Need advice on my existing Investments & Financial Planning

Q & A ForumCategory: Financial PlanningNeed advice on my existing Investments & Financial Planning
Anu asked 9 years ago
Hi Sreekanth, I have been following your blogs for some time now. Although I have started being more cognizant of the need to plan finances properly, still, because I know I am not an expert and because I am quite risk averse and scared of making stupid mistakes, I have not been able to make much progress. Unfortunately, my husband is least interested in financial planning and hence it becomes more difficult for me. Request you to please guide basis the below.I know its too much to ask in on post. I just have wasted too much time till now and want to start now rather than waste more time. Please advise. Would be very grateful to you. Need 1: 15 lakhs Health Insurance Family Floater (for self, husband). Will buy separately for mother in law. My parents are govt. servants and sufficiently covered even post retirement. Query 1: Most plans I have checked (also using your blogs for guidance) have capped almost all normal surgery costs at 55000-65000. This seems very low for any good private hospital in Delhi. This is where I am stuck and unable to proceed. Please advise. Query 2: Since I am pregnant with my child, should I wait till he/she is born and then buy a floater with 3 of us? Or would the baby be covered under the scheme in which we both get enroled? Need 2: Retirement planning. I read your blogs and using the calculator, plugged in my numbers and ended up with real huge and scary figures. Ever since then I have been very worried, but have taken no action. Any advice on what could my first steps here be, would be very helpful. Need 3: Savings for child education I am 2 months pregnant with my first child. Please advise on what could be first steps I take to fulfil education needs. Need 4: With whatever room is left, I would definitely want to invest towards creating wealth- putting my money at work to make more money. In 2 years, we want to buy a flat of our own (worth around 1-1.2 crores) Details: Me- 31 yr old, living in Delhi- In hand income 85000 per month Husband- 34 yr old- In hand income- 100000 per month Monthly expense (all inclusive including rent, SIPs, VPF, car emi)- 95000 per month Current Assets- Cash in SBA- INR 8 Lakhs. A car whose current value is 4 lakhs. Ancestral property with my share worth 2 crores which we wont sell for atleast another 3 years on personal grounds. Current Insurance Covers: Self- Company provided Life Insurance (for self, husband, mother in law)- floater of 7 lakhs PLUS ICICI term plan with 50 lakhs cover Husband- Company provided Life Insurance (for himself, me, mother in law)- floater of 5 lakhs PLUS LIC term plan with 50 lakhs cover Current Investments and their value 1. My PPF Account today’s balance- 144857. Contributing 5000 per month 2. Contributing VPF (4000 per month) in addition to EPF. Today’s balance- 370000 3. Husband’s PF Account balance today- 50000 (had to withdraw last accumulated account last year forcibly since the two orgs could not transfer in time) Mutual Fund Portfolio with value and start dates (many in ICICI due to investment with low knowledge) 1. ICICI Prudential Long Term Equity Fund (Tax Saving) – Growth- current value- 15542 Start date- 18 Aug 2015- 1000 monthly SIP 2. ICICI Prudential Focused Bluechip Equity Fund – Growth- Current Value- 31661 Start date- 18 Aug 2015- 2000 monthly SIP 3. ICICI Prudential Balanced Fund – Growth- Current Value- 33205 Start date- 18 Aug 2015- 2000 monthly SIP 4. ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund – Direct Plan – Growth- Current Value- 10452 Start date- 7 Feb 2016- 1000 monthly SIP 5. ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund – Growth- Current Value- 31346 Start date- 7 Oct 2015- 2000 monthly SIP 6. SBI Magnum Midcap Fund (G)- Current Value- 55948 Start date- 5 Feb 2016- 5000 monthly SIP
7 Answers
Sreekanth Staff answered 9 years ago
Hi, Need 1: You may kindly check the plans offered by Max life. Some of their plans do not have any sub-limits. You may include your baby's name in the Family floater plan as soon as he is born. Read: http://www.relakhs.com/best-health-insurance-comparison-websites-portals/ http://www.relakhs.com/factors-tips-best-health-insurance-plan-india/ Need 2: Kindly identify prepare your monthly budget (inflows & outflows) for say next 2 to 4 months. Check out what it is the disposable income (avg). Try to reduce unnecessary expenses and start saving for your retirement goal. This should be your high priority goal.  As your goal is 10+ years away, consider investing in Equity oriented MFs as much as possible. Need 3 : Kindly take care of yourself and do not worry too much about investments or savings right now :) Plan for your maternity expenses. Build your Emergency fund. Need 4: Suggest you to plan your property purchase after the baby is born, and after allocating disposable income for Retirement goal & Kid's higher education goals.
