Hi Sir,
My age is 35 and I have following SIPs running at present.
Total SIP value = 9 lakh Inr and current SIPs are
1. Parag Parikh ELSS tax saver fund - 5K
2. Canara Robeco small cap fund - 7K
3. Mirae asset Large and mid cap fund - 5K
4. Parag Parikh Flexi cap - 3.5K
5. HDFC midcap opportunity fund - 2.5K
Total = 23K
For emergency I have
1. 4.5 lakh FD
2. ICICI PRUDENTIAL US equity fund - 2K
3. MIS in post office - 3K
Currently I don't have any loan running and neither I ma planning to have any in future.
Apart from it I have 16 lakh direct stocks investments.
Can you guide me here how to proceed further with all investments?
Ans: Your Financial Overview
You are 35 years old.
You have monthly SIPs worth Rs 23,000.
Parag Parikh ELSS – Rs 5,000
Canara Robeco small cap – Rs 7,000
Mirae large & mid cap – Rs 5,000
Parag Parikh flexi cap – Rs 3,500
HDFC midcap opportunity – Rs 2,500
Total SIP corpus ~ Rs 9?lakhs so far.
Emergency funds include:
Fixed Deposit Rs 4.5?lakhs
ICICI US equity fund SIP – Rs 2,000
Post Office MIS – Rs 3,000 monthly
No outstanding loans; you intend to keep it that way.
You hold direct investments in stocks worth Rs 16?lakhs.
You have commendable investment discipline.
Let’s build a holistic plan for your goals.
Emergency Fund Strengthening
Your Rs 4.5?lakh FD is a good start.
Post Office MIS adds liquidity monthly.
Aim for 6 months’ household expense coverage.
Total target liquidity ~ Rs 6–8?lakhs.
Use liquid debt or overnight funds to enhance flexibility.
Avoid keeping emergency funds only in FDs.
Ensure fast withdrawal access for life surprises.
Insurance and Protection
You didn’t mention health insurance.
Family cover of Rs 10–15?lakhs is a minimum.
Add top-up policy for comprehensive protection.
Life insurance is optional if no dependents.
Revisit coverage if responsibilities grow.
Keep risk insurance separate from investment funds.
Mutual Fund SIP Review
You run ELSS, small cap, midcap, flexi cap funds.
Great mix of aggressive and tax-saving offerings.
However, direct funds lack proactive review.
Regular plans through CFP + MFD provide monitoring.
Annual review helps identify underperformers timely.
Direct funds are prone to performance inertia.
They need your time and attention to succeed.
Why Prefer Regular Over Direct Funds
Direct funds require self-monitoring all year.
Many skip yearly reviews and miss rebalance signals.
Regular plans offer fund manager oversight and advice.
Certified Financial Planner provides tailored strategy annually.
Regular funds reduce emotional decisions during market swings.
They keep strategy aligned with your goals consistently.
Why Not Index Funds
Index funds only mirror market performance.
They don’t offer downside protection.
Active funds pick quality stocks and manage risks.
For long-term growth, active strategies often outperform.
As a 35-year-old, you need capital appreciation and protection.
Regular active funds suit best for wealth creation.
Optimising Your SIP Allocation
Total SIP monthly: Rs 23,000
We can refine it:
Retained SIPs (via regular plans):
Parag Parikh ELSS – Rs 5,000
Mirae large & mid cap – Rs 5,000
Parag Parikh flexi cap – Rs 3,500
To shift to regular version:
Canara Robeco small cap – Rs 7,000
HDFC midcap opportunity – Rs 2,500
Shift them to regular plans via CFP + MFD support.
Dedicated US Equity Exposure
Your ICICI US equity SIP of Rs 2,000 builds global diversification.
Keep this in a regular overseas fund instead of direct.
Helps reduce single-market dependency.
Involves currency and global sector exposure.
Review it annually for performance and relevance.
Debt/Safety Allocation
Current MIS provides minimal returns.
After emergency fund is complete, reduce FD usage.
Use the MIS insted or replace it with recurring SIP into debt funds.
Allocate Rs 3,000 – 5,000 monthly to debt fund SIPs.
Debt SIPs help maintain stability within portfolio.
Direct Stock Holdings
You hold Rs 16 lakhs in direct stocks.
Stocks are riskier than diversified funds.
Without active monitoring, they can underperform.
Limit direct equity to max 10–15% of portfolio.
Move excess stock holding gradually into equity mutual funds.
Use CFP guidance to sell and rotate into funds via regular plan.
Asset Allocation Approach
Suggested strategic mix:
Equity (large/flexi): 50%
Mid/small cap: 20%
Global equity: 5%
ELSS (for tax saving): 10%
Hybrid funds (child future): 10%
Debt fund/liquid: 5%
Rebalance annually with CFP to align using new investments.
Resuming Paused SIPs
Resurrecting correctly evaluated paused funds can add performance depth.
Use regular version of paused funds for oversight.
Invest lump sums only after evaluation post-market reviews.
Avoid emotional restarts. CFP helps in timing and selection.
Building Corpus for Future Goals
Without home loan, you can focus on investments.
Build separate SIP for home/property purchase if needed later.
Otherwise monthly excess can be redirected to mutual funds.
Decide target horizon and amount before property.
Use equity/hybrid SIPs for goal-based saving.
Child's Future Planning
If planning child education, start new SIP for goal.
Allocate Rs 3,000 – 5,000 monthly in hybrid kids’ fund.
Increase this SIP every 2 years.
Eventually shift to conservative fund when nearing goal.
Tax Planning Tips
ELSS gives tax saving under the old regime; now minimal use.
Equity LTCG above Rs 1.25 lakh taxed at 12.5%.
Short-term equity gains taxed at 20%.
Debt gains taxed as per income slab.
Plan redemption timing carefully in long term.
Annual Review Steps
Meet your Certified Financial Planner yearly.
Rebalance portfolio using cash flows.
Exit funds underperforming for 3 years.
Track asset allocation vs target.
Extend emergency fund as expenses inflate.
Consider additional insurance as responsibilities grow.
Liquidity Cushion Maintenance
Continue saving monthly till FD plus MIS equals 6 months’ expenses.
Disable SIP after achieving emergency target to free capital.
Future surplus invests in mutual funds.
Avoid Annuities and Focus on Growth
Annuity products lock your money for low returns.
For retirement, SWP from mutual funds is better.
Maintain equity and hybrid for post-retirement sustainment.
Behavioral Guidance
Automate all SIPs to reduce manual errors.
Avoid reacting to daily market news.
Set mental stop-loss for direct stocks only.
Use CFP for steady performance reviews.
Reinvest dividends or gains into SIPs.
Key Action Plan Summary
Boost emergency fund to Rs 6–8 lakhs.
Shift all SIPs to regular plan with CFP guidance.
Resume paused SIPs after proper evaluation.
Add debt SIP of Rs 5,000 monthly post emergency fund completion.
Limit direct stocks by reallocating Rs 5–10 lakhs gradually.
Build separate funds for property goal and child future.
Avoid investing in index, direct-only, or annuities.
Tax plan with understanding on LTCG/STCG rules.
Rebalance annually with CFP review.
Finally
Your investing discipline is strong and thoughtful.
Regular mutual funds and SIPs will compound steadily.
Avoid direct stock overexposure.
Use CFP + MFD support for review and rebalancing.
Streamlining investments towards regular plans adds comfort.
Emergency fund must be priority before adding risks.
Future goals like property or children are achievable.
Keep strategy flexible as life evolves.
Stay steady, track well, and grow happily.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment