Hi, I'm 35 now and have monthly take home salary of 1.4 Lac per month. Have 30 Lac in MF, 12 Lac in NPS, 16 Lac in EPF, 16 Lac in PPF and SIP of 60,000 per month with 30,000 going in Home EMI. How much should I invest more or do to plan for retirement by 50 years age. I need 5 Crore in today's term for retirement.
Ans: Current Snapshot of Finances
Age: 35 years
Monthly income: Rs. 1.4 lakhs
Monthly SIP: Rs. 60,000
Home EMI: Rs. 30,000
Mutual funds: Rs. 30 lakhs
NPS: Rs. 12 lakhs
EPF: Rs. 16 lakhs
PPF: Rs. 16 lakhs
Your total retirement-oriented corpus is around Rs. 74 lakhs. Your retirement goal is Rs. 5 crores in today's value, and the target age is 50. That gives you 15 more years.
This goal is ambitious, but achievable. However, it requires strategic and disciplined planning from all angles.
Household Cash Flow Analysis
Net income: Rs. 1.4 lakhs per month
SIPs: Rs. 60,000
EMI: Rs. 30,000
Likely balance: Rs. 50,000
Your savings rate is healthy. You’re already saving more than 40%. That’s a good indicator of financial strength.
The Rs. 30,000 EMI supports an appreciating asset but doesn't directly help retirement. Keep the EMI-to-income ratio below 25%. You’re well within that. Use the remaining surplus in a structured way to accelerate retirement corpus growth.
Review of Mutual Fund Portfolio
Corpus: Rs. 30 lakhs
SIP: Rs. 60,000 per month
This is your primary growth engine. Mutual funds are ideal for wealth building. But selection of right funds is key.
Avoid index funds.
Index funds lack downside protection
They follow market blindly, even in crisis
Actively managed funds adapt better during market corrections
Professional fund managers adjust to economic cycles
If you’ve invested in direct mutual funds:
You don’t get professional tracking
You miss timely fund switching or rebalancing
You don’t get behavioural coaching during market panic
Regular funds through an MFD with CFP guidance help you avoid emotional investing
They provide long-term strategic insights
You must ensure that your mutual fund investments are under expert guidance, with timely reviews and realignment.
Role of EPF and PPF in Retirement
You have Rs. 16 lakhs each in EPF and PPF. These are safe but slow-growing.
EPF grows moderately with yearly adjustments
PPF has a 15-year lock-in
Both work well for capital safety
But these won’t beat long-term inflation
Use them only for debt allocation, not for core wealth creation
Don’t over-rely on these. They are stability assets, not growth assets.
Also, consider continuing PPF contributions only till it aligns with asset allocation goals.
NPS as Retirement Support
Rs. 12 lakhs in NPS is a decent start. But NPS has lock-in till 60.
It cannot be your core vehicle for early retirement at 50.
Only 60% withdrawal allowed at maturity
Rest 40% must be used in annuity (not suggested)
You’ll get retirement money from NPS only after age 60
Thus, increase SIPs in mutual funds to build corpus before 50
You can continue NPS for tax benefits, but don’t expect it to support retirement at 50.
Gap to Target Corpus
You want Rs. 5 crores in today’s value by age 50.
You already have:
Rs. 30 lakhs in mutual funds
Rs. 12 lakhs in NPS
Rs. 16 lakhs each in EPF and PPF
SIP of Rs. 60,000 monthly
Based on your current setup, you are roughly halfway there. To bridge the rest:
Enhance SIP to Rs. 75,000 over the next 12 months
Use balance surplus of Rs. 20,000–25,000 for this purpose
Increase SIPs with every salary hike
This will help meet your corpus requirement without relying on unsafe instruments.
Asset Allocation Strategy
At 35, you can take high equity exposure. Suggest the following:
Equity: 70%
Debt (PPF/EPF/NPS): 25%
Gold/others: 5%
Within equity, don’t depend only on large cap. Use mix of:
Large cap
Mid cap
Flexi cap
Hybrid aggressive
Avoid index funds as they lack adaptability. Use actively managed funds with strategic rebalancing.
Review the portfolio every 6 months with your Certified Financial Planner.
Emergency Fund Setup
Ensure 6 months of expenses as emergency reserve.
That is Rs. 3 lakhs
Keep in a sweep-in FD or liquid fund
Don’t use equity for emergency purposes
This avoids disturbing long-term investments during crisis
If you don’t have this yet, build it over the next 3–4 months.
Insurance Planning
Use term life insurance
Coverage should be 10 to 15 times your annual income
Avoid ULIPs or traditional plans
They offer poor returns and low transparency
If you have any investment-linked policies, consider surrender
Reinvest the proceeds into mutual funds
Use a separate health insurance policy, not just employer coverage. Add accident cover and critical illness cover as needed.
Tax Planning with New MF Rules
Understand new MF tax changes.
Equity LTCG above Rs. 1.25 lakh taxed at 12.5%
STCG taxed at 20%
Debt fund gains taxed as per slab
Keep holding for over 3 years to reduce tax impact.
Avoid unnecessary redemptions. Use goal-based withdrawals only. Plan redemptions in phases post-50.
Corpus Accessibility and Withdrawal Planning
Since NPS is locked till 60:
Your retirement corpus at 50 should be mainly from mutual funds
EPF can be partially withdrawn
PPF will mature after 15 years
Ensure equity mutual funds give you liquid support from age 50
Plan your SIPs to be spread across growth funds and balanced funds. Use hybrid funds near age 48 to shift to stability.
Don’t stop SIPs even if market falls. Continue till 50.
Lifestyle Control and Inflation Protection
Maintain expenses under control
Avoid lifestyle inflation
If income grows, increase SIPs, not lifestyle spending
Your Rs. 50,000 surplus is useful only if deployed well
Use part of surplus for long-term wealth, not short-term luxuries.
Avoid Real Estate as Retirement Tool
Don’t add real estate as a core investment.
It has low liquidity
High entry and exit costs
Poor rental yields
Complex legal issues
Mutual funds provide better transparency, liquidity, and monitoring tools.
Behavioural Coaching and Monitoring
Work closely with a Certified Financial Planner. Benefits include:
Correct fund selection
Regular portfolio review
Rebalancing at right intervals
Preventing panic actions in market falls
Tax-efficient withdrawal plans
Use regular funds through MFD with CFP support.
Estate Planning and Documentation
Create a Will
Update nominations across all investments
Make joint holdings in mutual funds and bank accounts
Inform family about account access
Keep one folder with all financial documents
Estate planning gives peace of mind and ensures proper wealth transfer.
Finally
You are financially disciplined and structured already. But the Rs. 5 crore retirement corpus at age 50 needs a little extra push.
Action points ahead:
Increase SIPs by Rs. 15,000 gradually
Don’t add new EMIs or loans
Avoid traditional or linked insurance plans
Stay away from index and direct mutual funds
Avoid real estate as a retirement vehicle
Continue using actively managed mutual funds with expert handholding
Keep asset allocation disciplined
Plan tax-efficiently and stay invested through ups and downs
Review every 6 months with a Certified Financial Planner
Keep insurance, emergency fund and estate plans updated
Your financial future is in your hands. You just need to stay on track and stay consistent.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment