Hello sir,
I am 45 years of age and I am currently out of job. I hv 2 daughters one in 1st yr engineering and the other in 8th grade. Following are the details of my investment/income. Please suggest if I still need to continue to work to manage my monthly expenses.
I Have 1 residence generating an income of 35k
1 commercial property income of 10k
1 plot worth 90 lakhs
Pf 25 lakhs
Sip 13 lakhs (will continue for the next 5 yrs monthly paying amount is 15k)
FD 10 lakhs
Gold for self and both daughters.
Health insurance for 20L.
Please suggest if I still need to work or can manage my living for the next 30years with the current income.
Also kindly consider factors of children education and marriage.
Ans: You are 45 years old, with two daughters. One is in first-year engineering and one in eighth grade. You are currently out of job. You have created wealth thoughtfully across real estate, mutual funds, PF, FD, and gold. Let’s now assess if you can live comfortably without work, and still manage your daughters’ education, marriage, and your own future.
Let us plan a detailed 360-degree financial review to help you with clear direction.
Current Regular Income Sources
Rental from residence: Rs. 35,000
Rental from commercial property: Rs. 10,000
Total rental income monthly: Rs. 45,000
Annual income from properties: Rs. 5.4 lakhs
This income can support a basic lifestyle. But we must plan carefully for large future expenses.
Please note:
Rental income does not increase fast. But expenses do.
Maintenance, tax, and vacancy risks must be considered.
Relying on rental income alone for the next 30 years may not be safe.
Financial Assets and Their Roles
Provident Fund (PF): Rs. 25 lakhs
This is a retirement fund. Avoid using this now.
Let it grow till age 55 to 60.
You may consider partial withdrawal for daughter’s higher education or marriage, only if needed.
Fixed Deposit (FD): Rs. 10 lakhs
Ideal for emergency and 2 to 3 years expenses.
Do not break it unless truly required.
Use only interest from FD for small short-term needs.
SIP value: Rs. 13 lakhs, ongoing Rs. 15,000 monthly
This is your growth capital.
Continue SIP for at least 5 years.
Equity mutual funds offer better long-term growth.
Do not stop SIP unless there is no alternate income.
These funds will help in child education and retirement later.
Gold: For self and daughters
Treat gold as reserve, not primary investment.
Do not sell unless for marriage purpose.
Gold does not beat inflation well.
Avoid adding more to gold in future.
Plot worth Rs. 90 lakhs
This is a big capital.
It does not give monthly income.
It is better to plan its sale in 4 to 6 years.
Use money for your retirement corpus and your daughters’ goals.
Keep documents updated for easy sale when needed.
Please don’t consider the plot as active income source. It is capital that may help later.
Monthly Spending and Lifestyle Assessment
You didn’t mention monthly expense. Let us assume Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 60,000.
This includes:
Household and groceries
Utility bills and travel
Daughters’ school or college fees
Insurance premium
Clothing, functions, gifts, and personal care
If your monthly expense is Rs. 60,000 and income is Rs. 45,000, you need Rs. 15,000 more every month. That is now supported by SIP. But SIP is not a source of income.
Withdrawals from mutual funds should happen only after 5 to 7 years.
Till then, you must either reduce expense or find other cash flow.
Children’s Education and Marriage Planning
This is the most critical goal now. Let us split the goals:
Elder daughter – Engineering degree
Duration left: 3 more years
Likely need: Rs. 10 lakhs to Rs. 15 lakhs
Consider funding via FD interest, rental, and SIP maturity
Use PF only if needed for final year or post-grad
Younger daughter – School and later college
Duration left: 8 to 10 years
Plan SIP increase after 3 years when elder daughter completes college
You can also use plot sale later for her graduation or wedding
Marriage Planning – Both daughters
Likely in 10 to 15 years
Needs Rs. 25 lakhs to Rs. 35 lakhs or more
Don’t use rental income for this goal
Use plot proceeds, matured mutual funds, or PF part for this
If gold is for marriage, don’t count it in investment totals
You must keep education and marriage funds separate.
Can You Retire Now or Not?
Here is the reality in simple points:
You are 45 years old
Life expectancy could be 85 or more
That means 40 more years to plan
Rental income may be stable for 10 to 15 years only
Inflation will increase your expense every 5 years
Health care and daughter’s needs will grow
You cannot retire fully today with current income. Here’s why:
Rs. 45,000 monthly is not enough for 30 years lifestyle
Your rental income may not grow, but expenses will
Your capital (FD, PF, MF) must grow untouched for 10 years
You can reduce working hours or take part-time or freelance work. But stopping all work is risky. You need some income support for next 5 to 7 years.
How Long Will Your Wealth Last Without Work?
Let us assume:
Rental income stays flat
FD and SIP are withdrawn slowly
Plot sale happens after 5 to 7 years
You live till 85 years
If you stop working now:
You will depend on rental and slowly withdraw capital
This capital will not grow much after 10 years
Health care costs after 60 will rise sharply
Marriage of daughters needs bulk amount
So, your corpus will finish by age 65 to 70 unless planned carefully.
Action Plan for You – 360 Degree Steps
1. Review Monthly Budget
Keep monthly expenses under Rs. 55,000
Cut extra subscriptions, travels, gadgets, impulse buying
Take cost-effective health and education decisions
2. Continue SIP of Rs. 15,000
Let it run for 5 more years
Increase SIP later after elder daughter’s graduation
Do not withdraw early
3. Keep FD for next 2 years
Use FD only if rental is delayed or medical emergency
Avoid breaking full FD for lifestyle costs
4. Do Not Add New Real Estate
Plot value is locked. It gives no return
Avoid investing in more properties
Do not treat real estate as safe investment
5. Keep Health Insurance Active
Rs. 20 lakhs is good
Review policy terms every 2 years
Upgrade cover if needed after age 55
6. Plan Plot Sale After 5 Years
After both daughters’ education is over
Use part for retirement fund, part for marriage
Keep capital gain rules in mind
7. Retirement Planning Starts at 50
You must have Rs. 1 crore by age 55
Use mutual funds for building corpus
Keep PF untouched till final 5 years
8. Consider Freelance or Flexible Work
Any extra Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 monthly helps
It reduces stress on investments
You may work part-time till age 55 comfortably
Final Insights
You have created solid assets. That is a big strength
Rental income covers some lifestyle needs now
But it won’t be enough for next 30 years
SIP and PF must stay untouched for next 5 to 10 years
FD is only for emergencies and short needs
Daughter’s education needs active planning for next 3 to 5 years
Marriage goals can be met with gold and plot sale later
You must either continue part-time work or reduce expenses
Avoid real estate reinvestment or early withdrawal from SIP
Do regular review with a Certified Financial Planner
Structure SIPs as per education and marriage timelines
You can slowly retire, but not stop earning suddenly
Keep your focus on asset protection and wealth growth for next decade
A little work now will bring big peace in future.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment