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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jul 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
Asked by Anonymous - Jul 04, 2025Hindi
Money

Hello, Am 29 years old not married single child, having currently a monthly income of ~1.35 lakhs(excluding some rental incomes ~30 to 40k), I did buy my new car of 12 lakh at 26 and have paid it off previous month, I have an investment per month of around 50k rupees in NPS, PPF, Lic, Pension scheme small amount in Mutual funds and small recurring and have couple of FDs (excluding probable inheritance money of 1.5cr and have some emergency fund of ~4lakh kept untouched for like 3 months backup) ...so as am done with my car loan, I live in my family house wich does evaluates more than 1cr never planning to sell this, I have booked a flat for myself as investment and for a middle class dream of around 62 lakhs with a down payment of 12 lakh, (50lakh loan 20years ~40k emi) is it a good decision now considering the rate of interest have slashed down got a good 7.45% loan sanctioned, and please suggest if yes, as to shall i keep the rate of interest fixed or floating...as i see 7.45% fixed gives me a good set of eyes to the near future to plan my fixed Emi's for the house mortgage. Was planning to buy another car for 25 lakh, please tell me I am dumb or if yes when should I go for it/how long after. N.B- a marriage in the near future is imminent that also costs hefty :( Thanks in advance

Ans: You are doing many things right. Let’s look at your financial life from a 360-degree view. This will help you make clear and confident decisions.

Income & Existing Financial Commitments

You are earning around Rs. 1.35 lakh per month.

Rental income of Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 40,000 is an additional support.

Your income profile is stable and strong for your age.

You’ve paid off a Rs. 12 lakh car loan at 29. That’s disciplined.

Appreciation:

Having no car loan now improves cash flow.

Investing Rs. 50,000 per month is a very good practice.

Emergency fund of Rs. 4 lakh is well thought through.

Booking a house at 62 lakh is a balanced step at this point.

Living in family home avoids rent and supports long-term financial growth.

Current Investment Style and Gaps

You are investing in NPS, PPF, Pension, LIC, and mutual funds.

There is also some money going to recurring deposits and FDs.

This shows a diversified approach, but we need a deeper look.

Some concerns:

LIC and pension policies could be low return products.

If they are investment + insurance type policies, surrendering and reinvesting is better.

Regular mutual fund SIPs with proper asset allocation can offer better returns.

Avoid direct mutual funds if investing without guidance.

A Certified Financial Planner + Mutual Fund Distributor gives better monitoring and rebalancing.

Direct funds don’t offer hand-holding, which is critical.

Investment needs purpose, discipline and expert review. Not just execution.

Your Flat Purchase – Is it a Good Move?

You have booked a 62 lakh flat with 12 lakh down payment.

Loan of Rs. 50 lakh for 20 years at Rs. 40,000 EMI/month.

This decision is timely and well-structured.

Why it looks fine:

Loan rate at 7.45% is attractive in the current rate cycle.

You are not disturbing emergency funds or other key investments.

You stay with family, so you are not burdened with two houses.

The property is not for selling. It is more emotional + aspirational.

A flat adds stability and ownership satisfaction, not necessarily investment return.

Fixed vs Floating Interest Rate – Which to Pick?

Fixed Rate – Advantages:

Predictable EMI helps you plan monthly cash flow better.

Helps especially if your job has fixed income.

Emotional comfort for many borrowers.

Fixed Rate – Disadvantages:

If rates go down in future, you cannot benefit.

Fixed loans have lock-in and foreclosure charges.

Floating Rate – Advantages:

Long term average rates tend to drop or stay moderate.

Any rate cut by RBI passes benefit to you.

Floating Rate – Disadvantages:

Uncertainty in EMI when RBI hikes repo rate.

Budgeting for monthly expenses can become hard.

Your Situation Analysis:

You are still unmarried. Future commitments can rise anytime.

You are already investing Rs. 50,000 per month.

You have room in your budget to absorb slight EMI increases.

Loan is long-term (20 years), interest rate cycles will vary over this.

Recommendation:

Go with floating rate loan.

Keep monthly budget flexible to absorb EMI changes.

Avoid fixed rate loans for now. Only choose it if rates touch 9% or higher.

Buying Another Car – Is it Smart Now?

You plan to buy a Rs. 25 lakh car soon. Let’s assess.

Your Financial Position Today:

Just finished one car loan.

Just booked a flat with 20-year EMI.

Still unmarried. Marriage expenses are near.

Good investments and emergency fund are in place.

Monthly income is Rs. 1.35 lakh with Rs. 40k rental buffer.

Car will likely need Rs. 4 to 5 lakh down + Rs. 30-40k EMI.

Issues with buying now:

It can pressurise your cash flow too soon.

Post marriage, cash outflows will rise sharply.

Maintenance, fuel, insurance cost adds up yearly.

Existing car still has usable life probably.

Recommendation:

Don’t go for Rs. 25 lakh car now.

Delay it by at least 2–3 years.

Re-evaluate after marriage and 2 years of home loan EMI.

For now, channel money to mutual funds to build marriage + future reserves.

Marriage Expenses – How to Prepare

Marriage will be a big emotional and financial event.

Costs can go beyond Rs. 10–15 lakh easily.

You need to prepare 6–12 months in advance.

Steps to prepare:

Start a dedicated monthly investment for wedding fund.

Use short-term debt or hybrid mutual funds.

Avoid FDs for this purpose. Returns won’t beat inflation.

Don't break emergency fund for this.

Keep the marriage budget realistic and communicate with family.

Inherited Money – What to Do With It?

You mentioned expected inheritance of Rs. 1.5 crore.

Don’t count it in your plan unless it is certain.

Even if it comes, don’t use all for spending.

Allocate 80% to long-term investments.

20% can be used for lifestyle and upgrades.

Emergency Fund – Is It Enough?

You have Rs. 4 lakh as emergency fund.

It is set for around 3 months.

As your financial responsibilities grow, this must increase.

Target:

Emergency fund should cover 6 months’ expenses.

Don’t include EMI, luxury or investment in this.

Keep it in liquid or ultra short debt funds.

Tax Planning – Are You Doing It Right?

NPS, PPF, LIC and pension help save tax.

But be careful with overlapping benefits.

Check if your Sec 80C is overshooting.

Tips:

Track total 80C deductions. Max is Rs. 1.5 lakh.

NPS gives extra Rs. 50,000 under Sec 80CCD(1B).

PPF is safe but lock-in is high.

LIC premiums above Rs. 1.5 lakh/year have low utility if returns are low.

Avoid mixing insurance with investments.

Insurance – Do You Have Proper Cover?

No info shared on life or health insurance.

These are must before increasing EMI or car plans.

Action:

Take term insurance of Rs. 1 crore minimum.

Buy health cover of Rs. 5 lakh for yourself.

Later convert to family floater post marriage.

Don't rely on employer cover alone.

Investment Gaps & Suggestions

Areas of Improvement:

Too much in traditional low return products.

Real estate is dominating portfolio. Avoid adding more.

Need higher exposure to good quality mutual funds.

Corrective Actions:

Stop LIC or ULIP if returns are
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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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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