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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 13, 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
Gambhir Question by Gambhir on Apr 13, 2024Hindi
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Hi Sir I have invested 1. Aditya Birla Flexi cap 1Lac. 2.Adity Birla PSU Fund- 1Lac. 3.ICICI Large &Mid Cap Fund - 1Lac. 4.ICICI Value Disc- 1Lac. 5.Nippon Growth Fund - 3 Lac. 6.Nippon Large Cap. -1 Lac. 7.Nippon Multi Cap -1Lac. 8.Nippon Pharma -1 Lac. 9.Nippon Power &Infra-1Lsc 10.Quant Active Fund -1lac. 11.Quant ELSS -1.5Lac 12.Quant Infra -1Lac 13Quant Mid Cap -1Lac 14 SBI Contra -1Lac 15.SBI Large &MidCap 1Lac (1 to 15 are Lumsum investment for 5 years or more) 1.Nippon Small Cap SIP- 10000. 2.Quant Small Cap SIP -10000 3.ICICI Nifty LargeMid Cap SIP - 10000. All investments have done in March &April 2024. Please advise.

Ans: You've built a diversified portfolio across various fund categories, which is good. However, it's also crucial to monitor and review your investments regularly. Given your investments' recency, it's essential to give them time to grow.

Consider consolidating similar funds to avoid redundancy, which could simplify tracking and reduce overlapping holdings. Given the number of funds, there might be overlapping sectors or stocks across schemes.

Regularly review the performance of each fund and its alignment with your financial goals. Consider rebalancing if any fund deviates significantly from its peers or your investment objectives. Consult a financial advisor for personalized advice tailored to your financial goals and risk tolerance.
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  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 03, 2024

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Hi Vivek my name is Anand and Iam 48 yrs old. I am investing monthly 32165/- in the following funds. DAY AMT SCHEME 1 1000 SBI Small Cap Fund-Direct-Growth 2 1000 Kotak Emerging Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 1000 DSP Midcap Fund-Direct-Growth 1000 Mirae Asset Large Cap Fund Direct Plan Growth 1000 BANDHAN Sterling Value Fund-Growth-(Direct Plan) 6 7 1000 SBI Small Cap Fund-Direct-Growth 8 9 1250 Kotak Emerging Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 10 1250 Mirae Asset Emerging Bluechip Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 11 1250 DSP Midcap Fund-Direct-Growth 12 1250 Mirae Asset Large Cap Fund Direct Plan Growth 13 1000 BANDHAN Sterling Value Fund-Growth-(Direct Plan) 14 15 1000 SBI Small Cap Fund-Direct-Growth 16 1250 Kotak Emerging Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 17 1250 DSP Midcap Fund-Direct-Growth 18 1250 Mirae Asset Large Cap Fund Direct Plan Growth 19 1000 BANDHAN Sterling Value Fund-Growth-(Direct Plan) 20 1250 Mirae Asset Emerging Bluechip Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 21 1000 SBI Small Cap Fund-Direct-Growth 22 23 24 1000 Kotak Emerging Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 25 1000 DSP Midcap Fund-Direct-Growth 26 1000 SBI Small Cap Fund-Direct-Growth 27 1000 BANDHAN Sterling Value Fund-Growth-(Direct Plan) 28 1000 Mirae Asset Large Cap Fund Direct Plan Growth I am planning for next 10 years and how much corpus can I get after 10 years.
Ans: Anand! It's great to see your commitment to investing for the future. Planning for the next 10 years is a wise move, and with your regular investments in diversified mutual funds, you're on the right track to building a substantial corpus.

To estimate the potential corpus after 10 years, we need to consider several factors such as the expected average annual return rate of the funds, any additional contributions you may make, and the compounding effect of your investments over time.

Since you've invested in a mix of small-cap, mid-cap, large-cap, and value funds, it indicates a diversified approach aimed at optimizing returns while managing risk.

To provide a precise estimate, it's advisable to use a mutual fund calculator or consult a financial advisor. They can input the specific details of your investments, including the current value, expected returns, and future contributions, to forecast the potential corpus after 10 years.

Remember, while forecasting future returns is essential for planning, it's equally crucial to stay invested consistently, review your portfolio periodically, and make adjustments as needed to stay aligned with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

Keep up the disciplined approach to investing, and you'll likely see your investments grow significantly over the next decade.

..Read more

Milind

Milind Vadjikar  | Answer  |Ask -

Insurance, Stocks, MF, PF Expert - Answered on Oct 30, 2024

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Hi Myself Sanjeev Kumar from Himachal Pradesh, I am in mutual funds from last 3 years on below mutual funds 1. Aditya birla multicap fund (regular growth) ---- Rs 1000 monthly 2. Invesco India flexi Cap fund (Plan growth) ------ Rs 1000 monthly 3. Invesco India Multicap fund (regular growth) ---- Rs 1000 monthly 4. Kotak multicap fund (regular) ------------------------- Rs 1000 monthly 5. Kotak emerging equity fund (growth) --------------- Rs 1000 monthly 6. Kotak ELSS tax saver fund ------------------------------- Rs 500 monthly 7. Union tax saver fund (ELSS) ---------------------------- Rs 1500 monthly 8. Bandhan Nifty 200 momentum 30 index fund (regular plan) --- Rs 1000 monthly (started a month ago) Apart from above, I am investing in below also 1. PPF ---------------- 1.5 lac annually 2. NPD ---------------- 0.5 lac annually 3. LIC ----------------- 0.5 lac annually Si/mam i want to ask is my portifoilio good enough to produce at least 60- 70 lakhs in next 10-12 years returns or some reshuffling is required. If yes kindly suggest some good funds. Hoping to hear from you soon Thanks
Ans: Hello;

Your mutual fund monthly sip of 8 K need to be increased to 10 K ( maybe you can add 2 K additional investment in Kotak ELSS tax saver fund).

PPF and other investment should continue as planned.

This will ensure your MF corpus + PPF will reach 60 L+ in value over 12 years.

LIC policy maturity sum and NPD will be bonus.

Funds are good. No need to change.

Happy Investing;

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Aug 04, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Jul 26, 2025Hindi
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I have invested in 1. Axis large cap 2. Mirae Asset Large and mid cap 3. Parag parikh flexi cap 4. Axis ELSS 5. SBI small cap Pls review and suggest corrective action
Ans: You have taken smart steps by investing in mutual funds. That itself deserves appreciation. Your fund choices also show effort and understanding. You have a mix of large cap, mid cap, ELSS, and flexi cap funds. That helps build diversification. But, a few gaps and overlaps need addressing.

» Asset Allocation Review

– You have exposure to large cap, flexi cap, and small cap.
– That gives a broad market coverage.
– But, mid cap exposure needs to be assessed.
– Mirae Large & Mid Cap may overlap with other holdings.
– ELSS adds tax benefit but may add redundancy.

– Asset allocation should align with risk and goal.
– If this is for long term, equity mix is fine.
– But, the fund mix must be goal-oriented.

– You also need a safety component.
– Hybrid or debt allocation is missing in your portfolio.
– One-sided equity exposure adds long-term risk.

– Without debt or hybrid, portfolio becomes aggressive.
– That may not suit conservative or medium-risk profiles.

» Fund Category Analysis

– You have invested in a large cap fund.
– Large cap offers stability and steady growth.
– But they give lower returns than mid or small cap.
– Useful during market downturns for capital protection.

– Large and mid cap category offers dual benefit.
– But it may overlap with your flexi cap holding.
– Many flexi caps also invest in large and mid caps.

– Small cap fund brings high risk and high reward.
– Very volatile in short term.
– If horizon is less than 10 years, reconsider small cap.

– ELSS is good for tax saving.
– But, it also acts like a flexi cap.
– May cause duplication if not planned well.

– Parag Parikh Flexi Cap is a diversified option.
– It may include international stocks too.
– This brings global exposure but also FX risk.

– Too many overlapping funds reduce effectiveness.
– Fewer funds with distinct roles give better control.

» Portfolio Duplication and Diversification

– Two large-cap oriented funds in one portfolio is unnecessary.
– Large cap and large & mid cap can overlap heavily.

– Flexi cap already has wide market coverage.
– Adding more mid and large cap makes it redundant.

– Parag Parikh Flexi Cap has multi-cap style with global flavour.
– That reduces the need for a separate large-cap fund.

– ELSS adds tax benefit, but should not be overused.
– One ELSS fund is enough for 80C section.

– Small cap should not exceed 10–15% of portfolio.
– Higher exposure increases downside in market crash.

– You can remove one large cap or large & mid cap fund.
– Choose only one among the overlapping categories.

» Missing Elements in Your Portfolio

– No presence of conservative or hybrid funds.
– Every long-term portfolio must have safety cushion.

– Consider adding a dynamic asset allocation fund.
– These funds balance equity and debt automatically.

