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Anu

Anu Krishna  | Answer  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Jul 04, 2022

Anu Krishna is a mind coach and relationship expert.
The co-founder of Unfear Changemakers LLP, she has received her neuro linguistic programming training from National Federation of NeuroLinguistic Programming, USA, and her energy work specialisation from the Institute for Inner Studies, Manila.
She is an executive member of the Indian Association of Adolescent Health.... more
A Question by A on Jul 04, 2022Hindi
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Relationship

Hello, I had a question for Anu ma'am. I have been in a relationship with a guy since 2021. He is a very sweet, loving, caring guy, is always patient with me, tries to understand me, puts in more effort than I do, loves me more than any guy ever would. I love him too but I have been sleeping with my best friend. She has a boyfriend too.
We both feel that we've never experienced this kind of love before with any guy. We want to be together but also do not want to hurt these two guys. They've done a lot for us. Sometimes we think of running away but we know that no one's family would support us since we're of the same gender. I feel very helpless and stuck. Neither can I let my guy go, nor can I let my best friend go. I love them both. Could you please help me out?

Ans:

Dear A,

Before you confuse yourselves and others, seek professional help from someone who specialises in sexual orientation and challenges from it.

It can be very confusing to deal with this alone especially in a society that can scoff at same gender relationships.

Surround yourself with a lot of love and people who value you for who you are.

You need an independent view who can ask you questions that will put things into perspective and help you negotiate better with your confusions.

Remember confusions precede clarity, so never stop and keep moving.

Love yourself and your best friend even more as that’s what is going to help the two of you sail through this challenging time.

Sexual orientation moving away from what’s ‘normal’ can be scary and can throw us off balance as we have suddenly cut off the oxygen supply of support: which is society, family and friends who may or may not understand this.

Whatever this is, the confusion needs to be handled, so bring a third person’s expertise to move ahead. It definitely helps!

All the best!

You may like to see similar questions and answers below

Anu

Anu Krishna  | Answer  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Sep 12, 2022

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Relationship
Hello mam! Let me get straight into my story... I have 3 best friends. We were very close.One of them, say A, was in a relationship with a girl named B. We kind of set it up in 2019 but soon he lost interest. But she was into him. She begged him but he didn't respect her feelings. This went on for a year then she slowly began to move on.Meanwhile, the girl and I got close. When he didn’t respond to her, she would cry to me and I pacified her. We became good friends but it escalated and we got into a relationship. I didn't discuss it with my friends. I informed them only after we became serious. It broke our friendship. I had asked my friend A many times about her and he’d said it’s all over so I never thought of discussing. I wasn’t aware that he was thinking about patching up with her. Now none of my close friends talk to me. Since most of my other friends are common to both of us, my entire school friends’ circle is lost. I feel very lonely. I know it’s my mistake. I shouldn't have done it. I never expected him to consider reuniting with her. Now I feel guilty for cheating my best friend. I feel like I abducted his girlfriend from him. What should I do now? Should I break up my relationship? I know this won’t change anything now. But at least after a few years I can hope my friends will accept me. At the same time, I am into her so much and so is she but I feel terribly guilty and miss my friends. I am totally confused.Would like to know your thoughts on my situation!!
Ans: Dear AP,

I don’t know how old you are, but it seems to me that you have broken some unwritten Bro Code.

But honestly, from your story all I can fathom is that you are choosing to feel guilty simply because your ‘close’ friends as you call them, ignore you.

Isn’t it immature of you to actually not be able to make a decision in life that involves you and your relationships, or do you need the blessings of your so-called friends for it?

As far as you are concerned, things were over between your friend and the girl.

So, did you need to take their permission to date her?

Also, what about your other friends? Did they not bother to even hear from you once and choose to see things your way and patch thing between you and your friend?

Instead, they decided to play the judge and pronounce you guilty for an act that doesn’t seem to need that verdict.

So, do you still want to swim in the sea of guilt and see your relationship with the girl wash away with time OR do you want to go surf that tide and take charge of your decision? Get the drift here?

Step Up; all the best!

