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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 05, 2023

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
Rajshekhar Question by Rajshekhar on Apr 04, 2023Hindi
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Money

I am 48..wants to invest 50 lacs out of which I want 25000 as fixed monthly income and other to invest for 10 years or more..

Ans: Pls, use a combination of equity funds and debt funds. From debt funds, do SWP for monthly income.
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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Hardik

Hardik Parikh  | Answer  |Ask -

Tax, Mutual Fund Expert - Answered on Apr 11, 2023

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Hi..i am 48..i want to invest 50 lacs in total out of which I want Rs.25000 as fixed monthly income and remaining amount I wish to invest for 5 years+.. please suggest.regards
Ans: Dear Rajshekhar,

Thank you for reaching out for financial advice. Based on your requirements, I suggest the following investment strategy to achieve a fixed monthly income of Rs. 25,000 and invest the remaining amount for 5 years or more.

Fixed monthly income:
To achieve a fixed monthly income of Rs. 25,000, you can consider investing in a combination of fixed deposits, post office monthly income schemes, or debt mutual funds with a dividend payout option.
For instance, if you invest Rs. 30 lakhs in a fixed deposit or a post office monthly income scheme with an annual interest rate of around 6%, you can generate a monthly income of approximately Rs. 25,000. However, please note that the interest rates might vary depending on the bank, post office, or financial institution you choose. Do consider taxes and inflation while making these investments.

Investment for 5 years+:
For the remaining Rs. 20 lakhs, you can consider a mix of equity and debt mutual funds. A balanced or hybrid mutual fund, which invests in both equity and debt securities, can be a good option for a 5-year investment horizon. This diversified approach can help in achieving moderate returns with lower risk exposure.
You can also explore other investment options such as National Pension System (NPS) or tax-saving fixed deposits if you're looking to save for your retirement or avail tax benefits.

Please note that this is general advice, and I would recommend consulting with a certified financial planner or advisor for a personalized investment plan based on your risk tolerance, financial goals, and specific circumstances.

I hope this helps you in achieving your financial objectives.

..Read more

Hardik

Hardik Parikh  | Answer  |Ask -

Tax, Mutual Fund Expert - Answered on May 04, 2023

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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jun 02, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - May 14, 2025Hindi
Money
Hi, I am 40 years old and have a balance of 30 lakhs in my savings account and ned guidance on investment with good returns both long term and short term
Ans: You are 40 years old, with Rs 30 lakhs saved. That’s a great start.

First, note your short-term goals like a holiday, buying a vehicle, or home upgrades.

Then, identify long-term goals like children’s higher education, retirement, or major expenses.

Short-term goals are for the next 1 to 3 years.

Long-term goals are those beyond 5 years.

Also, decide how much risk you are okay with.

High risk can give high returns, but also big losses.

Low risk gives lower returns, but safer.

Note your family responsibilities. They must come first.

Once you know your goals and risk, you can plan your money.

Building an Emergency Fund
Before investing, create an emergency fund.

This is for job loss, medical emergency, or sudden expenses.

Keep 6 to 12 months of expenses aside.

For example, if your expenses are Rs 50,000 per month, keep Rs 3 to 6 lakhs as a buffer.

This fund must be easy to take out in a hurry.

Put it in a savings account or a liquid mutual fund.

This fund helps you avoid taking loans in emergencies.

It keeps your family safe and secure.

Don’t invest this money in high-risk options.

Treat it as safety money, not for making more money.

Diversifying Your Investments
Don’t keep all Rs 30 lakhs in one type of investment.

If you put everything in one, and it does badly, you lose a lot.

Put some money in equity mutual funds for high returns.

Some in debt mutual funds for safety and stable returns.

Some in gold funds for protection from inflation.

Diversification spreads your risk.

It also helps you grow wealth in a balanced way.

Short-Term Investment Options (1-3 Years)
For short-term goals, don’t go for high risk.

Keep money in debt mutual funds.

They are better than just a savings account.

Debt mutual funds can give higher returns than a bank FD.

Another choice is a fixed deposit in a trusted bank.

They are safe and give fixed interest.

Don’t try risky options like forex or crypto for short-term.

Such options can wipe out your money.

Long-Term Investment Strategies (5+ Years)
For long-term goals, equity mutual funds are good.

Equity mutual funds have high growth potential.

But they go up and down in short term.

That’s why they are good only if you stay invested for long.

Start a SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) in equity mutual funds.

SIP is like investing bit by bit every month.

SIP also makes you disciplined and removes market timing worries.

Over years, you can see your money grow.