– Debt funds or short-term funds are also useful.
– They give liquidity and reduce overall portfolio risk.

– Liquid funds help manage emergencies without disturbing SIP.
– Debt component builds a more complete plan.

– You also need rebalancing plan every 1–2 years.
– Without this, portfolio can become risk heavy or inefficient.

» Review Fund Performance Periodically

– Each fund must be reviewed every 12–18 months.
– Don’t go by short-term underperformance.

– Compare fund performance with peers and benchmark.
– Only if consistent underperformance is seen, consider exit.

– Even well-known funds go through bad phases.
– Hold if fundamentals are strong and style matches your goals.

– Track consistency, not just recent returns.
– Review with help of MFD holding CFP credential.

– They will guide if any fund deserves exit or switching.

» Goal Based Investing Approach

– All investments must be linked to a goal.
– Without goal, it becomes a collection, not a plan.

– Define each goal like retirement, child’s future, or home purchase.
– Allocate funds based on risk and time horizon.

– For long-term goals above 10 years, equity can dominate.
– For medium-term goals, use hybrid or multi-asset funds.

– For short-term goals, use debt or ultra-short funds.
– Mixing all categories in one goal leads to confusion.

– Create separate SIPs for each goal with correct asset mix.
– This gives clarity, purpose, and better tracking.

» Tax Implication Planning

– Equity mutual funds have new tax rule from 2023.
– LTCG above Rs.1.25 lakh taxed at 12.5%.

– Short-term capital gains taxed at 20%.
– Debt fund gains taxed as per slab.

– Avoid frequent redemption in SIP funds.
– Hold for long term to enjoy lower tax.

– Use SWP for regular income post maturity.
– SWP is more tax-efficient than IDCW.

– If ELSS fund is held for 3 years, it becomes free to exit.
– Exit if performance is weak or fund becomes redundant.

– Consult CFP before selling large SIPs.
– They will optimise tax and suggest best exit strategy.

» Direct Plan vs Regular Plan Analysis

– If you have invested in direct plans, review them.
– Direct plans don’t offer personalised advice.

– Investors often choose wrong funds alone.
– Lack of guidance results in emotional decisions.

– Regular plans through MFD with CFP support give peace of mind.
– Regular plans cost slightly more, but give much more value.

– Regular plans also help you do yearly review and rebalancing.
– You don’t get this help in direct plans.

– For serious long-term planning, choose regular plans.
– Cost is worth the support, tracking and expert inputs.

» Recommended Corrective Actions

– Exit one of the two large-cap oriented funds.
– Keep either large cap or large & mid cap.

– Continue Parag Parikh Flexi Cap if suits your long-term plan.
– Ensure you are fine with global exposure.

– Retain only one ELSS fund if you are using it for tax-saving.
– Don’t use ELSS as regular equity fund.

– Limit small cap to 10–15% of total equity holding.
– Don’t increase SIP in it unless risk appetite is high.

– Add hybrid fund to bring balance in your portfolio.
– Helps reduce overall volatility and protect capital.

– Consider short-term debt or liquid funds for emergencies.
– Avoid breaking SIPs during any cash crunch.

– Link each fund to a specific goal.
– Monitor progress against the goal every year.

– Review the portfolio with your Certified Financial Planner.
– Make changes slowly, not all at once.

» Finally

– Your current mutual fund portfolio shows strong intent and effort.
– A few overlaps and risks can be corrected with right guidance.
– Avoid too many similar funds.
– Keep only distinct and purposeful funds.
– Add some safety and balance to your portfolio.
– Use regular plans through a Certified Financial Planner.
– Avoid direct and index funds for long-term peace.
– Connect each fund to a goal.
– Monitor with discipline and adjust patiently.
– With these simple actions, your portfolio will become sharper and safer.

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

..Read more

Latest Questions
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10872 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Dec 06, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 06, 2025Hindi
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Dear Sir/Ma'am, I need some guidance and advice for continuing my mutual fund investments. I am a 36 year old male, married, no kids yet and no debts/liabilities as such. I have couple of savings in PPF, NPS, Emergency funds and long term investing in direct stocks. I recently started below mentioned SIPs for long term to grow wealth. Request you to review the same and let me know if I should continue with the SIPs or need to rationalize. Kindly also advice on how to invest a lumpsum amount of around 6lacs. invesco small cap 2000 motilal oswal midcap 2700 parag parikh flexicap 3000 HDFC flexicap 3100 ICICI prudential largecap 3100 HDFC large and midcap 3100 HDFC gold etf FOF 2000 ICICI Pru equity and debt fund 3000 HDFC balanced advantage fund 3000 nippon india silver etf FOF 2000
Ans: You already built a solid foundation. Many investors delay planning. But you started early at 36. That gives you a strong advantage. You have no liabilities. You have long term thinking. You also have diversified savings like PPF, NPS, Emergency funds and direct stocks. That shows clarity and discipline. This approach builds wealth with less stress over time.

