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Where should a 47-year-old with limited investment knowledge and funds invest?

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Feb 04, 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
Thulasi Question by Thulasi on Jan 23, 2025Hindi
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Money

Sir I am 47 ..I have little.money . But I don't know were to invest. Because I am lack of knowledge about investments. I am worry to invest in....

Ans: It is good that you are thinking about investing. Many people delay this decision. You are already taking the first step toward financial security.

Understanding Your Financial Position
You have limited money, so every investment decision matters.

You are new to investing, so a simple and safe approach is best.

You feel worried about investing, which means you need clear guidance.

Importance of a Financial Plan
Before investing, you must know your financial goals.

You should first secure an emergency fund before investing.

Your investments should match your time horizon and risk tolerance.

Where to Start Investing
Fixed deposits are safe but offer lower returns.

Mutual funds are good for long-term growth with professional management.

Debt funds provide better returns than FDs with lower risk.

A mix of investments is better than putting all money in one place.

Mutual Funds for Beginners
Actively managed mutual funds are better than index funds.

Investing through a Certified Financial Planner helps in fund selection.

Direct funds may seem cheaper but require deep market knowledge.

What to Avoid
Do not invest in products you do not understand.

Do not follow market trends blindly.

Do not invest all your money in one asset class.

Final Insights
Start small and increase investments gradually.

Take advice from a Certified Financial Planner.

Investing wisely today ensures a better tomorrow.

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 May 18, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - May 07, 2024Hindi
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I do know about any investment.I am 40yrs old .I would like to know investment
Ans: It's wonderful that you're considering investment options to secure your financial future. Let's explore suitable avenues aligned with your goals.

Assessing Your Current Financial Situation:

Before delving into investment options, let's assess your current financial status, including income, expenses, assets, and liabilities.

Identifying Investment Objectives:

What are your investment objectives? Are you investing for retirement planning, wealth accumulation, or specific financial goals like education or travel?

Analyzing Risk Tolerance:

Understanding your risk tolerance is crucial in determining the appropriate investment strategy. Are you comfortable with market fluctuations and volatility?

Exploring Investment Avenues:

Equity Investments: Equity investments offer the potential for high returns over the long term but come with higher risk. They include direct stocks or equity mutual funds managed by professional fund managers.

Debt Instruments: Debt instruments like fixed deposits, bonds, or debt mutual funds provide stability and regular income. They are suitable for investors seeking capital preservation and steady returns.

Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs): SIPs allow you to invest regularly in mutual funds, harnessing the power of compounding to build wealth over time. They offer flexibility and convenience in investing.

Retirement Planning: Investing in retirement-focused instruments like Employee Provident Fund (EPF), Public Provident Fund (PPF), or National Pension System (NPS) ensures financial security during retirement.

Consultation with a Certified Financial Planner:

Engaging with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) ensures personalized guidance tailored to your financial goals and risk tolerance. A CFP can help you design a customized investment plan to achieve your objectives effectively.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, exploring investment options tailored to your financial goals and risk tolerance is essential for long-term wealth accumulation. By consulting with a Certified Financial Planner and diversifying your portfolio across equity, debt, and retirement-focused instruments, you can build a secure financial future.

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 May 20, 2024

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I'm 25 years old I have 10 lakhs to invest plz advice me where to invest..
Ans: Congratulations on having a substantial amount to invest at the young age of 25. Let's explore strategic investment options tailored to your financial goals, risk profile, and investment horizon.

Understanding Your Financial Goals and Risk Profile
At 25, you have a long investment horizon ahead of you, which provides an opportunity to pursue growth-oriented investments. However, it's essential to consider your risk tolerance and financial objectives when selecting investment avenues.

Assessing Investment Options
With ?10 lakhs to invest, you have various investment options to consider. Let's evaluate potential avenues based on your goals and risk profile:

Equity Mutual Funds: Investing in equity mutual funds offers the potential for high returns over the long term. These funds invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks, providing exposure to the growth potential of the stock market.

Debt Mutual Funds: Debt mutual funds are suitable for investors seeking stability and regular income. These funds invest in fixed-income securities such as bonds and government securities, offering relatively lower risk compared to equities.

Systematic Investment Plan (SIP): Consider investing in mutual funds via SIPs, which allow you to invest a fixed amount regularly. SIPs offer the benefit of rupee cost averaging and enable disciplined investing over time.

Balancing Risk and Return
Given your young age and long investment horizon, you can afford to take on a higher level of risk to pursue higher returns. However, it's essential to strike a balance between risk and return based on your risk tolerance and financial goals.

Emphasizing Diversification
Diversifying your investment portfolio across multiple asset classes and investment vehicles is crucial for managing risk and maximizing returns. Consider allocating your investment across equity and debt funds to achieve a well-diversified portfolio.

Monitoring and Reviewing Your Investments
Regularly monitor the performance of your investments and review your portfolio periodically to ensure alignment with your financial goals. Consider consulting with a Certified Financial Planner to fine-tune your investment strategy and navigate market fluctuations effectively.

Conclusion
In conclusion, investing ?10 lakhs at 25 presents a significant opportunity to lay the foundation for long-term wealth creation. By selecting suitable investment options, balancing risk and return, emphasizing diversification, and staying disciplined in your investment approach, you can work towards achieving your financial goals and securing your future.

