Dear Sir, I have been investing via SIP in DSP value fund since 30 months. It is showing 10% increase. IS it worth, or shall I switch to some better MF. Please also suggest any good scheme. Thanks

Ans: You are getting exemption up to Rs.5.00 (L) under old tax regime. Under old tax regime 87A exemption is available when your income is up to Rs.5.00 (L) only.
You may file your ITR under New Tax Regime (F/Y 2025-26) & you won't have to pay any tax up to Rs.12.00 (L) income.
Most welcome for any further clarifications. Thanks.

Ans: Kindly confirm, when was 3rd floor constructed ? What is the source of amount invested ?
Most welcome for any further clarifications. Thanks.

Ans: If it is gift from sibling, there will not be any tax impact on money received.

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Ans: Hello;

Opting out of EPF is not possible.

Ensure that entire 12% of employer contribution goes towards EPF since EPS is out of coverage now.

Also ensure proper nomination.

Best wishes;

Ans: Hello;

Request you to please rephrase your question and submit again.

Thanks;

Ans: Hello;

3000 shares as on today considering 2017 stock split in the ratio 1:10.

Best wishes;

Ans: Hello;

You will need a corpus of 2 Cr which if you invest in a conservative hybrid debt fund and do a SWP at 3.5% you may expect a post tax monthly income of 50 K+ .

The average inflation is assumed at 6% and fund return on average at 8%. It may provide you inflation adjusted returns upto life expectancy of 90.

Keep around 20 L for emergencies.

Also ensure adequate healthcare insurance for yourself and your family.

Best wishes;

Ans: Since you're 51 years old and the Rs. 10L is from an LIC maturity, I’ll assess this from a 360-degree perspective with low risk and reasonable return focus.

Let us structure this under simple and clear headings:

Understand the Nature of the Rs. 10L
This is a one-time amount, not a regular income.

So, capital protection is important.

Also, some growth is expected, but not with high risk.

Evaluate Your Existing Funds
Nippon Liquid Fund is very low risk.

Good for short-term parking, like few months.

Returns are around 5.5% to 6% yearly.

You can use it if you need money anytime soon.

Axis Short Term Fund is slightly better return.

Slightly higher risk than liquid fund, but still low.

Returns can be around 6% to 7% yearly.

Suitable if you are okay to stay invested for 2-3 years.

Should You Switch to a Balanced Advantage Fund?
These funds invest in both equity and debt.

They adjust the mix based on market conditions.

They give better return than debt if held for 3-5 years.

But, they carry moderate market risk.

Return range can be 8% to 10% per annum.

Not guaranteed, but historically stable.

Suitable if your risk tolerance is moderate.

Also, you must stay invested for at least 3 years.

What You Can Do Now (Allocation Suggestion)
Here is a simple, low-risk and flexible suggestion:

Rs. 2L in Nippon Liquid Fund: For immediate needs.

Rs. 4L in Axis Short Term Fund: Safe with better return.

Rs. 4L in Balanced Advantage Fund (via MFD with CFP): For better growth.

Choose an actively managed regular plan.

Avoid direct plan. They lack support and monitoring.

Regular plans offer advisor support and rebalancing guidance.

Why Not Direct Plan?
Direct plans look cheaper.

But they don’t guide you during market falls.

Many investors panic and exit early.

This leads to poor returns.

With MFD + CFP support, you stay invested longer.

Long-term behaviour matters more than cost.

Why Not Index Funds?
Index funds blindly follow the market.

No protection during market fall.

No fund manager to adjust strategy.

Active large-cap or balanced funds adapt better.

At your age, protection is more important than chasing index.

Important Tax Point
Debt funds and balanced advantage funds are taxed as per income tax slab.

If you hold for 3+ years, tax is less due to indexation benefit in earlier rules.

But now, for debt funds, tax is same as your slab.

So, choose based on your tax slab also.

But do not let tax alone decide. Safety is first.

Final Insights
Your Rs. 10L should grow slowly and stay safe.

Split into 3 buckets: short-term, mid-term, and medium-risk.

Liquid fund for liquidity.

Short-term debt for capital stability.

Balanced advantage for gentle growth.

This mix gives you flexibility, return and low risk.

Please review once a year with a Certified Financial Planner.

He/she will help you shift the mix if your goal or market changes.

No need to chase high returns. Protect capital, grow steadily.

You already took a right step by asking before investing.

That clarity helps avoid mistakes.

With this structure, your money can stay safe and still grow.

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