Hello dear, How you handle a relationship where both have love for each other but are not living happily?
We are married for 18 years now and have two grown up children.
My husband is very good. But he is not expressive. I feel he is very dry and unromantic from the beginning. There is no communication between us...Verbal or physical.
I have developed a sort of aversion to him and feel suffocated. I am not able to behave normally with him. I am always upset. Though he is very patient with me.
He is very good as a person and has no flaws, but he is always occupied with his work or mobile. I don't know how to handle myself.
Please advise how to make the relationship happier though I have no desire to make any efforts now as I feel it's all useless.
He doesn't see any problem. He feels this is very normal. The romantic relationship is not real, it's filmy. This is reality.
I feel we have a very formal relation. Just for society and children's sake I am stuck to him. I don't want to leave him but I also can't live with him. What to do?

Ans: Your aspiration to build a corpus of 1 crore through ELSS SIPs is commendable. However, let's evaluate your strategy and explore potential adjustments to optimize your investment approach.

Assessing Your Strategy
ELSS SIPs:
Equity Linked Savings Schemes (ELSS) offer the twin benefits of tax savings under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act and potential for wealth creation through equity exposure. Investing 50,000 each in two ELSS schemes through SIPs is a proactive step towards your financial goals.

Existing FDs:
Having close to 10 lakhs in FDs indicates a conservative investment approach. While FDs provide stability, their returns may not be sufficient to achieve long-term wealth creation goals, especially considering inflation and taxes.

Suggested Adjustments
Diversification:
Consider diversifying your investment portfolio beyond ELSS and FDs. While ELSS SIPs offer the potential for high returns, they also carry market risks. Diversification across asset classes like equity, debt, and real estate can help mitigate risk and optimize returns.

Review FD Allocation:
Reevaluate the allocation of your FDs. While FDs provide liquidity and stability, consider whether tying up a significant portion of your savings in low-yield investments aligns with your long-term wealth creation goals. You may explore gradually reallocating a portion of your FDs towards higher-yielding investment avenues.

Regular Review:
Periodically review your investment portfolio to ensure alignment with your financial goals, risk tolerance, and market conditions. As your financial situation evolves, be prepared to make necessary adjustments to optimize returns and minimize risk.

Alternative Investment Options
Since you're open to suggestions beyond ELSS and FDs, here are a few alternatives to consider:

Equity Mutual Funds:
Apart from ELSS, explore other equity mutual fund categories such as large-cap, mid-cap, and multi-cap funds to diversify your equity exposure further.

Debt Mutual Funds:
Consider allocating a portion of your portfolio to debt mutual funds for stability and regular income. Debt funds invest in fixed-income securities like bonds and provide relatively lower but steady returns compared to equity.

Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs):
SIPs offer the benefit of rupee-cost averaging and disciplined investing. You can explore SIPs in both equity and debt mutual funds to maintain a balanced portfolio.

Conclusion
While your strategy of investing in ELSS SIPs is a step in the right direction, consider diversifying your portfolio and reviewing your FD allocation to optimize returns and mitigate risks. A balanced approach tailored to your financial goals and risk profile will enhance your chances of achieving long-term wealth creation.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: Congratulations on setting a financial goal to build a 1 crore corpus in the next 5-7 years! It's an ambitious yet achievable target with the right planning and investment strategy.

Evaluating Your Current Situation
With a monthly salary of 30 lakhs and an EMI of 50,000, you're already on solid ground. Now, let's assess how much you need to invest to reach your goal.

Investment Strategy
Given your timeframe and goal, here's a strategic approach:

Mutual Funds:
Mutual funds offer the potential for higher returns compared to traditional fixed deposits (FDs). Considering your age and the long-term horizon, you can allocate a significant portion of your investments to equity mutual funds. These funds have historically provided higher returns over the long term.

Fixed Deposits (FDs) or Other Conservative Investments:
While equity mutual funds offer growth potential, it's essential to balance your portfolio with safer investments like fixed deposits or debt funds. These provide stability and can act as a cushion during market downturns.

Investment Allocation
Without knowing your current savings or assets, it's challenging to provide precise numbers. However, here's a general guideline:

Mutual Funds:
Aim to invest a substantial portion of your savings, say around 70-80%, in equity mutual funds. Choose a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap funds to diversify your portfolio and mitigate risk.

Fixed Deposits or Other Conservative Investments:
Allocate the remaining 20-30% to safer options like fixed deposits or debt funds. These will provide stability and liquidity to your portfolio.

Regular Review and Adjustment
As your circumstances change, such as salary increments or additional financial commitments, review and adjust your investment strategy accordingly. Regular monitoring ensures you stay on track towards your goal.

Conclusion
Building a 1 crore corpus in 5-7 years is feasible with a disciplined approach to investing and a well-diversified portfolio. Consider consulting with a Certified Financial Planner to tailor an investment plan suited to your specific needs and risk tolerance.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: Understanding CKYC Number for NPS Withdrawal
Hello Murali,

I understand the frustration you might be feeling trying to withdraw from your NPS investment without the CKYC number. It's a common issue, but let's tackle it together.

What is CKYC?
CKYC, or Central Know Your Customer, is a centralized registry of KYC records for individuals, maintained by the Central Registry of Securitization Asset Reconstruction and Security Interest of India (CERSAI). It's an important identification tool in financial transactions.

Getting Your CKYC Number
To obtain your CKYC number, you can follow these steps:

Contact Your Bank/Branch: Your CKYC number is usually generated when you complete your KYC process with a bank or financial institution. Reach out to the bank where you completed your KYC formalities.

Online Portal: You can also check if your CKYC number is available on the CKYC portal (https://www.ckycindia.in/ckyc/index.html). Provide your PAN or other details as required to retrieve your CKYC number.

Customer Service: If you're unable to find your CKYC number through the portal or your bank, consider contacting customer service for assistance. They should be able to guide you through the process.

Why CKYC is Required for NPS Withdrawal
The reason you're being asked for your CKYC number during NPS withdrawal is because it's a mandatory requirement by regulatory authorities to ensure transparency and prevent financial fraud.

Conclusion
I understand the frustration of dealing with bureaucratic hurdles, but obtaining your CKYC number is essential for smooth financial transactions, including NPS withdrawals. Take proactive steps to retrieve your CKYC number, and if you encounter any difficulties, don't hesitate to seek assistance from your bank or financial institution.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: Given your current SIP investments and your target of accumulating 6-7 crores before retirement, let's assess the feasibility of achieving your goals with your existing portfolio:

Portfolio Assessment:
1. Diversification:
Your portfolio includes funds across various categories like large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and tax-saving ELSS funds, providing diversification across different market segments.

2. Fund Selection:
You've chosen well-known funds with strong track records and reputable fund houses, which is commendable for long-term wealth creation.

3. SIP Amount:
Your monthly SIP of 41,000 indicates a disciplined approach towards investing, which is crucial for achieving your financial goals.

Feasibility Analysis:
1. Goal Evaluation:
To assess the feasibility of reaching your target of 6-7 crores before retirement, consider factors such as your investment horizon, expected rate of return, and monthly SIP contributions.

2. Growth Projection:
Project the potential growth of your portfolio based on historical returns of the selected funds and adjust for market conditions and volatility. Use a retirement calculator to estimate the corpus required to achieve your desired retirement income.

3. Periodic Review:
Regularly review the performance of your portfolio and adjust your investment strategy as needed to stay on track towards your retirement goal. Consider increasing your SIP amounts over time to accelerate wealth accumulation.

Conclusion:
While achieving a corpus of 6-7 crores before retirement is an ambitious goal, it's certainly possible with a disciplined investment approach and prudent portfolio management. Continue investing regularly, monitor your portfolio's performance, and make adjustments as needed to maximize returns and work towards your financial objectives.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: Considering your retirement goal in the next 5 years and your son's education fund target of 1 crore, here's a tailored plan to achieve your objectives:

Retirement Planning:
1. Evaluate Share Portfolio:
Review your share portfolio to ensure it aligns with your retirement timeline and risk tolerance. Consider diversifying into less volatile assets to safeguard your retirement corpus.

2. Optimize PF & Gratuity:
Maximize contributions to your PF and gratuity funds to bolster your retirement savings. Explore investment options that offer growth potential while prioritizing capital preservation as retirement approaches.

3. Plan for Housing:
Prepare a financial strategy to acquire a house in the next 5 years. Allocate funds towards a down payment and consider mortgage options that fit your financial situation. Owning a house can provide long-term stability in retirement.

