I am 36year old, my monthly salary is 1lakh 50, I don't have any investment at the moment only
SBI life 5year plan of 1 lakh each, which is started last year.
PNB Metlife 1lakh started this year for 15years.
I don't have decipline investment till now.
Because I have home loan on 43 lack taken in the year 2016.
Personal loan of 10 lakh
Gold loan of 9 lakh
I have three daughters 12/8/1.6
Wife Homemaker
I need help to plan my retirement from the age of 50. As I have health issues because of my night shift.
Also want some corpus amts for there higher studies and their weddings
Ans: You're showing great intent by planning early. Starting now will give you time to correct your financial path and build a better future.
Let us now work through your case from a 360-degree financial planning view.
? Income and Expense Pattern
– Your monthly salary of Rs.1.5 lakh is strong at this age.
– But your current EMI outgo is quite high.
– This limits your ability to invest consistently.
– First focus should be to fix your cash flow.
– Your future depends on how well you manage this now.
? Existing Insurance Plans
– SBI Life and PNB MetLife are insurance-cum-investment plans.
– These are not wealth creation tools.
– The returns from such plans are poor, usually less than inflation.
– Since these are recent, surrendering now will minimise loss.
– Reinvest the surrendered money into mutual funds.
– Only do this through a Certified Financial Planner.
? Debt Position Review
– Your home loan of Rs.43 lakh is over 8 years old.
– Personal loan of Rs.10 lakh and gold loan of Rs.9 lakh are heavy burdens.
– Together, your EMIs are eating into your income.
– First, stop taking new loans.
– Then start a repayment strategy with a priority list.
? Loan Repayment Strategy
– Focus on closing personal loan first.
– It likely carries the highest interest rate.
– Then pay off gold loan.
– Try part-payment of home loan each year from bonuses or incentives.
– Avoid restructuring or rollover of loans.
– This gives only short-term relief, long-term pain.
? Emergency Fund Creation
– Keep 4-6 months of expenses as emergency fund.
– Use liquid mutual funds through Certified Financial Planner.
– Never use your children’s money or insurance for emergencies.
– This fund will save you from taking new loans again.
? Medical and Life Insurance First
– Your health issue needs attention in planning.
– Take a separate health insurance policy for yourself and family.
– Avoid depending on company insurance alone.
– Also take a pure term insurance for Rs.1 crore at least.
– It is cheaper and more useful than ULIPs or endowment plans.
? Children’s Education and Marriage Planning
– Your daughters are young. You have time to plan.
– You need separate goals for each child’s education and marriage.
– Use long-term mutual funds via Certified Financial Planner.
– Invest monthly through SIPs in diversified funds.
– Start small, increase every 6 months.
– Use separate SIPs for each goal to track progress.
? Retirement Planning from Age 50
– You have 14 years left till 50.
– This is a good time to build wealth, if planned properly.
– You must aim to retire all loans in next 6 years.
– From then, redirect all EMI money into retirement investments.
– Use diversified equity mutual funds through regular route.
– Always invest through MFD guided by a Certified Financial Planner.
? Why Not Direct Funds?
– Direct funds may seem cheaper due to lower expense ratio.
– But they lack proper guidance.
– You may pick wrong funds or exit early during market fall.
– Regular funds via MFD and CFP give disciplined guidance.
– Helps with periodic rebalancing and behavioural coaching.
– Better long-term outcome than DIY investing.
? Why Not Index Funds?
– Index funds just copy market, no human judgment.
– They fail to protect you during market downs.
– Actively managed funds aim for better returns.
– Professional fund managers help adjust based on risk.
– For important goals like retirement or children’s future, active funds are better.
? Monthly Investment Allocation Plan (Post-Debt Repayment Phase)
– After loan repayment, start SIPs with Rs.40,000 monthly.
– Split across retirement, daughters’ education, and their weddings.
– Review funds every year with your CFP.
– Step-up SIPs by 10% yearly for faster wealth creation.
– Use ELSS only for tax saving, not as a main plan.
? Building Retirement Corpus
– Focus on equity mutual funds in early years.
– Switch slowly to hybrid funds by age 48.
– Ensure you build a corpus for at least 30 years of retirement.
– Don’t depend on pension plans or annuities.
– Keep investments liquid and flexible.
– Use SWP (Systematic Withdrawal Plan) after 50.
? Taxation Aspects
– Equity mutual funds now have new rules.
– LTCG above Rs.1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.
– STCG is taxed at 20%.
– Debt mutual fund gains are taxed as per your income tax slab.
– Plan exits carefully with help from your CFP.
– Don’t exit in panic. That leads to more tax.
? Improving Financial Discipline
– Use auto-debit for SIPs to create discipline.
– Don’t pause SIPs during market crash.
– Instead increase them if possible.
– Track your goals every 6 months.
– Keep family involved in financial awareness.
? Important Reminders
– Cancel any unnecessary expenses and luxury spending.
– Use bonuses for loan prepayment or lump sum investing.
– Don’t invest randomly without a goal.
– Avoid trading, crypto or speculative assets.
– Stay patient and focused on long-term plans.
? What to Do with Surrender Value from SBI Life and PNB MetLife?
– Check surrender value with insurer.
– Take help from Certified Financial Planner for reinvestment.
– Put that amount into debt mutual funds first.
– Then stagger it into equity funds via STP (Systematic Transfer Plan).
– This avoids market timing and gives better returns.
? Role of Certified Financial Planner
– They help you build a full financial roadmap.
– Assist in goal tracking, fund selection, and reviews.
– They also manage risks and improve decision-making.
– Their guidance prevents emotional mistakes during market changes.
– They help create a plan that works even in health issues or emergencies.
? What You Should Not Do
– Don’t depend on insurance for wealth creation.
– Don’t invest without understanding the product.
– Don’t stop investments in fear of market.
– Don’t use credit card or loans for investing.
– Don’t chase returns without a goal.
? Finally
– You are at the perfect stage to take control.
– Prioritise debt reduction in the next 3-5 years.
– Start investing small, build discipline slowly.
– Protect your family with insurance.
– Prepare well for your daughters’ future.
– Secure your own retirement with a long-term strategy.
– Stay committed, consistent, and confident.
You can turn your finances around with the right guidance.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment