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82-Yr-Old Mother: How to Invest 60 Lakhs for Risk-Free, Good Returns?

Ramalingam Kalirajan |8285 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jan 29, 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 Namrata on Jan 26, 2025Hindi

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Hello! Advait ji, My Mom is 82 and gets family pension. She has 70 lakhs FD maturing in March 25. I would like to invest 10 lakhs in FD as emergency fund. Kindly advice how to invest the remaining 60 lakhs, which is risk free and gives good returns (better than FD) She has the following investment - 1. 10 lakhs in Edelweiss Multicap Fund - Gr 2. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in HDFC Flexicap Fund -Gr 3. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in HDFC Midcap Opportunities Fund 4. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in Invesco India Focused Fund 5. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in LIC MF Infrastructure Fund 6. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in Motilal Oswal Large and Mid-Cap 7. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Large Cap Fund 8. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Multicap Fund 9. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Small Cap Fund 10. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Quant Small Cap Fund. Total Mutual fund investment of 32 lakhs. Apart from MF she has invested in Bajaj Allianz Life insurance plan, where she will investRs 2 Lakhs per year for 10 years. This is a guaranteed plan. She is comfortable running the house with her pension. However, please suggest shorter duration investments (5 yrs) Regards Namrata

Ans: Keeping Rs 10 lakhs in FD as an emergency fund is a good decision.
Ensure the FD has a sweep-in facility for liquidity.
Split it across multiple banks for safety.
Consider keeping part of it in a senior citizen savings scheme for higher returns.
Safe Investment Options for Rs 60 Lakhs
Safety is the first priority due to her age.
Capital protection and steady returns are essential.
The goal is better returns than FD without risk.
Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS)
Safe and backed by the government.
Offers higher interest than FDs.
Quarterly interest payout provides liquidity.
Maximum limit of Rs 30 lakhs per person.
Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (POMIS)
Provides a steady monthly income.
Safe, as it is backed by the government.
Investment limit of Rs 9 lakhs for a single account.
RBI Floating Rate Bonds
100% risk-free as it is issued by the government.
Interest rate changes every six months.
Lock-in period of 7 years but provides higher returns than FDs.
Debt Mutual Funds for Low Risk and Better Returns
Suitable for a 5-year investment horizon.
Tax-efficient compared to FD if held for more than three years.
Invest in conservative categories for stability.
Corporate Fixed Deposits
Choose only AAA-rated corporate FDs.
Some companies offer better rates than bank FDs.
Ensure liquidity and withdrawal flexibility.
Mutual Fund Portfolio Review
The current mutual fund portfolio is diversified.
Too many funds can dilute returns.
Consider consolidating overlapping funds.
Shift small and midcap exposure to safer categories.
Life Insurance Plan Review
The Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance guaranteed plan is a locked-in investment.
Returns from such plans are usually lower.
Check surrender value and flexibility in the future.
Final Insights
Safety should be the top priority at her age.
Diversify investments across SCSS, POMIS, and debt funds.
Avoid high-risk investments like small-cap and mid-cap funds.
Ensure investments provide steady income and liquidity.
Regularly review and rebalance investments for better returns.
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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Milind Vadjikar |1188 Answers |Ask -Follow

Insurance, Stocks, MF, PF Expert - Answered on Mar 25, 2025

Milind Vadjikar is an independent MF distributor registered with Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) and a retirement financial planning advisor registered with Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
He has a mechanical engineering degree from Government Engineering College, Sambhajinagar, and an MBA in international business from the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune.
With over 16 years of experience in stock investments, and over six year experience in investment guidance and support, he believes that balanced asset allocation and goal-focused disciplined investing is the key to achieving investor goals.... more

Question by Namrata on Jan 26, 2025Hindi

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Hello! Advait ji, My Mom is 82 and gets family pension. She has 70 lakhs FD maturing in March 25. I would like to invest 10 lakhs in FD as emergency fund. Kindly advice how to invest the remaining 60 lakhs, which is risk free and gives good returns (better than FD) She has the following investment - 1. 10 lakhs in Edelweiss Multicap Fund - Gr 2. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in HDFC Flexicap Fund -Gr 3. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in HDFC Midcap Opportunities Fund 4. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in Invesco India Focused Fund 5. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in LIC MF Infrastructure Fund 6. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in Motilal Oswal Large and Mid-Cap 7. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Large Cap Fund 8. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Multicap Fund 9. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Small Cap Fund 10. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Quant Small Cap Fund. Total Mutual fund investment of 32 lakhs. Apart from MF she has invested in Bajaj Allianz Life insurance plan, where she will investRs 2 Lakhs per year for 10 years. This is a guaranteed plan. She is comfortable running the house with her pension. However, please suggest shorter duration investments (5 yrs) Regards Namrata

Ans: Hello;

She may opt for any of these investment avenues:

1. Post office time deposit scheme(FDs offered by post office for 1,2,3 & 5 year tenure); Joint holding allowed; Premature withdrawal allowed after 6M. (Current ROI 6.9-7.5%)

2. NSC with a fixed tenure of 5 years; No premature withdrawal allowed. Can be held jointly(Current ROI 7.7%)

3. KVP: Although tenure is 9 yrs and 5 months, you may do premature encashment after 2.5 years; joint holding allowed;(Current ROI 7.5%)

You may approach a reliable postal agent to process these investments to avoid hassle of frequent post visits and associated hardships.

These are backed by GOI so no risk of default.

Hope this meets your requirements.

Best wishes;

Money

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