Child Education Fund:
1. Set Targeted Savings Goal:
With a clear objective of accumulating 1 crore for your son's education, calculate the required monthly contributions to achieve this goal within the next few years.

2. Invest Strategically:
Utilize a combination of investment avenues such as mutual funds, fixed deposits, and education-oriented savings schemes to accumulate the desired corpus. Consider the risk profile and investment horizon to select appropriate instruments.

Expense Management:
1. Budgeting:
Review your monthly expenses and identify areas where you can reduce discretionary spending. Redirect these savings towards your retirement and education funds to accelerate wealth accumulation.

2. Emergency Fund:
Maintain a sufficient emergency fund equivalent to 6-12 months' worth of expenses to cover unforeseen financial emergencies, ensuring your retirement and education goals remain unaffected.

Conclusion:
By implementing these strategies, you can work towards achieving your retirement and education goals effectively. Regularly monitor your progress, and adjust your financial plan as needed to stay on track towards financial security and fulfilling your aspirations.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: Given your current financial situation and retirement goal, there are a few strategies you can consider to enhance your retirement corpus:

1. Evaluate Stock Holdings:
Review your stock investments in Microsoft (MSFT) and assess whether they align with your risk tolerance and long-term goals. Consider diversifying your stock portfolio to reduce concentration risk.

2. Optimize Mutual Fund Investments:
Review the performance of your mutual fund investments and consider reallocating funds to better-performing funds or those aligned with your retirement timeline and risk profile.

3. Increase Monthly SIPs:
Consider increasing your SIP amounts for PPF and NPS to accelerate wealth accumulation. This will help you build a larger retirement corpus over time, especially considering the tax benefits associated with these investment avenues.

4. Explore Additional Investment Avenues:
Look into other investment options such as debt funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or alternative investments to diversify your portfolio further and potentially boost returns.

5. Budgeting and Saving:
Review your monthly expenses and identify areas where you can reduce unnecessary spending. Allocate these savings towards your investment portfolio to accelerate wealth accumulation.

6. Seek Professional Advice:
Consider consulting a Certified Financial Planner to develop a customized financial plan tailored to your retirement goals, risk tolerance, and investment preferences. They can provide personalized guidance and recommendations to optimize your investment strategy.

Conclusion:
By implementing these strategies and staying disciplined in your savings and investment approach, you can work towards achieving your retirement goal of accumulating a corpus of 2-3 Crores in the next couple of years. Regularly review and adjust your investment plan as needed to stay on track towards financial independence in retirement.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: Your investment journey showcases a diversified portfolio aimed at achieving your goals of funding your child's education and building a retirement corpus. Let's evaluate your current investments and provide guidance on potential adjustments and future contributions.

Current Investment Evaluation
Portfolio Diversification:
Your portfolio consists of investments across various mutual funds, covering large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and ELSS categories. This diversification helps spread risk across different market segments.

PPF & NPS Contributions:
Your annual contributions to PPF and NPS demonstrate a commitment to long-term savings and retirement planning. These tax-efficient investment avenues can significantly contribute to your retirement corpus.

Fund Selection:
While you've chosen well-known funds with a track record of performance, it's essential to periodically review each fund's performance and adjust your holdings if necessary.

Recommendations
Portfolio Rebalancing:
Evaluate the performance of each fund and rebalance your portfolio if required. Consider trimming or consolidating holdings in funds with overlapping objectives or underperforming assets.

Asset Allocation:
Ensure your asset allocation aligns with your risk tolerance and investment horizon. Consider increasing exposure to funds that complement your goals while reducing exposure to high-risk or redundant funds.

Increase in Investments:
With the goal of increasing your investments next year, consider allocating additional funds to well-performing mutual funds that align with your investment objectives. You may also explore increasing contributions to NPS to benefit from additional tax savings and retirement benefits.

Review Tax Implications:
Factor in the tax implications of your investments, especially in ELSS, PPF, and NPS. Ensure you're maximizing tax efficiency while optimizing returns.

Conclusion
By periodically reviewing and rebalancing your portfolio, aligning your investments with your financial goals, and considering tax-efficient options like PPF and NPS, you can continue to progress towards funding your child's education and building a robust retirement corpus.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: It's wonderful to see your proactive approach towards financial planning, especially with your long-term goals in mind. Let's break down your current situation and chart out a plan to achieve your targets:

Income & Expenses:
Your current in-hand salary of 57,000 per month is a solid foundation. It's excellent that you're aiming to increase it to 65k-75k per month by the year-end. This upward trajectory in income will provide you with more flexibility in managing your expenses and investments. Your monthly expenses of 20,000 (10,000 for parents and 10,000 personal) are well-understood, leaving you room to allocate the rest towards savings and investments.

Emergency Fund:
Maintaining an emergency fund equivalent to 6-9 months' worth of expenses is a wise move. Your emergency corpus of 2.5 lakhs covers this criterion, ensuring you're prepared for any unexpected financial emergencies without disrupting your long-term investments.

Investment Portfolio:
Your current investment portfolio consists of a mix of mutual funds and traditional savings instruments. While the DSP Nifty 50 Equal Weight Index Fund and Nippon India Nifty Small Cap 250 Index Fund offer exposure to broad market indices, the DSP Natural Resources and New Energy Fund and ICICI Infrastructure Growth Fund provide thematic exposure to specific sectors. Additionally, your contributions to PF and PPF demonstrate a commitment to long-term savings.

Future Goals:
Your goals are ambitious yet realistic. Accumulating 5 crores over 20-25 years for retirement and securing a regular retirement income of 25,000 in today's money value after 25 years require diligent planning and disciplined investing. Given your plans for marriage and starting a family in the next 1-3 years, it's crucial to factor in these additional expenses and adjust your financial strategy accordingly.

Recommendations:
Review Existing Investments:
Regularly assess the performance of each fund in your portfolio. Consider discontinuing those that consistently underperform or no longer align with your investment objectives. Focus on funds with strong track records and robust fundamentals.

Increase Savings Rate:
As your income grows, aim to increase your monthly investments proportionately. A higher savings rate will accelerate your journey towards achieving your financial goals. Review your budget periodically to identify areas where you can cut back on expenses and redirect those funds towards savings and investments.

Asset Allocation:
Diversification is key to managing risk effectively. Consider diversifying your portfolio across different asset classes, including equities, debt, and alternative investments like real estate or gold. Maintain a balanced allocation that suits your risk tolerance and investment horizon.

Retirement Planning:
Calculate the corpus required to generate a regular retirement income of 25,000 in today's value after 25 years. Use a retirement calculator to determine the monthly contribution needed to reach this target. Consider investing in retirement-focused mutual funds or pension plans to build a robust retirement portfolio.

Marriage & Family Planning:
Factor in the expenses related to marriage and starting a family when setting your financial goals. Start building a separate corpus for these milestones by allocating a portion of your savings towards dedicated savings accounts or investment vehicles tailored to short-to-medium-term goals.

Conclusion:
By implementing these recommendations and staying committed to your financial plan, you can work towards achieving financial independence and securing a comfortable retirement. Remember to review your plan regularly and make adjustments as needed to stay on track towards your goals.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in

Ans: It's fantastic that you're planning for your retirement through mutual funds. Let's evaluate your current portfolio:

Portfolio Assessment
Diversification:
Your portfolio seems well-diversified across various market segments, which is commendable.

Fund Selection:
You've chosen a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and gold funds, which can provide a balanced exposure to different market conditions.

Risk Management:
However, it's essential to consider the risk associated with each fund. Small-cap and mid-cap funds generally carry higher risk compared to large-cap funds.

Expense Ratio:
Additionally, you may want to look at the expense ratio of each fund. Higher expense ratios can eat into your returns over the long term.

Simplification:
Having too many funds can complicate portfolio management. Simplifying your portfolio can make it easier to track and manage.

Recommendations
Consolidation:
Consider consolidating your funds into fewer, well-performing ones. Focus on quality over quantity to streamline your portfolio.

Risk Adjustment:
Evaluate your risk tolerance and consider reducing exposure to high-risk funds like small-cap and mid-cap funds if necessary.

Expense Management:
Keep an eye on expense ratios and opt for funds with lower expenses, which can enhance your overall returns.

Conclusion
In summary, while your portfolio shows diversity, it might benefit from consolidation and risk adjustment. Always remember to review your portfolio regularly and make adjustments as needed to stay aligned with your financial goals.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in