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38 year old, single, no liability, Rs.1.43 crore investments, how to invest for lifelong money flow?

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8620 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Mar 24, 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 - Mar 05, 2025Hindi
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Hello, I am 38 years old, single with no liability and recently took a break from my career. I have accumulated corpus of around Rs.1.43 crore which is invested as below (Rs. in lacs): Mutual Fund Canara Robeco Bluechip Equity 5.64 Parag Parikh Flexi Cap 4.87 Edelweiss Balanced Advantage Fund 2.7 Quant Active Fund 2.61 Motilal Oswal Nifty Midcap 150 Index Fund 2.25 SBI Gold Fund 1.15 UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund 1.5 Quant Small Cap Fund 1.16 Motilal Oswal Asset Allocation Passive FOF Aggressive 0.43 HDFC Large Cap Index 1.9 HDFC Nifty Midcap Index 1.13 HDFC Small Cap Index 0.75 HDFC Corporate Bond Fund 1.78 HDFC Gold ETF 1.26 NPS 25.77 Stocks 12.99 Corporate Bonds 47.32 Bank FD 19.21 and PPF 8.84 Considering present monthly expenses of Rs. 35000/-(approx.) how can I invest the said amount for lifelong money flow to meet my expenses?

Ans: Your current portfolio is well-diversified across mutual funds, stocks, corporate bonds, fixed deposits, and NPS. Since you are on a career break, ensuring a steady cash flow is critical. Your goal should be to optimise returns while maintaining liquidity for your monthly expenses.

Immediate Cash Flow Management
Your monthly expenses are Rs. 35,000, meaning you need Rs. 4.2L per year.

Your fixed deposits and corporate bonds can serve as a reserve for the next 5–7 years.

Systematic Withdrawal Plans (SWP) from debt mutual funds can create a steady income.

Asset Allocation for Stability and Growth
Short-Term (1-5 years): Rs. 25-30L in high-quality corporate bonds, fixed deposits, and liquid funds.

Medium-Term (5-10 years): Rs. 30-40L in balanced hybrid and dynamic asset allocation funds for moderate growth.

Long-Term (10+ years): Rs. 50L+ in equity mutual funds and stocks for wealth creation.

Investment Restructuring
Your portfolio has multiple index funds. Actively managed funds can offer better returns.

Gold exposure is high at over Rs. 2.4L. Keeping it at 5-10% of your portfolio is ideal.

NPS has a lock-in until retirement. Do not depend on it for short-term liquidity.

Generating Lifelong Income
Use SWP from debt funds to meet your monthly expenses.

Keep a 3-year emergency fund in fixed deposits or liquid funds.

Equity funds should focus on flexicap and multi-cap strategies.

Corporate bonds can be laddered for regular interest payouts.

Tax Efficiency
SWP from equity funds held over a year attracts LTCG tax only beyond Rs. 1.25L.

Debt funds are taxed as per your income slab. Withdraw systematically to minimise tax.

Interest from corporate bonds and FDs is fully taxable. Choose tax-efficient options.

Final Insights
Your current corpus is sufficient for your expenses, but restructuring is needed. Avoid overexposure to index funds. Ensure a mix of growth and income assets for a stable financial future.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment
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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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8620 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 05, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 20, 2023Hindi
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Hi experts, I have a total active MF investment of 5lakh 17k on the below list of funds from 1 to 5 : 1. SIP of 5k in canara robeco elss tax saver and cost value is 4.14lakh and Current value is 7.89lakh 2. Lump sum payment in a phased manner in canara robeco consumer trend fund cost value is 50k and current value is 58k 3. Lump sum payment in a phased manner in Axix nifty smallcap 50 index fund cost value is 35k and current value is 48k 4. One time payment Quant tax plan cost value is 7k and current value is 9.3k 5. One time payment Quant small cap fund cost value of 10 k and current value 14k Additional investment as below : 6. I have an PPF which I started this year with a SiP of 5k per month. 7. ELss investment (paid up policy)with Bajaj Allianz and the Cost value is 3lak and current value is 5.96lak. 8. Have bought a SGB of 10grams this year 9. Kisan Vikas Patra of 2lakh bought this year I am 38 year old female and as you see my Max investment are in equity so can you guide me how do I plan my investment i.e. debt and liquid funds and suggest some reliable funds where I can invest for next 10 years. My goal is for retirement i.e. around 15 years from now so need to create a corpus of around 1cr. Please suggest what further investment i should do to reach my goal.
Ans: For equity investments, opt for diversified equity funds that offer exposure to various sectors and market capitalizations. Look for funds with a consistent track record of performance and managed by reputable fund houses. Focus on funds that align with your investment horizon and risk tolerance. Consider allocating a portion of your portfolio to large-cap, mid-cap, and multi-cap funds to achieve diversification. Regularly review your investments and rebalance your portfolio as needed to maintain optimal asset allocation. Lastly, consult with a financial advisor to tailor your investment strategy to your specific financial goals and risk profile.

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8620 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 21, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - May 20, 2025
Money
Hi I am 43 me and wife earning 3 lcs per month with no kids we have a liability of 45 lacs housing loan and car loan of 8 lacs Housing loan balance 38 lacs ( we paid 5 lacs as part payment in two years) and also increase our installments from 38000 to 50000 for the last 5 months and reduce our tenure from 20 years to now 12 years Expenses:- 50000 housing laon per month 19000 car loan per month 30000 house hold expenses including travel expenses etc.. 30 lakhs mediclaim insurance premium 25000 annually Investment:- 35000 mutual funds per month ( funds like multi assets,multi cap and large cap one or two funds in small cap,and flexi funds ) Lic premium annual around 2 lacs 65000 annually premium for term plan ( unit linked plan) of 50 lacs 1 lakhs in PPF 50 lakhs corpus in mutual funds (90% equity and 10% hybrid) 15 lakhs FD 30 lakhs worth gold (300 grm) apprx 1 flat worth 1 crore ( on loan paying 50k pm) 10 lakh cash 3 lakh in savings Want to build a corpus of minimum of 10 crores befor 60 years of age How do invest in more systametic manner so that we can grow our money and how much amount do we need more to invest to reach this targetAnd another imp question is do I need to pay housing loan first so that I can save the intrest or kept the money in account as emergency fund. I am really confused Do I sell gold and pay loan ?? Do I break my FD ? What to do??
Ans: Appreciate your clarity and discipline with money. You are far ahead of many at your age. You already have a strong income, valuable assets, and good savings habits. Now let’s look at a complete 360° view of how to reach Rs. 10 crore target by 60.

We’ll go step by step with each area of your financial life.

Income and Cash Flow Overview
Monthly income of Rs. 3 lakhs is very healthy.

Loan EMIs total around Rs. 1.19 lakhs, approximately 40% of income.

Household expenses are just Rs. 30,000 – very efficient.

SIPs of Rs. 35,000 are a great start, but more growth investment is needed.

Scope exists to steadily increase investments each year.

Savings of Rs. 13 lakhs (FD + cash + savings) gives a solid buffer.

Actionable Insight:
Maintain a detailed monthly budget tracking income, expenses, EMIs, and surplus. Review it quarterly to stay in control.

Loan Repayment Strategy
Home loan of Rs. 38 lakh with Rs. 50,000 EMI and reduced tenure to 12 years – good progress.

Car loan of Rs. 8 lakh with Rs. 19,000 EMI.

Rs. 69,000/month in loan EMIs is manageable at your income level.

Recommendations:

Don’t rush to close home loan if interest is below 9% – you get tax benefits.

Prioritise closing the car loan if interest rate is high – it's not tax beneficial.

Avoid using FD or gold for loan repayment unless it’s an emergency.

Emergency Fund Evaluation
Rs. 10 lakh in cash + Rs. 3 lakh in savings is already strong.

With Rs. 15 lakh in FD, total emergency reserve is Rs. 28 lakh.

That’s more than sufficient; no need to expand emergency fund further.

Use sweep-in FD or split across multiple banks for liquidity and safety.

Insurance Assessment
Rs. 30 lakh health insurance is adequate – continue maintaining this.

Term insurance of Rs. 50 lakh via ULIP is too low.

Ideal cover should be around Rs. 4 crore (12x annual income).

Recommendations:

Take an independent term insurance plan of Rs. 3.5 crore.

Continue existing health cover.

Evaluate surrender of ULIP and LIC if returns are low (generally ~5%).

Redirect those premiums (Rs. 2.65 lakh annually) to mutual fund SIPs.

Investment Portfolio Review
Monthly Investments:

Rs. 35,000 into mutual funds (multi-cap, flexi-cap, small-cap, etc.)

Annual Contributions:

Rs. 1 lakh into PPF

Total Investment Corpus:

Rs. 50 lakh in mutual funds

Rs. 15 lakh in FD

Rs. 30 lakh in gold

Rs. 10 lakh in cash

Rs. 3 lakh in savings

Positives:

Strong equity exposure for long-term growth.

Balanced support from gold and FD.

Suggestions for Improvement:

Increase SIPs annually by at least 10%.

Limit small-cap exposure to 10-15%.

Gradually move from FD to debt mutual funds for better returns and tax-efficiency.

Surrender low-return policies (LIC, ULIP) and reinvest in growth-oriented funds.

Continue PPF contributions for safe, tax-free returns.

Realistic Path to Rs. 10 Crore by Age 60
You are 43 now, with 17 years to invest.

Current investment corpus is around Rs. 1.08 crore.

With Rs. 35,000 SIP, you might reach Rs. 2.5–3 crore by 60 – not enough.

To Reach Rs. 10 Crore Goal:

Gradually increase SIPs to Rs. 1 lakh/month in 5 years.

Reinvest proceeds from surrendering LIC/ULIP (Rs. 2.65 lakh annually).

Redirect EMI amounts (car loan, etc.) once loans are closed.

Make lump sum additions from bonuses or surplus income.

Mutual Fund Taxation Notes
From 2024, equity LTCG above Rs. 1.25 lakh taxed at 12.5%.

Short-term equity gains taxed at 20%.

Debt fund gains taxed as per slab.

Advice:

Avoid frequent withdrawals.

Use ultra-short term or debt funds for short- to medium-term needs.

Fund Selection Guidelines
Avoid direct funds unless you manage the portfolio yourself.

Use regular plans through a certified financial planner for guidance.

Avoid index funds if you seek alpha and personalized management.

Stick to a blend of active multi-cap, flexi-cap, and large-cap funds.

Suggested Asset Allocation
60% – Equity mutual funds

15% – Debt mutual funds

10% – Gold (already in place)

10% – Emergency fund (FD + cash)

5% – PPF

Annual Portfolio Rebalancing Recommended

Year-Wise Action Plan
Year 1–2:

Repay car loan using surplus or gold if needed.

Surrender LIC and ULIP; shift Rs. 2.65 lakh to mutual funds.

Take new term plan of Rs. 3.5 crore.

Increase SIPs to Rs. 50,000/month.

Year 3–5:

Redirect closed EMIs (Rs. 19,000) to SIPs.

Gradually move FD into debt mutual funds.

Add lump sum investments from annual bonuses.

Year 6–10:

Continue SIPs at Rs. 1 lakh/month.

Keep gold as is.

Rebalance asset allocation annually.

Final Insights
You are on the right track.

No need to sell gold or break FD prematurely.

Gradually increase SIPs and equity exposure.

Maintain emergency reserve.

Improve term cover and simplify insurance portfolio.

Avoid panic, follow the strategy, and review annually.

With this approach, you can confidently build Rs. 10 crore or more by 60 and ensure financial independence.

With better planning and yearly reviews, you will secure a strong retired life.

 

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

..Read more

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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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