EMI on Loan reduces income/funds in hand
EMI is much higher than rent
Locked to the property, change will be expensive

Renting Property
Pros -
Capital is not deployed immediately
Rent can be claimed for tax benefits
Provide opportunity to consider long term housing decision
Difference between EMI and Rent can be Invested to generate a good corpus
Flexibility to move jobs across locations

Cons
No Asset is generated
Rent is an expense
No sense of ownership in the house you stay

So in summary, the decision is more individual and how you perceive the house property as an asset. For flexibility to settle down in your career in India I can recommend to start with a Rental option and I am sure in a few years you will know where and what to buy (if at all) towards your house property. Also Location is again critical towards budget and type of housing to consider.

3. Financial freedom/independence
This is probably more important than we realize. With time if we accumulate debt through loans, and expenses, this is one goal which takes a back seat.
Assuming you have worked on the above 2 goals and finalized your options/approach for them, I would strongly recommend you plan your monthly expenses and cash in/outflows to understand what amount you have in hand that can be considered towards savings for the future.
With a long road ahead in your work life (another 20+ years), Asset allocation needs to be considered when planning to deploy your savings. Equity based investment can provide health returns for investments that are for more than 7 years and a well diversified Mutual Fund portfolio can achieve this. For requirements within 5-7 years do consider debt products to park your money and earn modest returns giving priority to liquidity and safety.

Few very important points are not mentioned but I would like to highlight and you should start considering them immediately.

1. Life Insurance - Buy a Term Life plan for yourself and once your wife starts earning, for her too. The amount needs to be calculated and my final recommendation (last para below) will cover this. Start with INR 50 lakhs and keep adding based on the Financial plan.

2. Health Insurance - Buy a good coverage for Family (even though you may have some with your employer). Recommend to go upto 1 Crore (and there are multiple options Base cover + Top-up covers for this).

3. Emergency Funds - Keep aside at least 6-9 months of expenses as emergency funds in a safe and liquid investment e.g. Fixed Deposits.

4. Your child's education - Within another 1.5 years schooling (pre-primary) will start and the education expenses are not as easily managed now. They will require a plan as they escalate very quickly as the child moves towards higher levels of education. Education inflation is in the range of 12% ~ 15% on average. So depending on what your decide for the school/education institute, this becomes a considerable amount and if unplanned may erode your corpus very quickly.

5. Though you have mentioned Retirement briefly, the PPF-equivalent amount will not be sufficient for retirement. Retirement typically at 60 years of age demands a corpus to cover the next 20-25 years of lifespan. Considering inflation may be just getting covered by the modest returns on your INR 70 lakhs fund, you are definitely short on the retirement side.

As you can see we have not considered the inherited property in this discussion, it can have a considerable impact towards your over financial plan.

Though I have provided some responses to your individual queries, this will still need a more comprehensive Financial Planning.
Hence I strongly recommend you approach a Certified Financial Planner and go through the process to arrive at a Financial plan which will be in sync with your Life plan. A CFP will take into account all aspects of your personal preferences and guide you towards various options and alternatives you can consider. The comprehensive Financial plan will include/cover all aspects of Investment management, Risk management (life and health Insurance), Retirement planning and Tax management - a tax efficient approach towards your requirements. Please remember just as Life is ever changing and evolving for each of us, so will your Financial plan require the changes and evolution to stay relevant for you, and this is where a CFP will add the most value when you have a long association. A CFP will plan and re-plan your goals and its requirements over the years and provide options and recommend the amounts and product categories to consider for each of them.

Best wishes for you to settle down and hope the above has provided a start towards it.

Thanks & Regards
Janak Patel
Certified Financial Planner.

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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