My Mom Has 3L of Savings. How Do I Invest It? Seeking Financial Advice.

Financial Planning - Need help with my dad's pension. My mom (49y) has around 3L in savings (from my dad's pension) and will be getting 35,000 per month as the pension. How do I go about investing this? This is her savings, so don't want something very risky and we won't need the cash in short term. Let me know the geniuses of the sub. I am thinking a mix of High dividend MFs + Debt bonds on wint wealth. Please do let me know as we need the interest/dividend income every once in a while if not every month. I have a corporate insurance with 5L cover and Personal Insurance with 25L cover which will 3x in 3 years (currently 37.5L + 25L).

Ans: Your mother has Rs. 3 lakhs in savings from your dad's pension and will receive Rs. 35,000 per month as a pension. You want a low-risk investment strategy that generates regular income. Your insurance coverage is adequate, providing an additional safety net.

Investment Strategy
Safety and Stability
For your mother's savings, prioritize safety and stability. Choose investments with low risk but steady returns.

Debt Mutual Funds:

Ideal for conservative investors.
Provide stable returns with lower risk.
High Dividend Mutual Funds:

Offer regular dividend payouts.
Ensure the funds have a good track record.
Monthly Pension Allocation
Use the monthly pension wisely. A portion should be invested, while another should cover regular expenses.

Regular Expenses
Monthly Budget:
Allocate Rs. 35,000 to monthly expenses.
Ensure essential expenses are covered.
Surplus Investment
Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs):
Invest a portion of the pension surplus in SIPs.
Choose balanced funds for moderate growth.
Emergency Fund
Maintain an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses.

Liquid Funds:
Invest a part of the savings in liquid funds.
Easily accessible in emergencies.
Suggested Investment Mix
Debt Investments
Government Bonds:

Safe and reliable with guaranteed returns.
Suitable for long-term security.
Fixed Deposits (FDs):

Bank FDs offer guaranteed interest rates.
Choose banks with high credit ratings.
High Dividend Mutual Funds
Dividend Yield Funds:
Invest in funds with consistent dividend payouts.
Ensure the portfolio is diversified.
Insurance Considerations
Your insurance coverage is good. Corporate insurance covers Rs. 5 lakhs, and personal insurance covers Rs. 25 lakhs. This will triple in three years, offering Rs. 112.5 lakhs in total. Ensure policies are regularly reviewed to keep up with needs.

Regular Monitoring
Track Investments:

Regularly review the performance of investments.
Adjust the portfolio based on market conditions.
Professional Guidance:

Seek advice from a Certified Financial Planner.
Ensure investments align with financial goals.
Final Insights
Investing your mother’s savings in low-risk options ensures stability. Use a mix of debt and high dividend mutual funds for steady income. Regularly monitor and adjust the investments to stay on track.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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