32-Year-Old Aiming for 8 Crore Retirement: Does My Investment Strategy Match My Goal?

Ans: Your retirement goal of Rs 8 crores by age 45 is ambitious but achievable. However, achieving this will require optimising your investment strategy. Here’s a breakdown of your situation and recommendations to align your investments better with your goals:

Current Investment Mix and Risk Assessment
Your current portfolio is well-diversified across various asset classes. However, real estate and jewellery make up a significant portion of your net worth, which can limit liquidity and returns.
The high allocation to equity (mutual funds and stocks) aligns with your aggressive retirement goal but requires consistent performance monitoring.

Risk Comfort and Allocation Adjustments
Your current mix shows moderate to high risk. Real estate holdings may reduce liquidity during market downturns.
Corporate bonds, while offering good returns, can carry credit risk. Consider reallocating some portion to debt mutual funds for better risk-adjusted returns.

Investment Adjustments for Better Risk and Returns

To improve your portfolio and optimise returns, consider these changes:

Reduce Real Estate Exposure
Your real estate allocation is too high at Rs 90 lakhs. Real estate investments lack liquidity and might not grow at the rate needed to meet your retirement target. Selling one property and reallocating funds to mutual funds or stocks can yield better results.

Optimise Jewellery Holdings
Jewellery at Rs 40 lakhs is a low-return asset. While it holds sentimental value, reducing the allocation and reinvesting the proceeds in growth-oriented assets like equity mutual funds can help achieve higher returns.

Balance Equity Investments
Your equity investments (mutual funds and stocks) are Rs 52 lakhs, which is substantial. Ensure a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap mutual funds for diversification. Avoid index funds and focus on actively managed funds for potentially higher returns.

Rethink Corporate Bonds
Corporate bonds offer high interest but carry credit risk. Reduce allocation and consider debt mutual funds for better diversification and tax efficiency.

Optimising Your Investments to Meet Goals

To achieve your retirement goal of Rs 8 crores by 45, follow these suggestions:

Increase SIP Investments
Your current SIP of Rs 45,000 is good but may not be enough to achieve Rs 8 crores. Gradually increase your SIP amount by 10-15% annually. Focus on growth-oriented mutual funds.

Leverage PPF and EPF for Stability
Your EPF, VPF, and PPF provide stability to your portfolio. Continue contributing to these instruments for risk-free compounding.

NPS for Retirement Focus
Your NPS investment is well-allocated to aggressive funds. Continue investing and ensure maximum use of tax benefits under Section 80CCD(1B).

Steps to Enhance Returns and Achieve Retirement Goal

To maximise returns, consider these steps:

Consolidate Insurance Policies
If you hold LIC or ULIP policies, consider surrendering them. Reinvest the proceeds into mutual funds through a Certified Financial Planner.

Tax-Efficient Investing
Understand the new mutual fund tax rules. For equity mutual funds, LTCG above Rs 1.25 lakhs is taxed at 12.5%. For debt funds, gains are taxed as per your income slab. Plan your investments to minimise tax impact.

Diversify Mutual Fund Portfolio
Focus on actively managed funds instead of direct funds. This provides professional expertise and better chances of outperforming the market.

Emergency Fund Allocation
Ensure 6-12 months' worth of expenses in a liquid fund or bank deposit. This protects your long-term investments during emergencies.

Final Insights

Your current investments provide a solid foundation for wealth creation. However, better liquidity management and strategic reallocations will help you meet your retirement goal of Rs 8 crores by age 45. Focus on:

Reducing real estate and jewellery allocations.
Increasing SIP amounts in actively managed mutual funds.
Maintaining a balance between equity and debt for stability and growth.
With disciplined investing and regular reviews, your dream of early retirement is well within reach.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

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