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How can a 34-year-old build a 2CR corpus with 15 lakh loans and 50k monthly investments?

Ramalingam Kalirajan |8334 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Oct 16, 2024

Ramalingam Kalirajan has over 23 years of experience in mutual funds and financial planning.
He has an MBA in finance from the University of Madras and is a certified financial planner.
He is the director and chief financial planner at Holistic Investment, a Chennai-based firm that offers financial planning and wealth management advice.... more

Asked by Anonymous - Oct 15, 2024Hindi

I would appreciate it if you could suggest a best financial strategy for building a 2CR corpus in the next 10 years. I am 34 years old and have a total of 15 lakhs in loans for personal and credit cards. I had a corpus of 10 lakhs in FD before Covid but had to use it due to medical emergencies. I would like to start again with my current salary of 70k, with 35k going towards my loans and 5k going towards groceries.

Ans: Building a Rs. 2 Crore Corpus in 10 Years
Age: 34 | Current Salary: Rs. 70,000 per month
Total Loan: Rs. 15 Lakhs (Personal + Credit Cards)

You aim to build a Rs. 2 crore corpus in 10 years, despite having loans and a limited current surplus. Achieving this goal requires a balanced financial strategy. I will suggest a detailed, 360-degree plan for you, focusing on debt reduction, systematic investments, and discipline.

Current Situation Assessment
Salary: Rs. 70,000 per month
Loans: Rs. 15 lakhs
Loan EMIs: Rs. 35,000 per month
Grocery expenses: Rs. 5,000 per month
Available Surplus: Rs. 30,000 per month
You already have Rs. 35,000 going towards loans and Rs. 5,000 towards groceries. This leaves you with Rs. 30,000 to work with monthly. Here’s how you can manage this amount effectively.

Step 1: Prioritize Debt Repayment
Your primary focus should be to clear high-interest loans first. Personal and credit card loans usually have high-interest rates. These loans could eat into your savings if not managed carefully.

Allocate Rs. 25,000 from your surplus for loan repayment.
Focus on credit card debt first, as it is likely the costliest loan.
If possible, opt for balance transfer or debt consolidation to reduce the interest burden on these loans.
Step 2: Emergency Fund Creation
Given your past medical emergency, it's important to build an emergency fund. This will act as a financial cushion for unforeseen events.

Allocate Rs. 5,000 per month from your available Rs. 30,000 surplus.
Aim to accumulate 6 months of your expenses, which should be around Rs. 2 lakh.
Keep this amount in a liquid fund or high-interest savings account for easy access.
After clearing loans, you can increase this allocation further.

Step 3: Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) for Wealth Creation
Once your loans are under control, you will have more surplus to invest. To achieve Rs. 2 crore in 10 years, Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) will play a key role. Here’s how to begin.

Start by investing Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7,000 monthly in mutual funds initially.

Large-Cap Mutual Funds: Stable returns and lower risk.
Flexi-Cap Mutual Funds: Offers a mix of large, mid, and small-cap exposure.
You can gradually increase this SIP as you free up more funds after repaying the loans.

Step 4: Focus on Retirement through NPS
You are 34 now and should also begin thinking about retirement savings alongside other goals.

Consider investing in the National Pension System (NPS).
You can allocate Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 per month towards NPS.
It has tax benefits under Section 80C, and the returns from equity exposure can help in long-term wealth building.
Step 5: Use Tax Savings to Boost Investments
Maximize tax-saving opportunities to increase your investment potential.

Section 80C: You can invest in ELSS mutual funds for tax-saving purposes, PPF, or NPS.
Health Insurance Premiums: Take advantage of Section 80D for your and your family’s health insurance.
Any tax refunds or savings should be channelled back into your SIPs to boost wealth creation.
Step 6: Revisit and Reduce Insurance Burden (If any)
If you have LIC policies, especially those that combine insurance and investment, assess their performance.

If the returns are low, consider surrendering them and reinvesting in mutual funds.
Get a pure term insurance for adequate life cover at a lower cost, which won’t affect your long-term savings.
This strategy helps in cost optimization, leaving more for investments.

Step 7: Regularly Increase SIP Contributions
As your salary increases or once you have cleared your loans, step up your SIP contributions. To reach Rs. 2 crore in 10 years, you will need to invest aggressively.

You can follow the 10% rule for SIP step-ups each year.
As a benchmark, an Rs. 30,000 per month SIP in the long term (post-loan repayment) can significantly increase your chances of achieving your goal.
Step 8: Review and Monitor Performance
Financial plans should be flexible and adaptable. As market conditions change, periodically review your investments to ensure they are on track.

Annually review the performance of your mutual funds with your Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
Shift from underperforming funds to better options if required, but always stay consistent with your investment goals.
Finally: Achieving Your Goal of Rs. 2 Crore
Based on the above steps, let’s consider the long-term picture:

Clearing debt in the next 3-4 years will free up a large chunk of your income.
Increasing your SIP gradually to Rs. 30,000 - Rs. 35,000 per month after clearing debt will set you on track to achieve the Rs. 2 crore target.
Stay disciplined and review your portfolio regularly to adjust to changing circumstances.
Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Asked on - Oct 16, 2024 | Answered on Oct 17, 2024

I am grateful for your valuable information and will start taking action today to follow the steps you pointed out with discipline and aggressively increase my investments once my loans are under control. Is it possible to contact you directly to comprehend and invest in the funds that yield the returns mentioned earlier?

Ans: I appreciate your trust and willingness to connect.
Let's embark on this financial journey together.
You can reach me through my website mentioned below.
This platform has restrictions on sharing personal contact. Hope you understand.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
Insagram: https://www.instagram.com/holistic_investment_planners/

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