Equity mutual funds are managed by experts.

Experts decide where to put your money for best growth.

Don’t stop SIPs if the market falls. Keep investing.

Long-term investing in equity funds can beat inflation.

Why Not Index Funds or ETFs?
Many people suggest index funds and ETFs.

But index funds follow the index and can’t change when needed.

They just copy the index and don’t try to do better.

Actively managed equity mutual funds have fund managers.

Fund managers can move money around if needed.

They can also avoid bad sectors.

This flexibility can give better returns.

Index funds are cheap but lack active handling.

That’s why actively managed funds are better for long term.

Regular Funds vs Direct Funds
Many people buy direct funds to save commission.

But direct funds are tricky to handle alone.

They don’t give guidance or service.

A regular mutual fund through a CFP gives you support.

A CFP helps you choose best funds for your goals.

CFP can also help you review and change when needed.

Direct funds can leave you confused in tough markets.

Regular funds with a CFP give peace of mind and better results.

Retirement Planning
Retirement can be 15-20 years away for you.

But start planning now.

The more years you have, the better.

Set a retirement goal in rupees.

Then start investing for that goal.

Equity mutual funds can help create a large retirement corpus.

Keep reviewing your retirement plan every year.

Add more money if you can.

Make sure your retirement life is peaceful.

Tax Planning
Taxes can reduce your returns if you don’t plan.

Use Section 80C to save tax. You can put up to Rs 1.5 lakhs there.

ELSS mutual funds come under 80C.

ELSS also give good returns in long term.

Know that equity mutual funds have a new tax rule.

If you sell them after 1 year, LTCG above Rs 1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.

If you sell them within 1 year, STCG is taxed at 20%.

For debt mutual funds, any gain is taxed at your income slab.

Plan your investments to pay less tax.

Keep paperwork ready to avoid tax confusion later.

Regular Portfolio Review
Don’t just invest and forget.

Look at your investments every 6 months.

Are they working for your goals?

Are any changes needed?

A CFP can help you see if your funds are good.

If some funds are not working, move to better ones.

Review is important to stay on track.

Life changes like a new child or job can affect your plan.

Review helps adjust your plan to your life.

Insurance Cover
Insurance is protection, not investment.

Check if you have enough life insurance.

Term insurance is best. It’s pure protection.

Also, check your health insurance.

Medical costs are going up fast.

Health insurance keeps your family safe.

Don’t mix insurance with investment.

Avoid ULIPs and endowment plans. They give poor returns.

If you already have them, think of surrendering and moving money to mutual funds.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Don’t let friends or family push you to invest in what they like.

Don’t get greedy with crypto, forex, or quick money ideas.

Such things can wipe out your savings.

Don’t try to time the market.

Stay steady with SIPs and long-term funds.

Keep some money in safe places for peace of mind.

Don’t ignore small expenses; they add up.

Setting Up a Monthly Investment Habit
After keeping an emergency fund, decide how much to invest each month.

SIPs are best for this. Start with what you can easily spare.

As your income grows, increase SIPs.

Monthly investing is better than putting big amounts once.

It makes you disciplined and lowers risk.

Benefits of Working with a CFP
A CFP gives you a full plan for your money.

They check your goals, income, and risk.

They suggest the right funds for you.

They help you with paperwork and taxes too.

A CFP also helps you stay calm when markets go up or down.

Their help keeps you away from bad choices.

You also get regular check-ins and updates.

This way, you reach your goals step by step.

Finally
You have Rs 30 lakhs ready, which is a strong start.

Build an emergency fund first for safety.

Put money in equity mutual funds for long-term goals.

Use debt funds or FDs for short-term needs.

Keep insurance in place for safety.

Avoid direct funds if you are not sure.

Work with a CFP for advice and service.

Review your plan often to stay on track.

Avoid quick rich schemes like crypto or forex trading.

Keep goals clear and steady.

Your financial future can be secure and bright if you stay focused.

Stay disciplined, be patient, and let your money grow.

If you have questions, a CFP can help clear them.

Keep working on your plan, step by step.

Your money can give you peace and freedom if you use it wisely.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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

..Read more

Latest Questions
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Dec 06, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 06, 2025Hindi
Money
Dear Sir/Ma'am, I need some guidance and advice for continuing my mutual fund investments. I am a 36 year old male, married, no kids yet and no debts/liabilities as such. I have couple of savings in PPF, NPS, Emergency funds and long term investing in direct stocks. I recently started below mentioned SIPs for long term to grow wealth. Request you to review the same and let me know if I should continue with the SIPs or need to rationalize. Kindly also advice on how to invest a lumpsum amount of around 6lacs. invesco small cap 2000 motilal oswal midcap 2700 parag parikh flexicap 3000 HDFC flexicap 3100 ICICI prudential largecap 3100 HDFC large and midcap 3100 HDFC gold etf FOF 2000 ICICI Pru equity and debt fund 3000 HDFC balanced advantage fund 3000 nippon india silver etf FOF 2000
Ans: You already built a solid foundation. Many investors delay planning. But you started early at 36. That gives you a strong advantage. You have no liabilities. You have long term thinking. You also have diversified savings like PPF, NPS, Emergency funds and direct stocks. That shows clarity and discipline. This approach builds wealth with less stress over time.

You also started systematic investments in equity funds. That is a positive step. Your selection covers multiple categories like large cap, mid cap, small cap, flexi cap, hybrid and precious metals. So the intent is right. You are trying to create a broad portfolio. That gives balance.

» Your Portfolio Composition Understanding
Your current SIP list includes:

Small cap

Mid cap

Flexi cap

Large cap

Large and mid cap

Hybrid category

Gold and Silver FoF

Equity and Debt allocation fund

Dynamic hybrid fund

This shows you are trying to cover many segments. But too many categories can create overlap. When there is overlap, you get confusion during review. It also makes portfolio discipline difficult. You may think you are diversified. But the holdings inside may repeat. That reduces efficiency.

Your portfolio now looks like:

Equity dominant

Hybrid for stability

Metals for hedge

So the broad direction is fine. But simplifying helps in long-term habit building.

» Fund Category Duplication
You hold:

Two flexi cap funds

One large and mid cap fund

One pure large cap fund

One mid cap fund

One small cap fund

Flexi cap funds already invest across large, mid, small. Then large and mid also overlaps. So the large cap exposure gets repeated. That may not add extra benefit. But it increases monitoring complexity.

So I suggest rationalising. Keep one fund per category in core. Keep satellite space for only high conviction.

» Core and Satellite Strategy
A structured portfolio follows core and satellite method.

Core portfolio should be:

Simple

Long term

Stable

Satellite portfolio can be:

High growth

Concentrated

Based on your thinking level, you can structure like this:

Core funds:

One large cap

One flexi cap

One hybrid equity and debt fund

One balanced advantage type fund

Satellite funds:

One mid cap

One small cap

One metal allocation if needed

This division gives clarity. You can continue SIPs with review every year. No need to stop and restart often. That reduces behavioural mistakes.

» Your Current SIP List Review with Suggested Streamlining

You can consider continuing:

One flexi cap

One large cap

One mid cap

One small cap

One balanced advantage

One equity and debt hybrid

You may reconsider keeping both flexi caps and both gold silver funds. One of each category is enough. Because too many funds do not increase returns. It complicates tracking.

Precious metal funds should not be more than 5 to 7 percent in your portfolio. This is because metals are hedge assets. They do not create compounding like equity. They act as protection during cycles. So keep them small.

» How to Use the Rs 6 Lakh Lump Sum
You asked about lump sum investing. This is important. Lump sum should not go fully into equity at one time. Markets move in cycles. So use a staggered method. You can invest the lump sum through STP (Systematic Transfer Plan). You can keep the amount in a liquid fund and set STP toward your chosen growth funds over 6 to 12 months.

This reduces timing risk. It also creates discipline. So your Rs 6 lakh can be deployed gradually. You may use 50% towards core equity funds and 30% toward satellite growth category. The remaining 20% can go into hybrid category. This gives balance and comfort.

» Regular Funds Over Direct Funds
One important point many investors miss. Direct funds look cheaper. But they demand deep knowledge, discipline, and behaviour control. Most investors lose more through emotional selling and wrong timing than they save on expense ratio.

With regular funds through a Mutual Fund Distributor with Certified Financial Planner qualification, you get guidance, structure and correction. The advisory discipline protects you during market extremes. That is more valuable than a small saving in expense ratio.

A personalised planner also tracks portfolio drift, rebalancing need and category shifts. So regular fund investing gives long-term benefit and behaviour coaching.

» Actively Managed Funds over Index or ETF
Some investors choose index funds or ETF thinking they are simple and cheap. But they ignore drawbacks.

Index funds or ETF will not avoid weak companies in the index. They will invest whether the company grows or struggles. There is no fund manager decision making. So when markets are at peak, index funds continue aggressive exposure. In downturns also they fall fully. There is no cushion.

