I am having an issue that is very difficult for me to live with but living with. It is the bad luck my wife brings when she is around. We are married for 16 years & have a 15 yrs. old daughter, we are Bengalis. My marriage was an arranged marriage But once the marriage was done I found that whatever tasks I tried to do with my wife around is bound to fail Similarly, for my wife it is the same whatever she tries with me it is a failure Examples In the early years I got an opportunity to go to the USA for a long-term assignment, when my wife was in her native for childbirth I went alone & after a few months she joined me, just within 2 months of her joining my project was abruptly closed & I was sent back. This was a wakeup call & just to see how things work I send her to our native to complete her studies & in 2 years it was smooth, but again when she returned within 6 months my Kolkata project got closed & was forced transferred to Pune, I came here alone & within a few months got another job when I brought her to Pune things started going wrong, I got smart & when things will get wrong I will send her to native for some alibi & things will look up, then get her back again things will start getting wrong & again repeat... it was a challenge as my daughter’s schooling was being effected I can give 100s of example how I purposely made sure she is not around when I had to do something critical. I see a similar situation on her side if I am not around things work out but if I am around simply luck will make sure to fail. Now things have gone to the extent that I make plans that she is not there even if I go out for minor tasks like going to an ATM .. if she goes with me the ATMs will be out of order & I have to return without the cash I am a rationalist & never believe in luck or that someone can bring bad luck .. but such has been the repetition of bad lucks & failures when my wife is around that I have succumbed. About 5 years back we started talking to astrologers, palmists & all sorts of people whom I used to ridicule & they tried all their rings, tabiz, etc but nothing worked. My wife takes care more than a modern-day housewife, cooking managing the household, shopping taking the kids to school, hobbies, & she tries to put her best sincerity into it there is no complaint. In fact, she is taken as an idol among many of our relatives & friends for her behavior & ways she maintains relations with others, this has gone to such an extent that many in our family & friends are jealous of her I don’t think it will be possible to continue like this forever but she is a housewife, doing her best We belong to the middle class I simply don’t want her to dump her with people saying all sorts of things as I feel for her BUT cannot stay with her as now she just around makes me feel nervous. I have tried several times to think positively but could never convince myself We have never talked about this in-depth as I know she is helpless & there is nothing for her to change & will only be hurting her. But many times she told me when things go wrong that she is bringing me bad luck & trouble not once but always, I have simply ignored or reasoned with her the logical thing " as the project got closed due to a change in company strategy" etc, but things turning negative when she is around & turning positive when she is not there EVERYTIME for 15 years is really something I can’t convince myself. She is only unlucky for me but for others like her father, relatives & friends she is very lucky, even 2 days ago one of our neighbors called her as someone was coming to see their daughter for marriage, she went & it worked for them, they call her because she has an ideal homely look which such critical guests think “ah they have good company” & also as the neighbors’ aged mother told” since you came our work got done since you are lucky “ Now why I am writing to you is something maybe you have never heard of. One of my office colleagues ( I will tell you he is between a colleague & a friend with whom I spend a considerable amount of time usually discussing office stuff but he is more open to me on his personal issues, I am a little conservative on this front & have never talked or will like to talk about the issues with my wife) who is childless almost my wife's age. He also was in a marriage for about 10 years but his wife has been very violent, he tried his level best met a number of psychologists, etc but things have not worked. 2 months ago he decided to divorce his wife & is now working on the legal formalities. Many a time while talking I will tell him the way my wife behaves & he will really rue if his wife was like this. From my wife's side, I know her choice & this colleague will be his dream prince.( very handsome, smart, very good talker). On asking about plans after the divorce my colleague has told me that he is looking to remarry preferring divorcee/widow as he doesn’t want to have kids at this age. His ideal wife choice matches my wife. He will be looking for after his divorce gets to some stage. I clearly know that both will be a really good match & will be eternal pairs. I am sure she will not be unlucky for him. I had invited my colleague to my home for tea (with me) so that they can meet which they did, I tactically left them alone for some time but I don’t want to talk to my wife about thinking of this colleague as this will be very offensive & if she refuses our relationship may be damaged forever. Also in no way can propose my married wife to my colleague. I don’t want to talk to anyone but create a circumstance or at the most an indirect hint that they can think of to evaluate if they want to be together. Can you please help As a closing note, I will like to mention, in Dec last year I was told that I will be layedoff from my position by June 30, I immediately started searching for other jobs but nothing worked for 3 months, after completion of my daughter annual exams I send them to my native & now I have got a job in Bangalore, I will leave my family in Pune reasoning my daughter should complete her 12th from the school here but the real reason is above. I don’t have any girl in my life but if she moves out then maybe I can think. Also, my wife is among my 3 people for whom I can do anything so that they will be happy other 2 are my mother & daughter. But I am practically abusing/punishing/torturing her just because I can survive. This colleague looks like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for everyone to be happy. The only mental block which I need to remove is my colleagues who being a gentleman will never think about my wife & my wife’s that she is in a marriage will never think. If things don’t work out between them then I am Ok with things to go as its going but that’s just spending years. I will take care of her but maybe never stay with her with some alibi & certainly will not be thinking about another girl still she is dependent on me

Ans: I recommend appearing for all 5 subjects through NIOS

Ans: Hello
IITs are the top institutions wherein you can take Applied Maths. Apart from that Indian Statistical Institute, Chennai Mathematical Institute, IISc Bangalore, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, IISERs are the other good options in our country.

Ans: Hello Amit
Aap JEE-Advanced 2026 nahi de paoge.

Ans: Hi
Yes, you will need to make obc issued by the central government for reservation in IIT/NIT/IIITs

Ans: Dear Shubha,
Thank you for looking up my responses.
A while back a man accused me of being biased towards the woman and you are accusing me of being biased towards a man; there's no pleasing everyone, yeah?
Whatever you have gleaned to come to a conclusion of 'oh what a woman' and you saying that I am asking people to shut up, is something you may have to reflect upon.
A small guiding tip for you: We read and understand based on what we WANT to read and understand. Without throwing labels here, I can say that a crusader of women's rights will always start with the premise of 'everything is against women' and operate from there; you get the drift? Will help you reflect deeper!
My responses have and will always be objective and will continue to guide people to a better life.

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: You have explained your income, goals, current assets, and future plans with great clarity. Your early planning spirit is strong. This gives a very good base. You can reach a peaceful retirement with smart steps in the next few years.

» Your Current Position

You are 40 years old. You plan to retire in 3 to 5 years. You earn Rs 2.3 lakh per month. Your wife also works but will stop working soon. You have one daughter aged 10. Your current monthly cost is around Rs 1.1 lakh. This cost will reduce after retirement because you will shift to your parental flat.

Your investment base is already good. You have saved in bonds, stocks, mutual funds, PPF, FD, and SIP. Your wife also has her own savings and rental income from a flat. All these create a good starting point.

This early base helps you plan stronger. It also gives room for more shaping. You are on the right road.

» Your Family Goals

You need Rs 75 lakh for your daughter’s higher education and marriage.

You want Rs 75,000 per month for family living after retirement.

You want to retire in 3 to 5 years.

You will shift to your parental flat after retirement.

You will have rental income of Rs 10,000 from your wife’s flat.

These goals are clear. They give direction. They allow a strong plan.

» Your Present Investments

Your investments include:

Rs 50 lakh in REC bonds maturing in 2029.

Rs 42 lakh in stocks.

Rs 17 lakh in mutual funds.

Rs 16 lakh in fixed deposits.

Rs 15 lakh in PPF.

Rs 1.3 lakh as monthly SIP.

Your wife holds:

Rs 30 lakh corpus.

A flat worth Rs 40 lakh with rent of Rs 10,000 each month.

Your combined net worth is healthy. This gives good power to build your retirement fund in the coming years.

» Understanding Your Expense Need After Retirement

You expect Rs 75,000 per month after retirement. This includes all basic needs. You will not have rent. That reduces cost. This assumption looks fair today.