You also started systematic investments in equity funds. That is a positive step. Your selection covers multiple categories like large cap, mid cap, small cap, flexi cap, hybrid and precious metals. So the intent is right. You are trying to create a broad portfolio. That gives balance.

» Your Portfolio Composition Understanding
Your current SIP list includes:

Small cap

Mid cap

Flexi cap

Large cap

Large and mid cap

Hybrid category

Gold and Silver FoF

Equity and Debt allocation fund

Dynamic hybrid fund

This shows you are trying to cover many segments. But too many categories can create overlap. When there is overlap, you get confusion during review. It also makes portfolio discipline difficult. You may think you are diversified. But the holdings inside may repeat. That reduces efficiency.

Your portfolio now looks like:

Equity dominant

Hybrid for stability

Metals for hedge

So the broad direction is fine. But simplifying helps in long-term habit building.

» Fund Category Duplication
You hold:

Two flexi cap funds

One large and mid cap fund

One pure large cap fund

One mid cap fund

One small cap fund

Flexi cap funds already invest across large, mid, small. Then large and mid also overlaps. So the large cap exposure gets repeated. That may not add extra benefit. But it increases monitoring complexity.

So I suggest rationalising. Keep one fund per category in core. Keep satellite space for only high conviction.

» Core and Satellite Strategy
A structured portfolio follows core and satellite method.

Core portfolio should be:

Simple

Long term

Stable

Satellite portfolio can be:

High growth

Concentrated

Based on your thinking level, you can structure like this:

Core funds:

One large cap

One flexi cap

One hybrid equity and debt fund

One balanced advantage type fund

Satellite funds:

One mid cap

One small cap

One metal allocation if needed

This division gives clarity. You can continue SIPs with review every year. No need to stop and restart often. That reduces behavioural mistakes.

» Your Current SIP List Review with Suggested Streamlining

You can consider continuing:

One flexi cap

One large cap

One mid cap

One small cap

One balanced advantage

One equity and debt hybrid

You may reconsider keeping both flexi caps and both gold silver funds. One of each category is enough. Because too many funds do not increase returns. It complicates tracking.

Precious metal funds should not be more than 5 to 7 percent in your portfolio. This is because metals are hedge assets. They do not create compounding like equity. They act as protection during cycles. So keep them small.

» How to Use the Rs 6 Lakh Lump Sum
You asked about lump sum investing. This is important. Lump sum should not go fully into equity at one time. Markets move in cycles. So use a staggered method. You can invest the lump sum through STP (Systematic Transfer Plan). You can keep the amount in a liquid fund and set STP toward your chosen growth funds over 6 to 12 months.

This reduces timing risk. It also creates discipline. So your Rs 6 lakh can be deployed gradually. You may use 50% towards core equity funds and 30% toward satellite growth category. The remaining 20% can go into hybrid category. This gives balance and comfort.

» Regular Funds Over Direct Funds
One important point many investors miss. Direct funds look cheaper. But they demand deep knowledge, discipline, and behaviour control. Most investors lose more through emotional selling and wrong timing than they save on expense ratio.

With regular funds through a Mutual Fund Distributor with Certified Financial Planner qualification, you get guidance, structure and correction. The advisory discipline protects you during market extremes. That is more valuable than a small saving in expense ratio.

A personalised planner also tracks portfolio drift, rebalancing need and category shifts. So regular fund investing gives long-term benefit and behaviour coaching.

» Actively Managed Funds over Index or ETF
Some investors choose index funds or ETF thinking they are simple and cheap. But they ignore drawbacks.

Index funds or ETF will not avoid weak companies in the index. They will invest whether the company grows or struggles. There is no fund manager decision making. So when markets are at peak, index funds continue aggressive exposure. In downturns also they fall fully. There is no cushion.

Actively managed funds work with research teams. They can avoid bad sectors. They can shift allocation based on market and economy. Over long term, this gives better alpha and stability. So continuing with actively managed funds creates better wealth compounding.

» SIP Continuation Strategy
Once the rationalisation is done, continue SIPs every month without interruption. Pause and restart behaviour damages compounding power. SIP works best when you go through all market cycles. You benefit more during corrections because cost averaging works.

So continue SIP amount. You can also review SIP increase every year based on income. Increasing SIP by 10 to 15 percent every year helps you reach large corpus faster.

» Asset Allocation Based Approach
One key point in wealth creation is having the right asset mix. Equity gives growth. Hybrid gives balance. Metals give hedge. Debt gives safety. Your asset allocation should stay aligned to your risk profile and time horizon.

Since you are young and have long term horizon, higher equity allocation is fine. But as time moves, rebalancing is important. Rebalancing protects gains and restores allocation.

So review your asset allocation every year or during major life events like child birth, home buying or retirement planning.

» Behaviour Management
Many portfolios fail not due to bad funds. They fail due to bad decisions. Selling during correction. Stopping SIP when market falls. Chasing past return performance. These mistakes reduce wealth.

Your discipline so far is good. Continue to stay patient during volatility. Equity rewards patience and time.

» Financial Goals Clarity
Since you have no children now, you can decide your long-term goals. Typical goals may include:

Retirement

Future child education

Dream lifestyle purchase

Health care reserves

When goals are clear, investment purpose becomes stronger. So you can map each fund category to goal horizon. Short-term goals should not use equity. Long-term goals should use equity with hybrid support.

» Role of Review and Monitoring
Review once in a year is enough. Frequent review can create anxiety. Annual review helps check:

Fund performance

Expense drift

Category relevance

Allocation balance

Then adjust only if needed. This progress helps you stay confident and aligned.

» Taxation Awareness
Equity mutual funds taxation rules are:

Short term (below one year holding) taxable at 20 percent

Long term (above one year holding) gains above Rs 1.25 lakh taxable at 12.5 percent

Debt mutual funds are taxed as per your income slab.

So always hold equity funds for long term. That reduces tax impact and gives better growth.

» SIP Increase Plan
You can create a simple plan to increase SIP over time. For example:

Increase SIP at every salary increment

Increase SIP during bonus time

Use rewards or extra income for investing

This habit accelerates wealth. So by the time you reach 45 to 50 years, your investments could reach a strong level.

» Insurance and Protection
Before investing large, ensure you have term insurance and health insurance. If not already done, it is important. Insurance protects wealth. Without insurance, even a small medical event can impact investment plan. So review this part also. Since you are married, cover both.

» Wealth Behaviour Mindset
You are already disciplined. Just keep these simple principles:

Invest without stopping

Review once a year

Avoid funds overlap

Follow asset allocation

Avoid reacting to media noise

This helps you reach long term milestones.

» Finally
You are on the right track. Only fine tuning and simplification is needed. Your discipline is visible. Your portfolio will grow well with structure, patience and periodic review. Use the Rs 6 lakh with STP approach. And continue SIP with rationalised categories.

With time and consistency, wealth creation becomes effortless and peaceful. You just need to stay committed and avoid overthinking during market movements.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

...Read more

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1837 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 05, 2025

Career
Dear Sir, I did my BTech from a normal engineering college not very famous. The teaching was not great and hence i did not study well. I tried my best to learn coding including all the technologies like html,css,javascript,react js,dba,php because i wanted to be a web developer But nothing seem to enter my head except html and css. I don't understand a language which has more complexities. Is it because of my lack of experience or not devoting enough time. I am not sure. I did many courses online and tried to do diplomas also abroad which i passed somehow. I recently joined android development course because i like apps but the teaching was so fast that i could not memorize anything. There was no time to even take notes down. During the course i did assignments and understood the code because i have to pass but after the course is over i tend to forget everything. I attempted a lot of interviews. Some of them i even got but could not perform well so they let me go. Now due to the AI booming and job markets in a bad shape i am re-thinking whether to keep studying or whether its just time waste. Since 3 years i am doing labour type of jobs which does not yield anything to me for survival and to pay my expenses. I have the quest to learn everything but as soon as i sit in front of the computer i listen to music or read something else. What should i do to stay more focused? What should i do to make myself believe confident. Is there still scope of IT in todays world? Kindly advise.
Ans: Your story does not show failure.
It shows persistence, effort, and desire to improve.

Most people give up.
You didn’t.
That means you will succeed — but with the right method, not the old one.

...Read more

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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