  1. Is it company provided Life insurance or health insurance?
  2. Both of you can consider enhancing your Life cover sum assured, considering your income profile & life-style.
  3. Suggest both of you to take stand-alone Personal Accident covers. Read:
http://www.relakhs.com/best-personal-accident-insurance-policies-in-india-details-comparison/ 4. May I know the reason for opting many funds from ICICI Fund house only? Individually they are good funds. But better to diversify across fund houses. 
Anu answered 9 years ago
Hi Sreekanth,
Thank you so much. Here are my answers and thoughts. Please advise. 1. These are company provided health covers (mine 7L, husband 5L). Our employers also provide life covers of around 1cr to both of us (separately)
2. Given that our employers also give us adequate life cover, should we still enhance our covers? (since I think after retiring it would be difficult to enhance our personal life covers?)
3. Initially we took funds from ICICI due to low knowledge and full dependence on a friend, who works in ICICI :)
I now plan on investing additional 20,000 per month through SIP in equity oriented MFs. Will shortlist 2-3 funds and again seek your advice.
4. For health cover, I have shortlisted Max Bupa Health Companion- Family Floater with 10 Lakh sum insured. Is this sufficient? Or should I take a 15 Lakh sum insured?
5. For emergency fund, is it better to invest in arbitrage funds or should I use the i-wish flexi RD by ICICI (it earns 7% interest in 12 months). Is there any other better option? I plan on investing 3 Lakhs lumpsum within 30 days.
6. For personal accident insurance, I have shortlisted Apollo Munich Individual Personal Accident Plan- Premium. I plan on taking individual covers of 25 lakhs for both of us. Please advise if this is sufficient or more and I can bring it down to 15 lakhs or any other amount?
Sreekanth Staff answered 9 years ago
Hi, 1 - May I know if both of you are employed in Pvt sector? What are the chances of changing jobs/companies in your career? 2 - Kindly read below articles on mutual funds; http://www.relakhs.com/best-mutual-fund-scheme-risk-ratios/ http://www.relakhs.com/mutual-fund-portfolio-overlap-comparison-tools/ 3 - Health cover , should be ok. You may consider another option ie Super Top up plan in future, if required. Kindly read; http://www.relakhs.com/top-up-health-insurance-plans-super-top-up-india/ 4 - For emergency funds, mix of any of these can be considered --> Cash + Flexi RD / Sweep in account + Liquid Fund + Arbitrage fund. 5 - Considering your profile & future income earning potential, you may opt for higher PA cover.  
Anu answered 9 years ago
Thanks again Sreekanth.
  1. Yes, we are both in private sector. Changing jobs and companies is very likely in the future. Almost certain :)
  2. Still working on shortlisting the mutual funds. One question- is investing lumpsum better or is the SIP route better? What factors should I bear in mind while deciding which method.
  3. Would it be possible to take a top up/super top up for the health plan at a later stage? Any restrictions on by when we can take those? Also, in our case, will our employer insurance need to be used first in case of need and will our personal covers behave as top up covers? Or are they mutually exclusive? How will the two behave if they are from different providers- example company health plan of 5+2 lakhs by UHCP and personal cover of 15 lakhs from Max Bupa?
  4. Thanks for the suggestion. Will check out quotes for 50 lakh PA cover for both of us.
Sreekanth Staff answered 9 years ago
Hi, 1 - Hence it is highly advisable to buy stand-alone Term insurance plans and do not depend entirely on Employer provided Life insurance or Health insurance coverage. 2 - There is no hard and fast rule for this. Suggest you to consider both modes. Create SIPs and invest additional lump sum amounts whenever it is possible. Kindly read: http://www.relakhs.com/sip-systematic-investment-plan/ 3 - If they are not Top up plans then they remain exclusive products. But if a need arise to claim from both the insurers then you need to inform both of them about the claim. Kindly read: http://www.relakhs.com/top-up-health-insurance-plans-super-top-up-india/    
Anu answered 9 years ago
Hi Sreekanth,  I have two shortlisted PA cover plans. Please help me make a better decision.
  1. Apollo Munich Individual Personal Accident Plan- Premium. 50 lakh cover + 15 lakh TTD cover
  2. Max Bupa Personal AccidentCare Insurance- 50 lakh cover + 20 lakh TTD cover.
Please suggest which one would be better- easy to claim and settle with minimum hassles, best inclusions and prompt care. Premiums are nearly the same (Max costlier by 500 rupees)   Thanks much! -Anu
Sreekanth Staff answered 9 years ago
Hi Anu, Both are equally good. Tough question :)  
Scroll to Top
Secret Link