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 May 18, 2024

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Money
Hi sir, I'm 27 un married , right now I have Lakhs rupee , where I have to invest, it's
Ans: Strategic Investment Options for a 27-Year-Old

Congratulations on your prudent decision to invest at such a young age. Let’s explore some strategic investment options tailored to your financial goals and risk tolerance.

Understanding Your Financial Goals
At 27, you have a valuable opportunity to build wealth over the long term. Let’s outline your goals and align them with suitable investment avenues.

Financial Goals Assessment
Short-Term Goals:

Emergency Fund: Build a contingency fund covering at least 6-12 months of living expenses.
Lifestyle Expenses: Plan for any short-term expenses like travel or personal purchases.
Medium-Term Goals:

Education or Skill Enhancement: Invest in courses or certifications to enhance your skills and career prospects.
Marriage or Home Purchase: Start saving for significant life events you anticipate in the next 5-10 years.
Long-Term Goals:

Retirement Planning: Begin building a retirement corpus to secure your financial independence in the future.
Wealth Accumulation: Invest with a long-term horizon to maximize wealth creation.
Investment Strategy
Diversified Equity Mutual Funds:

Equity mutual funds offer the potential for high returns over the long term.
Invest in a diversified portfolio of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap funds to spread risk.
Actively managed funds can outperform passive index funds, especially in volatile markets.
Systematic Investment Plan (SIP):

Start a SIP in equity mutual funds to benefit from rupee cost averaging and the power of compounding.
Regular monthly investments help inculcate a disciplined saving habit and reduce market timing risk.
Public Provident Fund (PPF):

Consider opening a PPF account for stable returns and tax benefits.
PPF offers attractive interest rates and tax-free returns, making it an ideal choice for long-term savings.
Risk Management
Emergency Fund:

Prioritize building an emergency fund to tackle unforeseen expenses without liquidating investments.
Park this fund in a liquid or low-risk debt instrument like a savings account or liquid mutual fund.
Insurance Coverage:

Secure yourself with adequate health insurance coverage to mitigate medical expenses.
Consider a term insurance plan to provide financial protection to your dependents in case of any unfortunate event.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Avoiding Impulse Decisions:

Stay disciplined and avoid impulsive investment decisions driven by market fluctuations or short-term trends.
Overlooking Asset Allocation:

Maintain a balanced asset allocation aligned with your risk tolerance and financial goals.
Rebalance your portfolio periodically to ensure it stays in line with your objectives.
Conclusion
As a 27-year-old investor, you have a long investment horizon ahead. By adopting a disciplined approach, diversifying your portfolio, and staying focused on your financial goals, you can set yourself on the path to financial success.

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 Jul 17, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Jul 07, 2024Hindi
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Hi I'm 33 years old single male with 60 k salary per month I have 16 lakhs in my savings account but i don't have any policies or any other investments my monthly expenses are around 40 k don't have my own home please suggest me where to invest and how to invest
Ans: You earn Rs. 60,000 per month.

You have Rs. 16 lakhs in savings.

Your monthly expenses are Rs. 40,000.

Let's plan a 360-degree investment strategy for you.

Emergency Fund
Keep an emergency fund.

It should cover 6 months of expenses.

This means Rs. 2.4 lakhs.

Keep it in a liquid account.

Health and Life Insurance
Get health insurance.

Cover at least Rs. 5 lakhs.

Health issues can lead to high costs.

Consider term life insurance.

It is cheaper and gives high cover.

Cover at least 10 times your annual income.

This means Rs. 72 lakhs.

Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs)
SIPs are a great way to invest.

They help in disciplined investing.

Invest Rs. 10,000 per month in SIPs.

Choose a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap funds.

This ensures diversification.

Actively managed funds can outperform.

They have fund managers who track the market.

This can lead to better returns.

Public Provident Fund (PPF)
PPF is a safe investment.

It offers tax benefits.

Invest Rs. 1.5 lakhs per year.

This is for long-term savings.

It has a 15-year lock-in period.

This helps in building a retirement corpus.

Diversification
Diversify your investments.

Don't put all money in one type of investment.

Use mutual funds for diversification.

They spread risk across many stocks.

Goal-based Investing
Identify your goals.

Short-term goals can be 1-3 years.

Medium-term goals can be 3-7 years.

Long-term goals can be 7+ years.

Choose investments based on these goals.

Regular Review
Review your investments regularly.

Ensure they align with your goals.

Make adjustments as needed.

Tax Planning
Invest in tax-saving instruments.

They reduce your taxable income.

Options include ELSS funds and PPF.

This helps in efficient tax planning.

Financial Planner
Consult a Certified Financial Planner.

They provide professional advice.

They help in making informed decisions.

They track market trends.

This helps in optimizing your investments.

Final Insights
Start with an emergency fund and insurance.

Then, invest in SIPs and PPF.

Diversify your portfolio.

Review your investments regularly.

Seek advice from a Certified Financial Planner.

This ensures a well-rounded financial plan.

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 Aug 03, 2024

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Nayagam P

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!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

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Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1840 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

...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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