How much should I invest in different financial assets?

Ans: Hi, the coverage amount should be an estimate of the treatment you may be expecting in the near future in case you have any pre existing diseases. Else, due to the age being on higher end, you may have to pay higher premiums. Do not delay and purchase as soon as possible.

Ans: As you approach retirement after a dedicated career, it's crucial to deploy your terminal benefits wisely to ensure financial security in your golden years. Start by clearing off your existing liabilities, providing a clean slate for your retirement journey. With the remaining corpus, consider diversifying your investments across various asset classes, such as mutual funds, fixed deposits, and possibly annuities, to generate a steady income stream post-retirement. Prioritize preserving capital while seeking modest growth to meet your future financial needs. Remember, retirement marks a new chapter in life—a time to cherish the fruits of your labor and pursue passions long postponed. As you embark on this journey, consider consulting with a Certified Financial Planner to craft a personalized retirement plan that aligns with your aspirations and ensures a fulfilling retirement ahead.

Ans: Given your current financial situation and insurance coverage, here's a breakdown of your existing coverage and suggestions on whether you need to increase your sum assured or alter your policies:

Current Coverage:
Term Insurance: ?1.5 crore
Traditional Insurance: ?5 lakh
Medical Insurance: ?15 lakh
Analysis:
Term Insurance
Current Coverage: ?1.5 crore
Purpose: Term insurance primarily serves to provide financial security to your dependents in case of your untimely demise.
Current Situation: As you are single with no dependents or financial commitments, ?1.5 crore seems adequate for now. However, this amount should be reviewed periodically as your life circumstances change (e.g., marriage, children, significant asset purchases).
Traditional Insurance
Current Coverage: ?5 lakh
Purpose: Traditional insurance policies (endowment, whole life, etc.) combine insurance with a savings component. However, the insurance coverage is typically lower, and the returns are modest compared to other investment avenues.
Current Situation: ?5 lakh is quite low in terms of coverage, but since it’s a traditional policy, the primary goal might be savings rather than pure risk coverage. Given that you are a minimalist and have a substantial term insurance cover, this might suffice, though you could reconsider future contributions depending on the policy's returns and your financial goals.
Medical Insurance
Current Coverage: ?15 lakh
Purpose: Medical insurance covers hospital bills and other medical expenses.
Current Situation: ?15 lakh is generally sufficient for most medical emergencies in urban India. However, given the rising cost of healthcare, you might want to consider adding a super top-up policy to increase your coverage at a lower cost.
Recommendations:
Term Insurance
Maintain or Slightly Increase: Your current coverage of ?1.5 crore seems adequate, but if you foresee significant financial responsibilities in the future (like marriage or starting a family), you may consider increasing it slightly, say by another ?50 lakh to ?1 crore, to keep pace with inflation and future liabilities.
Traditional Insurance
Reevaluate: Traditional insurance policies are not typically the best for maximizing returns. If your primary goal is to save and grow your wealth, you might want to focus more on pure investment products (like mutual funds, PPF, etc.) rather than increasing contributions to traditional policies. Consider surrendering or converting this policy depending on its terms and the financial implications.
Medical Insurance
Consider a Top-Up Plan: While ?15 lakh should suffice for now, healthcare costs are rising rapidly. You might want to consider a top-up or super top-up plan that can provide additional coverage (e.g., ?10-15 lakh) for a relatively low premium, ensuring you are well-protected against major medical expenses.
Overall Premium Commitment:
Given that you are a minimalist and have no financial dependencies, you should focus on maintaining a balanced approach:

Avoid Over-Insuring: Since you currently have no dependents, over-insuring might lead to unnecessary premium outflow, which could otherwise be invested for growth.
Focus on Investments: With your minimalistic lifestyle, channeling more funds into savings and investments might provide better returns over the long term, enabling you to meet future goals like retirement or potential family responsibilities.

Your current insurance coverage seems adequate for your current situation. Consider a slight increase in term insurance, add a top-up to your health insurance, and reevaluate your traditional insurance policy. Focus on growing your wealth through investments rather than significantly increasing your insurance premiums at this stage. Regularly review your coverage as your life circumstances change.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: Hello;

Your PF+PPF balance you can keep untouched so it may grow into a corpus of 1.6 Cr(7.5% growth rate assumed) + regular contributions over 4 years, at the end of your work life.

At your age I recommend you to resist temptation of dealing in direct stocks or even pure equity mutual funds due to the very high risk of volatility.

I propose you to put 30 L(6 month pay coverage) as emergency fund in ICICI Pru Liquid fund(Best returns on 6M criteria)+ facility of instant redemption upto 50K & balance T+1 working day.

10 L balance from cash in hand + 25 L of stock holdings could be invested in Tata money market debt fund(best returns on 1 year criteria). Both these funds have moderate & low to moderate risk profile respectively. This will serve as your corpus for daughter's marriage and grow for 2 years in the meanwhile.

The 2L investment per month which you have began from Jan-24 is expected to go into MF sip+ direct stocks+ other.

For the other investment you are the best judge but here again I would humbly appeal to you to avoid equity MFs and direct stocks considering your age and high risks associated with these asset type direct exposure.

I propose you to invest in equity savings fund instead which are less riskier then pure equity funds and can yield decent return too. I recommend two funds in this category with best returns on 5 yr criteria & AUM above 1K Cr. Mirae Asset equity savings fund and Kotak equity savings fund.

A 2 L sip into these two funds for 4 years will yield a corpus of 1.16 Cr (Modest return of 9% considered). This will fully cover the cost of education for your son.

The best aspect of your financial planning which I admire and respect is No loans, well covered for mediclaim, term insurance and investment in real estate.

I have given my opinion, ultimately you are the best judge.

Feel free to revert in case of any query.

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