Your cost will rise with inflation. So you must plan for rising needs. A strong retirement corpus must support rising cost for 40 to 45 years because you are retiring early.

An early retirement needs a large buffer. So you need safety along with growth. Your plan must include growth assets and safety assets.

» How Much Monthly Income You Will Need Later

Rs 75,000 per month is Rs 9 lakh per year. In future years, this cost can rise. If we assume steady rise, your future cost will be much higher.

So the retirement corpus must be designed to:

Give monthly income.

Beat inflation.

Support you for 40 to 45 years.

Protect your family even in market down cycles.

Allow flexibility if your needs change.

A strong retirement fund must support both safety and long-term growth.

» How Much Corpus You Should Target

A safe target is a large and flexible corpus that can support long years without running out of money. For early retirement, the usual thumb rule suggests a very high number. This is because you need income for many decades.

You need a corpus big enough to produce rising income. You also need a cushion for unexpected health costs, lifestyle shocks, and inflation changes.

Your target retirement corpus should be in a strong range. For your needs of Rs 75,000 per month and for goals like daughter’s education and marriage, you should aim for a combined retirement readiness corpus in the higher bracket.

A safe range for your family would be a very large number crossing multiple crores. This large range gives you:

Income safety.

Inflation protection.

Peace during market cycles.

Comfort in long life.

Room for daughter’s future.

Strong backup for health.

You are already on the way due to your existing assets. You will reach close to this range with systematic building over the next 3 to 5 years.

» Why You Need This Larger Corpus

You will retire early. That means more years of living from your corpus. Your corpus must not fall early. It must grow even after retirement. It must give monthly income and long-term family protection.

This is only possible when the corpus is strong and well-structured. A weak corpus creates stress. A strong corpus creates freedom.

Also, your daughter’s future cost must be kept aside. This must be parked in a separate fund. This must not touch your retirement money.

A strong corpus makes these two worlds separate and safe.

» Your Existing Assets and Their Strength

You already have good diversification:

Bonds give safety.

Stocks give growth.

Mutual funds give managed growth.

FD gives stability.

PPF gives tax-free long-term savings.

This blend is already a good start. But you need to make the blend more structured for early retirement.

Your Rs 1.3 lakh monthly SIP is also strong. It builds your future fast. You should continue.

Your wife’s rental income is small but steady. This adds strength.

Your combined financial base can reach your retirement target if you refine your allocation now.

» Your Daughter’s Future Fund Need

You need Rs 75 lakh for your daughter’s education and marriage. You should keep this goal separate from your retirement goal.

Your current SIP and future allocations should create a dedicated fund for this goal. A long-term fund can grow well when managed actively.

Do not mix this fund with your retirement needs. Mixing leads to shortage in old age. Always keep this corpus ring-fenced.

» A Strong Asset Mix For Your Retirement Path

A balanced mix is needed. You need growth assets to beat inflation. You also need stable assets for income.

You must avoid index funds because they do not give flexibility. Index funds follow a fixed index. They cannot make active changes in different markets. They cannot move to better stocks when markets change. They force you to stay in weak sectors for long. They also do not help you in down cycles because they cannot protect you by shifting to safer options. This can hurt retirement planning.

Actively managed funds are better because:

They give active asset selection.

They give scope for better returns.

They give flexibility to change sectors.

They give downside management.

They give access to a skilled fund manager.

They support long-term planning more safely.

Direct plans also carry risk. Direct plans do not give guidance. They do not give behavioural support. They do not give market timing help. They do not give portfolio shaping. They leave all the judgement to you. One mistake can cost years of wealth.

Regular plans with guidance from a Certified Financial Planner help you shape decisions. They help you remain disciplined. They help you avoid panic. They help you decide allocation changes at the right time. This saves wealth in long-term.

» How Your Investment Journey Should Grow in the Next 3–5 Years

Continue your SIP.

Increase SIP when your income rises.

Shift part of your stock holding into planned long-term mutual funds to reduce concentration risk.

Build a defined daughter’s education fund.

Keep a part of your REC bond maturity amount for long-term.

Avoid locking too much into fixed deposits for long periods.

Build a safety fund for one year of expenses.

This will create a full structure.

» Your Rental Income Role

Your rental income of Rs 10,000 per month is small but steady. Over time it will rise. This income will support your monthly cash flow after retirement.

You can use this for utilities or health insurance premiums. This gives a cushion.

» Your Emergency Buffer

You should keep at least one year of essential cost in a safe place. This can be in a liquid account or short-term fund. This protects you in shocks.

Since you plan early retirement, a strong buffer is important. It gives peace even in low months.

» A Structured Retirement Approach

A complete retirement plan for you should include:

A clear monthly income plan after retirement.

A corpus that can grow and protect.

A rising income system that matches inflation.

A separate daughter’s future fund.

A health cover plan for your family.

A tax-efficient withdrawal plan.

A market cycle plan to protect you in tough times.

This holistic approach keeps your family strong for decades.

» What You Should Build by Retirement Year

Your aim should be to reach a strong multi-crore range in investments before retirement. You already hold a large amount. You will add more in the next 3 to 5 years through SIP, stock growth, bond maturity, and disciplined saving.

Once you reach your target range, you can start the shifting process:

Move a part to stable assets.

Keep a part in long-term growth assets.

Create a monthly income strategy.

Keep a reserve bucket.

Keep a child future bucket.

Keep a long-term growth bucket.

This structure protects you in all market conditions.

» Final Insights

Your financial journey is already strong. You have a good income. You have saved well. You have multiple asset types. You have a clear timeline. And you have clear goals. This foundation is solid.

In the next 3 to 5 years, your focus should be on growing your combined corpus to a strong multi-crore range, keeping a separate fund for your daughter, reducing risk in unplanned assets, and building a stable long-term structure.

With the present path and a disciplined structure, you can retire peacefully and support your family with confidence for many decades.

Best Regards,

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

https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Ans: ?

Ans: 1. Your Current Monthly Numbers

Salary: Rs 43,000

Rent: Rs 15,000

Support to parents: Rs 10,000

Left with: Rs 18,000 for food, travel, bills, and savings

You have very little room, but saving is still possible if done smartly.

2. First Step: Build a Small Emergency Buffer

You must build Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 emergency money.
This protects you from taking loans for small issues.

How to build it:

Save Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 every month in a simple bank savings account

Do this for the next few months

Don’t touch it unless truly needed

3. Create a Mini Budget (Very Simple One)

Try this split from the remaining Rs 18,000:

Daily living (food + transport): Rs 10,000 – 11,000

Personal expenses (phone, internet, basics): Rs 3,000 – 4,000

Savings + investments: Rs 3,000 – 5,000

If this feels difficult, reduce food/transport costs by small adjustments.

4. Where to Invest Once You Have Emergency Money

(For minors: This is general education. For actual investing, get guidance from a trusted adult or family member.)

After you build emergency money, start small monthly investing.

You can begin with:

Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 SIP in a simple, diversified equity fund

Increase the SIP whenever salary increases or expenses reduce

Avoid complicated products.
Keep it simple.
Focus on consistency.

5. Easy Practical Ways to Increase Saving

These small moves help a lot:

Avoid food delivery

Use public transport as much as possible

Reduce subscriptions you don’t use

Fix a daily expense limit

Keep a separate bank account only for savings

Even Rs 200 saved daily = Rs 6,000 monthly.

6. Increase Income Slowly

Try small income boosters:

Weekend tutoring

Freelancing

Part-time projects

Selling old gadgets

Learning new skills for future salary growth

Even Rs 3,000 extra income changes your savings life.

7. Build the Habit First

The amount doesn’t matter in the beginning.
The habit matters more.

Even saving Rs 500 every month is better than zero.
Once salary grows, you will already know how to save.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

Ans: Your question and follow-up question are already answered. Please copy and paste the following link in your browser to read it - https://gurus.rediff.com/question/qdtl/career/neet-aspirant-meri-class-12-m-physics-m-repeat-thi/5248200