..Read more

Anu

Anu Krishna  | Answer  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Sep 12, 2022

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Relationship
Hello mam! Let me get straight into my story... I have 3 best friends. We were very close.One of them, say A, was in a relationship with a girl named B. We kind of set it up in 2019 but soon he lost interest. But she was into him. She begged him but he didn't respect her feelings. This went on for a year then she slowly began to move on.Meanwhile, the girl and I got close. When he didn’t respond to her, she would cry to me and I pacified her. We became good friends but it escalated and we got into a relationship. I didn't discuss it with my friends. I informed them only after we became serious. It broke our friendship. I had asked my friend A many times about her and he’d said it’s all over so I never thought of discussing. I wasn’t aware that he was thinking about patching up with her. Now none of my close friends talk to me. Since most of my other friends are common to both of us, my entire school friends’ circle is lost. I feel very lonely. I know it’s my mistake. I shouldn't have done it. I never expected him to consider reuniting with her. Now I feel guilty for cheating my best friend. I feel like I abducted his girlfriend from him. What should I do now? Should I break up my relationship? I know this won’t change anything now. But at least after a few years I can hope my friends will accept me. At the same time, I am into her so much and so is she but I feel terribly guilty and miss my friends. I am totally confused.Would like to know your thoughts on my situation!!
Ans: Dear AP,

I don’t know how old you are, but it seems to me that you have broken some unwritten Bro Code.

But honestly, from your story all I can fathom is that you are choosing to feel guilty simply because your ‘close’ friends as you call them, ignore you.

Isn’t it immature of you to actually not be able to make a decision in life that involves you and your relationships, or do you need the blessings of your so-called friends for it?

As far as you are concerned, things were over between your friend and the girl.

So, did you need to take their permission to date her?

Also, what about your other friends? Did they not bother to even hear from you once and choose to see things your way and patch thing between you and your friend?

Instead, they decided to play the judge and pronounce you guilty for an act that doesn’t seem to need that verdict.

So, do you still want to swim in the sea of guilt and see your relationship with the girl wash away with time OR do you want to go surf that tide and take charge of your decision? Get the drift here?

Step Up; all the best!

..Read more

Ravi

Ravi Mittal  | Answer  |Ask -

Dating, Relationships Expert - Answered on Jan 02, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Jan 02, 2024Hindi
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Relationship
Please answer my question. I know it's long but I am really in a very bad situation. I am a girl. I love a guy and he also loves me but he is in a relationship since 2 years with another girl. We all three know know each other. Actually me and that guy came into contact because of our work and then we also started our business together. He was in a relationship and I was also in a relationship. Then i went through a breakup. At 1st we were very good friend and her girlfriend is also like a friend only but not as close. Me and the guy are very much compatible with each other in every aspect even our career goals are also similar, our caste is also same(in our areas caste matters a lot) and I belive compatibility is a big factor for we having feeling for each other and also proximity because of work. It happens after my breakup, I got the hint that he is having feelings for me which he told me indirectly but i told him that i will never see you from that perspective as i was decided that i am never going to like a guy who is committed and also for other reasons. But later I fell for him and talked to him directly, we both confessed our feeling for each other. We both love each other so much. But later I realised that I confessed assuming that since he can like me even being in relationship it means he don't have feelings for her now so if he will know that I also like him he will breakup with that girl. And he never though this kind of situation will come because he thought I could never like him as I made it clear to him earlier. Now we are stuck in a situation where our work is involved. We both are co-founders of a 3 co-founding member organization and that girl is also doing volunteering with our organization. I also had good relations with her. They both are from different caste but the guy committed her to marry her and now the his girlfriend do not want to breakup with him, she is saying she will do something suicide type if he won't marry her and she has also conveyed the same thing to her family as her family used to be against their relationship because of their caste but now because of the girl's behaviour they are convinced and it is creating a pressure for this guy, he is stuck. I am also stuck because we know that we are perfect for each other but he is scared that if he breakup with her she might do something and if he do not choose me then it will affect our work/career because I feel like if he won't choose me I won't be able to be in contact with him but it will cost our organization. He has requested me that if I don't choose you because of the situation, atleast let's maintain our friendship as you are like my strength and I can't behave like ki I don't know you and also because of our work but i think even if i try i won't be able to fulfill his this request if he won't choose me. Additionally, I am also getting pressure from my family because of my age but I am feeling stuck. I also feel guilty for that girl because i knew they were in relationship but I still have strong feelings for me and he also. Me and that guy is so stuck that it feels like our life will be ruined as everything is at stake from career to family.
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
I am really sorry to hear about the tricky situation you are in. I understand that it's painful and it almost seems impossible to move on from this guy but trust me, it will be for the best. If he picks you and leaves his now-girlfriend, you'd forever suffer from a guilty conscience and god forbid she actually resorts to self-harm. It is entirely their matter. Let him convince her that their relationship is meaningless because he is already in love with someone else. It's not your part to play. You cannot be the one to ask him to break up or pick you. I know that sucks, but that's the reality of it.

In my opinion, you can create a little distance between the two of you. Let him decide. You or her, or maybe he can just pick himself. But please don't choose him because the blame will later land on you. You take care of yourself and protect your mind. It seems impossible to unlove him but trust me, you deserve someone much more uncomplicated. The moment you realize that you will move on instantly.

Best Wishes!

..Read more

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Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |203 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 18, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Sep 07, 2025Hindi
Money
am 53 , in between jobs as lost a high profile job about 8 months back. Have fulfilled all my responsibilities. no debt. own home. Me and wife are empty nesters. Monthly expenses maximum will be 60-65000 per month. Am planning to travel where the expenses could range between 10-12 lakhs per annum. What should be the ideal corpus that i should have at this point in time. i have currently close to 5.5-6.00 cr in corpus most in debt and some in ppf . Is this good enough to retire for good Am planning to go for a comprehensive medical insurance for me & my spouse. Am a very conservative & risk averse individual.
Ans: Dear Sir,

You are 53 years old with the following profile:

No dependents

Monthly expenses: ?60,000–65,000

Planned travel expenses: ?10–12 lakh/year

Current corpus: ?5.5–6 crore (majority in debt instruments and PPF)

Owns home (loan-free)

Risk profile: Very conservative, risk-averse

Planning to take comprehensive medical insurance for self & spouse

Observations

Current Corpus & Expenses

Annual lifestyle + travel expenses: ~?18–20 lakh/year

Using a safe withdrawal rate of 3.5–4% (suitable for conservative, long retirement), you would need a corpus of ~?5–6 crore to sustain current lifestyle indefinitely.

Investment Composition

Since most of your corpus is in debt and PPF, it is stable but may lag inflation slightly over long term.

With low-risk instruments, annual real returns may be ~5–6%, which is adequate if spending is controlled.

Recommendations

1. Portfolio Allocation

Maintain 70–75% in debt/PPF/FDRs for safety.

Keep 15–20% in conservative equity/balanced funds for inflation hedge.

Allocate 5–10% in gold/SGB for long-term protection.

2. Liquidity & Emergency Planning

Maintain cash or liquid funds for 12–18 months’ expenses to cover unexpected needs or medical emergencies.

3. Insurance & Health Coverage

Opt for a comprehensive family floater medical insurance covering hospitalization, critical illness, and post-hospitalization expenses.

Keep term insurance only if required for estate or inheritance planning.

4. Travel Planning

Fund travel expenses from short-term debt or liquid mutual funds to avoid liquidating PPF or long-term debt.

Set aside an annual corpus of ?10–12 lakh specifically for travel.

5. Inflation & Corpus Monitoring

Even conservative retirees should review corpus annually to account for inflation, unexpected medical costs, and lifestyle changes.

Consider modest equity allocation to maintain purchasing power over decades.

Conclusion

With ?5.5–6 crore mostly in safe instruments, your current corpus is sufficient for retirement with your conservative lifestyle and travel plans. Key actions:

Opt for comprehensive health insurance

Maintain liquidity for 12–18 months

Small equity allocation for inflation protection

Review corpus annually

Your retirement can be comfortable, low-risk, and sustainable, given disciplined spending and conservative investment approach.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

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Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |203 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 18, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Sep 06, 2025Hindi
Money
I'm 26, unmarried, my current in-hand salary is 1.8L per month, In my savings i have 11.4Lakhs invested in mutual funds focusing investing in Small cap and mid cap large cap and index funds. And 10 lakhs invested in equities My PF Balance is 3.5lakhs and in Nps it's 1.5lakhs. and In my savings account i have around 2.5lakhs. I have recently received salary hike and now I'm planning to invest 1lakh in SIPs every month. I want to retire at the age of 45. My current expenses are around 70k per month.How shall I plan my investments to achieve this goal so that I draw atleast 1.5lakhs(today's value) post retirement.
Ans: Dear Sir/Madam,

You are 26 years old, unmarried, with a monthly in-hand salary of ?1.8 lakh. Current financials:

Investments & Savings:

Mutual funds: ?11.4 lakh (Small-cap, Mid-cap, Large-cap, Index funds)

Equities: ?10 lakh

PF: ?3.5 lakh

NPS: ?1.5 lakh

Savings account: ?2.5 lakh

Planned SIP: ?1 lakh per month

Current Expenses: ?70,000/month

Goal: Retire at 45, maintain lifestyle, draw ?1.5 lakh/month (today’s value)

Observations & Recommendations:

Retirement Corpus Requirement: Considering 19 years to retirement and 5% inflation, you may need a corpus of approx. ?7–8 crore to generate ?1.5 lakh/month in today’s value (adjusted for inflation) at 4% safe withdrawal rate.

SIP Allocation:

Maintain 60–70% in diversified equity funds (flexi-cap / large & mid-cap) for growth.

Keep 10–15% in debt funds or NPS for stability and tax efficiency.

Maintain emergency fund of 6–12 months’ expenses in liquid funds or savings account.

Portfolio Diversification: Avoid concentration in a few stocks; focus on mutual fund diversification across styles and market caps.

Annual Review: Increase SIP contribution with salary hikes; rebalance portfolio annually to maintain risk allocation.

Insurance: Ensure adequate health and term insurance to cover unforeseen events before retirement.

Next Steps:

Consult a QPFP / MFD planner for a detailed cash flow, goal tracking, and early retirement plan.

Monitor portfolio performance annually and adjust SIPs to ensure the target corpus is achievable.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

...Read more

Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |203 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 18, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Sep 06, 2025Hindi
Money
Hello sir I am 41 years old. My monthly income is 1.1 lakhs . My current financials follows: My monthly expense - 60000 EMI vehicle - 9700 Insurance premium - Term insurance: 2300/month Health insurance: 2000/month LIC: 1500/month APY Contribution: 1000/month Insurance cover: Term insurance 1cr. Plus 17 lakhs critical illness cover Health insurance - 30 lakhs family floater LIC - 4 lakhs Emergency fund - 7 lakhs Investment: Mutual fund SIP 1. Goal - House construction - Rs.65 lakhs - timeline - 15 years Parag pareikh flexicap fund - 8k / month 2. Goal - Land purchase - 40 lakhs - Time line - 10 years Axis large and midcap fund - 8k/month 3. Goal - Kids education - 16 lakhs - 11 years ICICI Prudential Large and Midcap fund - 2.5k/month 4. Goal - Retirement - 3.5 cr - 19 years HDFC Flexicap fund - 9.5k/month 5. Goal - Gold - 100gms - 15 years SBI Gold ETF - 6k/month 6. SSY - 3500/month Kindly suggest if I need to make any corrections in my investment. Thank you
Ans: Dear Sir/Madam,

You are 41 years old with a monthly income of ?1.1 lakh and the following financials:

Monthly Expenses & EMI:

Household expenses: ?60,000

Vehicle EMI: ?9,700

Insurance Premiums & Coverage:

Term insurance: ?2,300/month (Coverage ?1 crore)

Health insurance: ?2,000/month (Family floater ?30L)

LIC: ?1,500/month (Coverage ?4L)

Critical illness cover: ?17L

APY contribution: ?1,000/month

Emergency Fund: ?7 lakhs

Investments (SIPs):

Goal: House construction – ?65L – 15 years → Parag Parikh Flexi Cap ?8k/month

Goal: Land purchase – ?40L – 10 years → Axis Large & Mid Cap ?8k/month

Goal: Kids’ education – ?16L – 11 years → ICICI Large & Mid Cap ?2.5k/month

Goal: Retirement – ?3.5 crore – 19 years → HDFC Flexi Cap ?9.5k/month

Goal: Gold – 100g – 15 years → SBI Gold ETF ?6k/month

SSY – ?3,500/month

Observations & Recommendations:

Equity Allocation: Your goal-based equity SIPs are modest and diversified. You may slightly increase SIPs for long-term goals (House & Retirement) to account for inflation.

Debt Exposure: Ensure your emergency fund remains intact (7–8 months of expenses). Consider keeping some short-term debt instruments for medium-term goals like Land purchase.

SIP Consolidation: For simpler tracking, you may consolidate multiple mid-cap/flexi-cap SIPs with 2–3 strong diversified funds rather than many small SIPs.

Insurance: Term and health insurance are adequate. Review critical illness coverage as you age.

Gold Allocation: 6k/month is reasonable. Monitor market volatility and consider staggering purchases.

Regular Review: Rebalance your portfolio every year to ensure asset allocation aligns with risk and timelines.

Next Steps:

Consult a QPFP financial planner for a detailed cash flow, investment alignment, and goal-tracking strategy.

