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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8534 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Dec 09, 2024

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
Anuj Question by Anuj on Dec 08, 2024Hindi
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Hello Hemant, i need your help in solving a crisis, it is not unmanageable but, with your help i can improve. so here are the details. Income 1,40,000 PM Loans running (20 Lakhs) 38,000 PM (Personal Loan taken for 8 years 4th year running) Car loan (10 Lakhs) 17,500 PM (For 7 years 4th year running) Investments 3,000 SIP (Current value is 1,07,000) Invested in stocks 7,50,000 (Current value 8,15,000) PPf 2,50,000 (2,000 PM) Investment in gold 1000 PM since 1 year (Invested 15,000 current value 18,000) I want to reach a target of 3 crores, iam currently aged 45, iam in govt service so still have 9 yrs of service left with the same income or u can say an increment of 10% PA. rrequest help and advice

Ans: Your detailed income and expenses show you are well-organised. Your monthly income of Rs 1,40,000 provides a stable financial base. You also have investments in SIPs, stocks, PPF, and gold.

However, your loan EMIs of Rs 55,500 per month take a significant portion of your income. This affects your savings and investment potential.

Your target of Rs 3 crores in 9 years is ambitious but achievable with strategic planning.

Analysis of Current Investments
SIPs (Rs 3,000 per month):

Your SIP contributions are small compared to your income.

A higher allocation is needed to build a significant corpus.

Stocks (Rs 7.5 lakh invested, Rs 8.15 lakh current value):

Direct equity investment has shown moderate returns.

Stocks can be volatile, requiring proper diversification.

PPF (Rs 2.5 lakh, Rs 2,000 per month):

PPF provides secure, tax-free returns but has limited growth potential.

The 15-year lock-in also affects liquidity.

Gold (Rs 15,000 invested, Rs 18,000 current value):

Gold is a hedge against inflation but is not suitable for high growth.

Monthly investments in gold are not significant for your target.

Evaluating Loans and Debt
Personal Loan (Rs 20 lakh, Rs 38,000 EMI):

Personal loans carry higher interest rates.

You have 4 more years left to repay this loan.

Car Loan (Rs 10 lakh, Rs 17,500 EMI):

Car loans are a depreciating asset liability.

The 3 years remaining on the loan strain your cash flow.

Steps to Improve Cash Flow
Accelerate Loan Repayments:

Prioritise clearing the personal loan first.

Use any bonuses or surplus income to reduce loan tenure.

After the personal loan, focus on prepaying the car loan.

Limit New Borrowings:

Avoid taking additional loans until existing debts are cleared.

Maintain a clear focus on financial discipline.

Strategy for Rs 3 Crore Goal
Increase SIP Contributions:

Raise your monthly SIP to Rs 15,000 initially.

Gradually increase SIPs by 10-15% annually as your income grows.

Invest in actively managed funds for higher returns.

Rebalance Stock Portfolio:

Diversify into equity mutual funds to reduce direct equity risks.

Focus on funds managed by experienced professionals.

Enhance PPF Contribution:

Maximise PPF contributions to Rs 1.5 lakh annually for tax benefits.

Treat it as part of your debt allocation.

Limit Gold Investments:

Stop monthly investments in gold.

Reallocate this amount to equity or hybrid funds.

Build an Emergency Fund:

Maintain 6 months’ expenses in a liquid fund or savings account.

This ensures liquidity during unexpected situations.

Tax Implications
For equity mutual funds, LTCG above Rs 1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.

STCG is taxed at 20%.

Plan redemptions carefully to minimise tax liabilities.

Monitoring and Review
Track Progress Regularly:

Review your investments every 6 months.

Adjust allocations based on performance and goals.

Seek Professional Advice:

Consult a Certified Financial Planner to create a tailored plan.

Avoid emotional decision-making in investments.

Final Insights
Your financial discipline and stable income provide a strong foundation. Clearing debts and reallocating investments can help you achieve your Rs 3 crore target. Stay focused and consistent in your approach.

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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Hello Sir, I am 44 years old IT professional. I have loan of Rs. 29 Lakhs. I am currently investing 40K in MF, 10K in Nifty 50 and Large cap and Mid Cap Stocks 50K (IT- Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Tata Elxie), Bank - (ICICI, IDFC, SBI), Auto - Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Jewellery - Titan, Metal - Tata Steel, Vedanta), Paint - Asian Paint, Oil - IOC). 1. Edelweiss Large and Mid cap - 5000 2. ICICI Prudential Thematic adv fund - 5000 3. Kotak equity opportunity fund - 5000 4. Canara Robbeco Emerging Equities - Regular - 5000 5. Mahindra Manulife Multi Cap fund Regular Growth - 5000 6. Parag and Parikh flexi Cap fund Regular Plan - 5000 7. SBI Blue Chip fund Regular Growth - 5000 8. HSBC Small Cap fund Regular Growth - 5000 9. Nippon nifty 50 NIFBEE - 10000 10. IBM stock - 18000 I have 8 lakhs as emergency fund in FD ROI - 7.1, NPS - 12 lakhs, PF 22 lakhs, Stocks 24 lakhs, MF 5 lakhs I would like to have around 10+ crore's in the next 10-12 years in investments. What can I do better?
Ans: Given your detailed financial situation and ambitious goal of accumulating 10+ crores in 10-12 years, here are some suggestions to optimize your investment strategy:

Loan Repayment: Prioritize repaying the Rs. 29 lakh loan to reduce interest burden and free up cash flow.
Asset Allocation: Diversify your portfolio across asset classes like equity, debt, and real estate to spread risk. Rebalance periodically to maintain desired allocation.
Increase Investments: Consider increasing your SIPs, especially in equity mutual funds, to accelerate wealth accumulation.
Tax Planning: Optimize tax-saving investments like ELSS, NPS, and PPF to maximize post-tax returns.
Emergency Fund: Ensure the emergency fund remains intact and adjust its size based on your monthly expenses.
Review and Monitor: Regularly review your portfolio's performance and adjust investments as needed to align with your financial goals and market conditions.
Consult a financial advisor for a personalized investment plan tailored to your goals, risk tolerance, and financial situation.

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Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jul 04, 2024

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Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Jul 16, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Jul 16, 2024Hindi
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Dear Sir, I am 44 years old. With a total family salary income of 2.2 Lakhs/Month after tax, and I get a yearly one time bonus of Rs. 1.5 Lakhs. Below is my financial position. 1. Combined Family PF Accumulation - 50 Lakhs 2. Own individual house with no Loan(i.e. 20 years housing loan closed in 4 Years) 3. A empty commercial plot in a busy area in a First grade municipal town worth 1.6 Crores 4. A empty commercial land of area 32000 Sq.ft. on a busy National Highways worth 2 Crores 5. Gold Jewels - 2.1 Kg 6. Some ancestral houses and 7 acres agricultural lands from which I get 20K Per month excluding our(mine + wife) salary. 7. LIC Endowment Policies from which I can get Rs. 10 Lakhs if I surrender pre-maturely now. No FD, Mutual Funds and Shares. Debt: 1. 900 grams of gold to my close relative which I borrowed at Rs. 5500/gram in 2023, also has to return only as gold. 2. 35 Lakhs cash at Bank FD rate of interest from my Mom. 3. Gold Pledged for Rs. 18 Lakhs at a nationalized bank 4. Personal loan of Rs. 10 Lakhs, EMI Rs. 27000/month(Approx). - 50 Months remaining. Two daughters studying 11th and 6th respectively. Please guide me to come out of my debt as early as possible.
Ans: Your income and assets are strong. You have Rs. 2.2 lakhs monthly income and a Rs. 1.5 lakh yearly bonus. Your PF accumulation is Rs. 50 lakhs. You own a house with no loan. Your commercial properties are worth Rs. 3.6 crores. Your gold jewels weigh 2.1 kg. Your ancestral property provides Rs. 20,000 monthly.

Debt Analysis
You have some debts. You owe 900 grams of gold to a relative. You have Rs. 35 lakhs debt to your mother at FD interest rates. You have pledged gold for Rs. 18 lakhs at a bank. You have a personal loan of Rs. 10 lakhs with a Rs. 27,000 monthly EMI.

Liquidity Management
Consider surrendering your LIC endowment policies. This can provide Rs. 10 lakhs immediately. Use this amount to reduce high-interest debts. Prioritize paying off the personal loan and pledged gold loan first.

Debt Repayment Strategy
Focus on repaying high-interest loans. Use your bonus and part of your monthly income for this. Repay your personal loan early. This will save on interest costs.

Gold Loan Repayment
Repay the gold loan at the bank. Use part of your income and savings. This will free up your pledged gold. Return the borrowed gold to your relative as soon as possible.

Family Debt Clearance
Repay your mother’s debt with a structured plan. Consider paying a fixed amount monthly. This will reduce your financial burden over time.

Future Investment Planning
Start investing in mutual funds. Use a SIP to invest regularly. This will help grow your wealth. Actively managed funds are better than index funds. They can provide higher returns.

Education Planning for Daughters
Set up an education fund for your daughters. Invest in equity and debt funds. This will ensure their future expenses are covered.

Insurance Review
Review your insurance needs. Ensure you have adequate life and health insurance. This protects your family in case of emergencies.

Professional Guidance
Seek advice from a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). They can provide a tailored financial plan. Professional guidance will help you achieve your financial goals efficiently.

Final Insights
Focus on debt repayment first. Invest regularly for future growth. Secure your family’s financial future with proper planning.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8534 Answers  |Ask -

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

Asked by Anonymous - May 20, 2025
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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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