Can I Build a 3-5 Crore Corpus by My Daughter's 18th Birthday? Expert Advice Needed

Ans: Your goal of building a corpus of Rs 3 to 5 crores for your daughters by the time they reach 18 years of age is realistic, but it needs a detailed evaluation. Let's assess your existing portfolio and provide suggestions to help you reach your target.

You are currently 46, and your elder daughter is 9, giving you around 9 years to achieve your financial goal. Your current investments are diversified, but we’ll focus on optimising them for long-term growth and stability.

Current Investment Portfolio Breakdown
You have a balanced mix of equity mutual funds, debt-oriented instruments, and insurance. Each type of investment serves a purpose, but we’ll examine them to see if they align well with your goals.

Balanced Advantage Funds:

You are investing Rs 50,000 monthly into three balanced advantage funds. These funds are designed to switch between equity and debt, providing a mix of safety and growth. While these funds have performed decently in volatile markets, they may not offer the aggressive growth potential needed to meet your target of Rs 3 to 5 crores in a relatively short timeframe.

Consider reducing the allocation to balanced advantage funds. These funds offer stability but may not provide the aggressive growth you need at this stage of your financial journey.

Instead, consider moving a part of this allocation into funds with higher equity exposure, such as large-cap, multi-cap, or small-cap funds. These have the potential to generate higher returns over a 9-year horizon.

Small Cap and Mid Cap Funds:

You have a strong allocation to small-cap funds, which is a good strategy for long-term growth.

However, small-cap funds are known for their volatility. You should maintain a long-term perspective and not get disheartened by short-term fluctuations.

With a combined monthly SIP of Rs 15,000 in small-cap funds, you can expect higher growth if the market performs well over the next decade. Stick to this strategy but periodically review the performance.

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY):

You are consistently investing Rs 50,000 annually in SSY for your 9-year-old daughter. This is a fantastic step for her future education and marriage needs, as SSY offers a high fixed interest rate with tax benefits.

Continue this investment, as it provides a solid foundation for your daughter’s future. The guaranteed returns, along with the tax-free nature, make it an excellent low-risk investment.

However, SSY alone won’t suffice for your Rs 3-5 crore target. Hence, relying on equity mutual funds will be essential for wealth creation.

Provident Fund (PF):

You have Rs 10 lakh invested in PF, which will grow at a stable, assured rate.

PF is a low-risk investment, but its growth potential is limited compared to equities. Since you are already contributing a significant amount here, you don’t need to increase this allocation.

The PF will add to your retirement security but won't contribute significantly to your Rs 3-5 crore target due to the conservative interest rate.

Tata AIA Life Insurance Fortune Pro and SBI Child Plan:

Insurance policies like Tata AIA Life Insurance Fortune Pro and SBI Child Plan serve a dual purpose—insurance and investment. However, these plans typically offer lower returns compared to mutual funds.

Since you have already paid a substantial amount into the SBI Child Plan and Tata AIA, it may be worthwhile to keep these policies until maturity. However, any additional bonus or lump-sum investments should be diverted into equity mutual funds rather than insurance-linked plans.

These investment-cum-insurance policies tend to have high fees and lower returns. If you’re considering any future insurance-linked investments, you should reconsider them in favour of pure term insurance and higher-yielding mutual funds.

Adjustments for Future Growth
Now that we’ve evaluated your existing investments, let’s discuss the adjustments that can help you reach your goal.

Increase Equity Exposure:

Equity mutual funds, particularly large-cap, multi-cap, and small-cap funds, have the potential to generate higher returns than balanced advantage funds or insurance policies.

You should increase your SIP contributions to pure equity funds. While balanced funds offer stability, pure equity funds provide better growth potential, which is necessary to reach Rs 3 to 5 crores in 9 years.

Allocate more to large-cap or multi-cap funds. These funds invest in stable, well-established companies, providing growth potential with comparatively lower risk than small-cap funds.

Diversify Your Bulk Investments:

You plan to invest Rs 3-5 lakh from your working bonus each year. This is an excellent strategy to accelerate your wealth-building process.

Consider investing your bonus in high-growth funds like mid-cap or flexi-cap funds. These funds allow the fund manager to invest across different market caps, offering the potential for better returns.

You may also consider investing a portion of the bonus in international mutual funds, which can provide diversification and protect against domestic market volatility.

Balanced Asset Allocation:

While increasing equity exposure is essential, you should also maintain a balance in your asset allocation. Diversification between equity, debt, and other instruments will help manage risk.

You have a good mix of safe investments like SSY and PF. These will provide the necessary safety net for your portfolio.

Make sure to periodically review your asset allocation based on your risk tolerance, financial goals, and market conditions.

Reconsider Insurance-Linked Investments:

Insurance-linked investments like Tata AIA Life Insurance Fortune Pro are not ideal for wealth creation. They offer lower returns due to high fees and a limited range of investment options.

Consider completing the premium payments on existing policies but avoid adding more money to such plans. For future lump sum or bonus investments, it’s better to focus on mutual funds or other growth-oriented products.
Maintain Term Insurance:

If your life insurance policies do not include adequate term insurance coverage, you should consider purchasing a pure term plan. Term insurance offers higher coverage at a lower premium compared to investment-linked insurance plans.

A pure term plan will provide financial security for your family, without eating into your investment returns.
Tax Efficiency:

Ensure that your portfolio is tax-efficient. Investments like SSY, PF, and certain debt funds offer tax benefits, but the taxation on mutual funds, especially long-term capital gains (LTCG), can eat into your returns.

Choose funds that are efficient in terms of post-tax returns. This will help you maximize your wealth accumulation.
Review Your Portfolio Regularly:

It’s important to periodically review your portfolio and adjust the investment strategy based on changing market conditions and financial goals.

Conduct an annual review of your portfolio to ensure that your funds are performing as expected. Switch funds if they are underperforming consistently.
Final Insights
You are on the right track with your investments, and the target of Rs 3 to 5 crores is achievable within the given timeframe. However, some fine-tuning in your asset allocation and fund choices is needed to meet this goal.

By increasing your exposure to high-growth equity mutual funds, ensuring diversification, and maintaining a disciplined investment approach, you can significantly enhance your portfolio’s growth potential. Regular reviews will help keep your portfolio aligned with your objectives.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in