Monitor inflation impact on your goals (House, Land, Education, Retirement) and adjust SIPs periodically.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

...Read more

Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |203 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 18, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Aug 28, 2025Hindi
Money
I am 43 y/o with a monthly salary Rs.2,15,000 after tax with dependent wife and two boys aged 14 and 10. Monthly expenses around 1.25L-1.5L which includes home and car loan EMI and school fees etc. monthly SIP to index fund and a small cap fund is around 30K. Current MF value is 20Lakhs (started investing late). I have No FDs as I broke them to have very less debt for my new home built last year. Direct equity exposure in India is 40Lakhs and some exposure in US markets with 12Lakhs in equities and US ETFs. I have 25Lakhs in my Provident fund. My wife has gold worth 60Lakhs. My current house and the plot is worth 2.8Cr as of today. I also have some ancestral land worth 1Cr. Have rental income from two apartments summing up to 30K. My rented out apartments combined value is around 80Lakhs. I also have 25Lakh worth of health insurance for family and 3Cr worth term insurance in my name. What could be an ideal retirement strategy for me from my day job. I have tried my hand as a swing trader for a year with a decent return of 22% in a year but went back to my job fearing financial instability. I still have that option open as I like trading as well. Thanks in advance!
Ans: Dear Sir,

You are 43 years old with the following profile:

Monthly Salary: ?2,15,000 (post-tax)

Dependents: Wife + 2 boys (14 & 10 years)

Monthly Expenses: ?1.25–1.5 lakh (including home & car EMI, school fees)

Mutual Funds: ?20 lakh (SIP ?30,000/month in index + small cap)

Direct Equity India: ?40 lakh

US Equities + ETFs: ?12 lakh

PF: ?25 lakh

Wife’s Gold: ?60 lakh

House + Plot: ?2.8 crore (self-occupied)

Ancestral Land: ?1 crore

Rental Income: ?30,000/month from 2 apartments (value ~?80 lakh)

Health Insurance: ?25 lakh (family)

Term Insurance: ?3 crore

Observations

Current Net Worth – Excluding lifestyle/home, your investible corpus is ~?1.57–1.6 crore (MF + Indian & US equities + PF + rental property).

Cash Flow – Your salary plus rental income comfortably covers expenses. SIPs continue to build long-term corpus.

Risk Exposure – High concentration in Indian equities (~?40 lakh) and some direct equity risk in US markets. Gold and PF provide stability.

Retirement Horizon – Assuming retirement at 55, you have 12 years to build corpus.

Action Plan

1. Portfolio Diversification & Growth

Maintain 60–65% in equities (MF + direct equity, India + US) for long-term growth.

Rebalance periodically to reduce concentration risk.

Debt/PPF/FDs: 25–30% for stability and predictable cash flows.

Gold/SGB: 5–10% as an inflation hedge.

2. Children’s Education

Allocate a separate goal-based corpus for children:

14-year-old: ~?20–25 lakh for higher education in 4–5 years.

10-year-old: ~?30–35 lakh in 8–10 years.

Use short-duration debt and balanced funds for near-term needs, equity funds for long-term needs.

3. Retirement Corpus & Income

Target corpus: ?6–7 crore (inflation-adjusted, assuming 4% SWP) to sustain post-retirement lifestyle.

Expected post-retirement income sources:

Rental Income: ?30–35k/month (increase with inflation)

PF/NPS: ~?40–50k/month

Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) from MF/Equity corpus: ~?1–1.2 lakh/month

With disciplined SIPs and equity growth (~10–12% CAGR), target corpus achievable by 55.

4. Protection & Risk Management

Term Insurance: Adequate (already 3Cr).

Health Insurance: Ensure family floater covers future medical inflation.

Keep emergency fund equivalent to 12 months’ expenses in liquid instruments.

5. Optional Trading Exposure

You may continue swing trading in a small portion (

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Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |203 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 18, 2025

Money
I am 41 years old. I have 2 kids below 3 years age. My monthly income is 1.50 Lacs and rental income of 60000. I have no plans except one Housing loan of 35 Lacs. I am doing 50000 Sip and have a portfolio of 20 Lacs in Mutual funds and 20 Lacs in shares and 15 Lacs shares. My monthly expenses are now Approx 60000 excluding children education. Children education estimated expenses are 3-4 lacs per annum. I am planning to retire after 5 years. At the time of retirement I will be having the following : 1. Monthly Rental income 70000 2. Monthly NPS Pension 37000 3. Fixed deposit 40-50 Lacs ( interest income 30000) 4. Mutual fund and equity portfolio of 1 crore Is it fisible to retire after 5 years ??
Ans: Dear Sir,

