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Ramalingam Kalirajan |10874 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jul 23, 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

Question by CHANDAN on Jul 18, 2025Hindi

Hello sir I am 37 years govt employee having income of 75000 pm. I have a question how much I have to save and and in which sector to build a regular income after retirement. I have 14000 sip 5000 in sbi multi cap regular fund, 2500 canara robeco, 2000 Dsp elss, 2500 bajaj Finserv, 2500 white oak capital large and mid cap. 700000 in equity market as share with profit and 2500 monthly Lic also 900000 in nps. No debt having with monthly expense 50000. Have a wife and one year small baby girl.

Ans: You are already doing well. Your savings habit is strong. You are caring for your family and thinking long term. That shows wisdom. Now, let us plan for your retirement and future income.

? Monthly Income and Expense Review

– Your monthly salary is Rs. 75,000
– Monthly expenses are Rs. 50,000
– Surplus is Rs. 25,000 every month
– SIP investment is Rs. 14,000/month
– LIC premium is Rs. 2,500/month
– Total invested monthly is Rs. 16,500
– Balance Rs. 8,500 goes to savings or other needs

You are saving more than 30% of income. That is a strong start.

? SIP Portfolio Assessment

You are investing Rs. 14,000 monthly across 5 funds.

Rs. 5,000 in Multi Cap
– Multi cap gives exposure to all cap sizes
– This brings balance to your portfolio

Rs. 2,500 in Canara Robeco
– Fund house is known for performance
– We can’t name scheme, but allocation looks fair

Rs. 2,000 in DSP ELSS
– ELSS is tax saving
– Keep only one ELSS to avoid duplication
– Avoid putting more money here if 80C is already full

Rs. 2,500 in Bajaj Finserv Fund
– Check if it is sectoral or thematic
– Sectoral funds are high risk
– Avoid more than 10% exposure in such schemes

Rs. 2,500 in White Oak Capital
– Large and midcap offers balanced risk
– Good for long term wealth growth

Suggestion:
– Restructure SIP to reduce duplication
– Avoid sector/thematic funds unless you understand the risks
– Keep one ELSS fund only
– Add large cap or hybrid fund for better stability

? Equity Market Investment

– Rs. 7 lakh is in direct equity
– You mentioned it is in profit
– Profit booking may be needed gradually
– Keep only 10-15% of total assets in direct shares

Direct stocks carry high risk.

Unless you track market regularly, reduce allocation gradually.

Redirect some of that into mutual funds.

Mutual funds are managed by experts.

Direct stocks need time, skill and risk-taking ability.

? NPS Portfolio Status

– Rs. 9 lakh in NPS is a good start
– NPS gives you retirement benefit
– It has tax benefit under 80CCD(1B)

Make sure equity exposure in NPS is high now

Gradually reduce equity portion as you near retirement

You can continue contributing Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 monthly

Use surplus from your savings to top it up

NPS gives decent returns and tax-saving

But do not depend only on NPS

? LIC Premium Evaluation

– You are paying Rs. 2,500/month = Rs. 30,000 yearly

Check if it is term insurance or endowment

If endowment or ULIP:

– Returns are very low
– Policy has lock-in and poor flexibility
– Better to surrender and reinvest in mutual funds

If term plan:

– That is good protection
– Keep cover at least 20 times your annual income

That would be Rs. 1.8 crore at your age

You have a small child. So, term insurance is very important.

? Emergency Fund Requirement

You have a baby girl and wife.

Emergency fund is essential.

Right now, there is no mention of it.

You should save 4 to 6 months of expenses

That means around Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh

Put it in a liquid mutual fund or sweep-in FD

Don’t use savings account only.

Emergency fund gives mental peace and protection

? Retirement Planning Objective

Let us assess your future needs.

You are 37 now. Retirement likely at 60

That gives you 23 years to save

Monthly need today is Rs. 50,000

After retirement, you will need more due to inflation

Assume need of Rs. 1.5 lakh/month at 60

You must build a large retirement corpus

Start with investing the current surplus more efficiently

? Sector Suggestions for Future Investments

– Continue in diversified equity mutual funds
– Add balanced advantage or hybrid funds for stability
– Include large cap fund for lower volatility
– Add gold fund for 5-10% allocation

Don’t invest more in ELSS unless tax-saving is pending

Avoid sector-specific or thematic funds unless you fully understand risk

You may add NPS contribution as well for tax benefit

Avoid direct stock trading if not experienced

? Avoid Index Funds and ETFs

You did not mention index funds

Still, let us explain why to avoid them

– Index funds blindly follow the market
– They can’t beat inflation in some cases
– No human management to take decisions
– No protection during market crashes

Actively managed funds do better in Indian markets

Fund manager adjusts strategy based on market conditions

This gives better performance over long term

So, stay with actively managed funds through MFD

? Avoid Direct Funds

You may be using direct plans

Direct plans have lower fees

But they have no guidance or expert support

No one monitors your portfolio regularly

Wrong decisions can cause big loss over time

It is better to invest via regular plans with a Certified Financial Planner

They help you:
– Choose correct funds
– Plan based on life goals
– Review portfolio regularly
– Avoid panic during market falls

You get support, handholding, and long-term discipline

That creates more wealth in the end

? Life and Health Cover Suggestion

You have a wife and baby daughter

Please ensure health insurance is taken for family

Minimum Rs. 10 lakh cover is needed

Buy a family floater plan if not done already

Medical costs are rising fast

Don’t delay this step

Also, review term insurance now

Take a new term policy if existing one is low or endowment

? Child Future Planning

You have a one-year-old daughter

Start investing now for her education and marriage

Target college at 18 and marriage at 25

You need 15+ years to build good fund

Use child-specific mutual fund or large cap fund

Avoid child ULIPs or insurance-linked plans

Invest Rs. 5,000/month now and increase with time

You can also use PPF or Sukanya Samriddhi

Start small, but stay regular

? How to Use Surplus Wisely

Your monthly surplus is around Rs. 8,500

Use it as follows:

– Add Rs. 3,000 more to mutual funds
– Add Rs. 2,000 in NPS or Sukanya Samriddhi
– Use Rs. 2,000 to build emergency fund
– Keep Rs. 1,500 as buffer

Also increase SIPs when income increases

Avoid keeping surplus in savings account

That earns very low interest

? Use of Bonus or Arrears

If you get bonus or arrears:

– Use 50% for investments
– Use 25% for emergency fund
– Use 25% for family or personal needs

Don’t spend all on gadgets or vacation

Invest lump sum in hybrid or flexi cap funds

Let your money grow silently

? Monitoring and Review

Do a portfolio review every 6 months

Track your fund performance and allocation

Avoid stopping SIPs during market fall

Get help from a certified planner if unsure

Stay committed to long-term goals

? Finally

– You have built a strong investment base
– SIPs are well-structured but need a little tuning
– Direct stock exposure should be reduced
– Review LIC and shift to term plan if needed
– Build emergency fund soon
– Increase investments as income grows
– Focus on child future plan and retirement
– Use regular mutual funds with expert help
– Avoid direct and index plans
– Create proper balance between risk and safety

Your financial future looks strong with these improvements

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

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