Actively managed funds work with research teams. They can avoid bad sectors. They can shift allocation based on market and economy. Over long term, this gives better alpha and stability. So continuing with actively managed funds creates better wealth compounding.

» SIP Continuation Strategy
Once the rationalisation is done, continue SIPs every month without interruption. Pause and restart behaviour damages compounding power. SIP works best when you go through all market cycles. You benefit more during corrections because cost averaging works.

So continue SIP amount. You can also review SIP increase every year based on income. Increasing SIP by 10 to 15 percent every year helps you reach large corpus faster.

» Asset Allocation Based Approach
One key point in wealth creation is having the right asset mix. Equity gives growth. Hybrid gives balance. Metals give hedge. Debt gives safety. Your asset allocation should stay aligned to your risk profile and time horizon.

Since you are young and have long term horizon, higher equity allocation is fine. But as time moves, rebalancing is important. Rebalancing protects gains and restores allocation.

So review your asset allocation every year or during major life events like child birth, home buying or retirement planning.

» Behaviour Management
Many portfolios fail not due to bad funds. They fail due to bad decisions. Selling during correction. Stopping SIP when market falls. Chasing past return performance. These mistakes reduce wealth.

Your discipline so far is good. Continue to stay patient during volatility. Equity rewards patience and time.

» Financial Goals Clarity
Since you have no children now, you can decide your long-term goals. Typical goals may include:

Retirement

Future child education

Dream lifestyle purchase

Health care reserves

When goals are clear, investment purpose becomes stronger. So you can map each fund category to goal horizon. Short-term goals should not use equity. Long-term goals should use equity with hybrid support.

» Role of Review and Monitoring
Review once in a year is enough. Frequent review can create anxiety. Annual review helps check:

Fund performance

Expense drift

Category relevance

Allocation balance

Then adjust only if needed. This progress helps you stay confident and aligned.

» Taxation Awareness
Equity mutual funds taxation rules are:

Short term (below one year holding) taxable at 20 percent

Long term (above one year holding) gains above Rs 1.25 lakh taxable at 12.5 percent

Debt mutual funds are taxed as per your income slab.

So always hold equity funds for long term. That reduces tax impact and gives better growth.

» SIP Increase Plan
You can create a simple plan to increase SIP over time. For example:

Increase SIP at every salary increment

Increase SIP during bonus time

Use rewards or extra income for investing

This habit accelerates wealth. So by the time you reach 45 to 50 years, your investments could reach a strong level.

» Insurance and Protection
Before investing large, ensure you have term insurance and health insurance. If not already done, it is important. Insurance protects wealth. Without insurance, even a small medical event can impact investment plan. So review this part also. Since you are married, cover both.

» Wealth Behaviour Mindset
You are already disciplined. Just keep these simple principles:

Invest without stopping

Review once a year

Avoid funds overlap

Follow asset allocation

Avoid reacting to media noise

This helps you reach long term milestones.

» Finally
You are on the right track. Only fine tuning and simplification is needed. Your discipline is visible. Your portfolio will grow well with structure, patience and periodic review. Use the Rs 6 lakh with STP approach. And continue SIP with rationalised categories.

With time and consistency, wealth creation becomes effortless and peaceful. You just need to stay committed and avoid overthinking during market movements.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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

...Read more

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1837 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 05, 2025

Career
Dear Sir, I did my BTech from a normal engineering college not very famous. The teaching was not great and hence i did not study well. I tried my best to learn coding including all the technologies like html,css,javascript,react js,dba,php because i wanted to be a web developer But nothing seem to enter my head except html and css. I don't understand a language which has more complexities. Is it because of my lack of experience or not devoting enough time. I am not sure. I did many courses online and tried to do diplomas also abroad which i passed somehow. I recently joined android development course because i like apps but the teaching was so fast that i could not memorize anything. There was no time to even take notes down. During the course i did assignments and understood the code because i have to pass but after the course is over i tend to forget everything. I attempted a lot of interviews. Some of them i even got but could not perform well so they let me go. Now due to the AI booming and job markets in a bad shape i am re-thinking whether to keep studying or whether its just time waste. Since 3 years i am doing labour type of jobs which does not yield anything to me for survival and to pay my expenses. I have the quest to learn everything but as soon as i sit in front of the computer i listen to music or read something else. What should i do to stay more focused? What should i do to make myself believe confident. Is there still scope of IT in todays world? Kindly advise.
Ans: Your story does not show failure.
It shows persistence, effort, and desire to improve.

Most people give up.
You didn’t.
That means you will succeed — but with the right method, not the old one.

...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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