You are 41 years old with the following profile:

Monthly Salary: ?1.5 lakh

Rental Income: ?60,000/month

Kids: 2, both under 3 years

Housing Loan: ?35 lakh outstanding

Mutual Funds: ?20 lakh (SIP ?50,000/month)

Equity Portfolio: ?20 lakh

Fixed Deposits: ?15 lakh

Monthly Expenses: ?60,000 (excluding children’s education)

Children’s Education: Estimated ?3–4 lakh/year

Observations

Current Savings & Investments – Your investible corpus is ~?55 lakh (MF + Equity + FD). SIP of ?50k/month adds ~?30 lakh over 5 years (excluding returns).

Projected Retirement Corpus (5 years) – Assuming 10% CAGR on MF/Equity, your corpus may grow to ~?1 crore. FD interest (~?15k/month at 6–7%) adds stability.

Income at Retirement – Post-retirement, expected inflows:

Rental Income: ?70,000/month

NPS Pension: ?37,000/month

FD Interest: ?30,000/month

MF + Equity Corpus: SWP possible (~?50,000–60,000/month depending on withdrawal plan)

Total Monthly Post-Retirement Income – Approx ?2.1–2.2 lakh/month.

Expense Coverage – Your current expenses (~?60k) plus children education (~?25–30k/month average) are well within projected income.

Action Plan

1. Debt Management

Plan to repay housing loan within next 2–3 years to reduce liability and free cash flow.

2. Portfolio Allocation

Maintain 60–65% in equity (MF + stocks) for growth.

Keep 25–30% in debt (FD/NPS) for stability.

Allocate ~5–10% to gold/SGBs as inflation hedge.

Emergency fund: Maintain 12 months’ expenses in liquid funds.

3. Retirement Withdrawal Strategy

Consider Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) from MF/Equity corpus to supplement rental and pension.

Use goal-based approach for children’s education to avoid disrupting retirement corpus.

Conclusion

Based on current corpus, SIPs, rental, and NPS pension, retiring in 5 years is feasible. Key points:

Focus on clearing housing loan before retirement.

Continue disciplined SIPs for growth.

Keep children’s education funds separate.

Please consult a QPFP / MFD for detailed cash flow planning, SWP structuring, and risk assessment.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme related documents carefully before investing.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

...Read more

Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |203 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 18, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Sep 12, 2025Hindi
Money
I am 37 years male staying with wife and kid and parents, our household monthly expenses are around ₹65k and my income is around 2lakhs per month I have saved around 13lakhs in Ppf and epf has around 21lakhs and nps around 8lakhs. Have mutual fund investments of about 30lakhs, and fd of around 12 lakhs. I have running investments in sip of around ₹55k in equities and equal amount I m putting aside in debt instruments like fd and ppf each month as I do not want too much risk. Please guide me for planning retirement in next 10 years
Ans: Dear Sir/Madam,

You are 37 years old, living with your spouse, child, and parents. Current financials:

Monthly household expenses: ?65,000

Monthly income: ?2 lakh

PPF + EPF: ?34 lakhs (PPF: ?13L, EPF: ?21L)

NPS: ?8 lakhs

Mutual Funds: ?30 lakhs

Fixed Deposits: ?12 lakhs

Monthly SIP: ?55,000 in equities, ?55,000 in debt instruments (FD/PPF)

Goal: Retire in 10 years (age 47) maintaining current lifestyle.

Estimated Retirement Corpus:

Assuming 5% inflation, monthly expenses at retirement will be approx. ?1.0–1.1 lakh.

Using a 4% safe withdrawal rate, a retirement corpus of around ?3–3.5 crore would be needed.

Action Plan:

Continue your disciplined SIPs in equities and debt. You may consider slightly increasing equity exposure over time to boost long-term growth, especially in the first 5–7 years.

Maintain a mix of 60% equities and 40% debt currently. Gradually shift 20–30% of equity into debt instruments 3–5 years before retirement for stability.

Keep 12 months’ household expenses in liquid instruments for emergencies.

Review portfolio annually to ensure asset allocation matches risk tolerance and inflation expectations.

Consider topping up NPS and PPF to maximize tax-efficient retirement corpus.

Next Steps:

Consult a QPFP financial planner for detailed cash flow, retirement projection, and goal-based investment planning.

Ensure adequate term and health insurance coverage to protect family obligations.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

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DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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