I am 37 yrs old with in-hand salary of 120000 p.m. out of which I put 50k monthly into investment like LIC (40k) and SIP's (10k). Also I have taken a home loan for which 40k around comes up as EMI. Please tell me if I need to rethink about my investments. If yes then what changes should I make as I need to save more so that more investment can be made for my retirement future.
Ans: Your income is strong and disciplined. That’s a great place to start. You currently invest Rs.50k monthly—Rs.40k in LIC and Rs.10k in mutual fund SIP. You also pay around Rs.40k as home loan EMI. Now you want to save more for retirement. Let us assess your financial landscape thoroughly and build a detailed plan.
? Reviewing Your Current Allocation
– In?hand salary is Rs.1,20,000 per month.
– EMI and LIC investment together total Rs.80,000 monthly.
– That leaves only Rs.40,000 for all other expenses and savings.
– Mutual fund SIP is just Rs.10,000 per month.
– LIC investment is heavy and may not support retirement optimally.
– You have limited flexibility for emergencies or future goals.
– Review needed to balance present needs and future goals.
? Identifying Major Concerns
– LIC premiums (investment cum insurance) dominate your outflows.
– Term insurance or pure protection at lower cost would be wiser.
– EMI plus LIC restricts savings flexibility.
– SIP of Rs.10,000 is too low for long?term wealth creation.
– No mention of emergency fund—critical support missing.
– Home loan EMI is fixed and high.
– Insurance cover unknown—need clarity on health and life cover.
– No mention of other savings like PPF or EPF.
– Risk and return profile is skewed—too little equity exposure.
? Rethinking LIC Investment
– LIC policies blur insurance and investment.
– They often offer low returns after charges.
– Better to have separate term life insurance.
– Term plan premium is much lower than LIC’s.
– Release funds from LIC and invest in mutual funds.
– You get better returns and security with this change.
– This frees up cash for retirement savings.
? Establishing Emergency Fund
– You need 3–6 months of expenses saved immediately.
– Estimate your current monthly needs.
– Save at least Rs.1.20–2.40 lakh in a liquid fund.
– You can start with Rs.5,000–10,000 monthly.
– This protects against job loss or health emergencies.
– Building this fund must start now, even while paying EMI.
? Streamlining Insurance Cover
– Confirm you have term life cover via LIC or employer.
– Health insurance is vital for yourself and family.
– Top up coverage to Rs.5–10 lakh minimum.
– Consider riders like critical illness or maternity.
– Keep insurance simple and cost?effective.
– Avoid mixing with investment products.
– Pay regular review of policy renewals annually.
? Home Loan Strategy
– EMI of Rs.40k is significant but manageable with your income.
– Continue paying as planned.
– Extra EMI prepayment can reduce interest but limits funds.
– Consider maintaining liquidity before over?prepaying.
– After renegotiating LIC, you can channel funds to MF and emergency fund.
– Prepay only after securing emergency and investment plans.
? Mutual Fund Investment Enhancement
– You currently invest just Rs.10k monthly in mutual funds.
– That needs a big boost for retirement corpus.
– Suggest increasing to Rs.30k–40k per month post?LIC surrender.
– Use diversified equity funds for long?term growth.
– Avoid index funds—they lack active management and may underperform.
– Choose actively managed equity funds for better returns.
– Add hybrid or balanced funds for stability.
– Ensure funds are in regular plans via CFP and MFD.
– This ensures structured guidance, reviews, and rebalancing.
? Structuring a New SIP Strategy
– With LIC switched, you can reallocate Rs.40k monthly.
– Proposed monthly allocation:
Equity diversified/multi?cap: Rs.15,000
Mid?cap: Rs.8,000
Small?cap: Rs.5,000
Hybrid balanced: Rs.7,000
Debt fund for short goals: Rs.5,000
– This delivers ~60–65% equity, 35–40% debt balance.
– Adjust mix based on risk tolerance and goals.
– Consider long?term SIPs for retirement and short?term for medium?goals.
? Retirement Corpus Planning
– At age 37, you have 23–25 years till retirement (age ~60).
– With disciplined SIPs and market returns, you can build Rs.3–4 crore.
– That is enough to support 15–20 years of post?retirement needs.
– Keep increasing SIPs annually based on salary increments.
– Monitor and adjust allocations with CFP support yearly.
? Tax Efficiency in Investments
– Equity fund LTCG above Rs.1.25 lakh taxed at 12.5%; STCG at 20%.
– Debt fund gains taxed per your income slab.
– Hybrid funds (held 3+ years) get equity LTCG status.
– Term insurance premiums get Section 80C deduction.
– Separate investments have clearer tax benefits.
– A CFP can help time exits and withdrawals to minimise tax.
– Avoid premature redemption to avoid higher tax or loss of benefit.
? Periodic Portfolio Review and Rebalancing
– Review annually to monitor fund performance and asset allocation.
– Rebalancing realigns your portfolio to target allocation.
– Fund manager changes might need fund switch.
– Life changes (child, career, health) require strategy updates.
– CFP helps prevent drift and maintain goal alignment.
– This ensures funds work efficiently for your future.
? Discipline and Behavioural Control
– Market corrections are common—do not stop SIP.
– Avoid chasing past winners or fad funds.
– Don’t switch funds frequently—trust the process.
– Emotional investing erodes returns.
– CFP provides objective guidance during volatile markets.
? Retirement Income Planning
– Once corpus is built, you will need systematic withdrawal plan (SWP).
– SWP provides regular income while keeping capital invested.
– It is more tax efficient and inflation aware.
– Plan fund allocation between equity and debt at that stage.
– CFP helps design income layering based on needs.
? Child and Other Goal Planning
– If you plan for child marriage, higher education, or travel—create dedicated SIPs.
– Allocate say Rs.5k–Rs.10k monthly per goal.
– This keeps retirement plan separate and secure.
– Helps measure progress clearly for each goal.
? Final Insights
– Your income and discipline give strong foundation.
– But current structure is LIC heavy and lacks diversification.
– You need better cash flow by reviewing LIC and freeing funds.
– Establish emergency fund without delay.
– Increase SIPs to Rs.30k–40k monthly in actively managed mutual funds.
– Balance equity and debt per your age and goals.
– Stay insured via term and adequate health cover.
– Review and rebalance annually with CFP guidance.
– Stick to discipline during market cycles.
– This plan will build a robust retirement corpus and support future goals.
– You will retire financially secure and free of worries.
Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment
