It’s all about a bright future

There has been a subtle shift as far as financial planning is considered. As early as a decade back, long-term financial planning revolved around building a house and and conducting a daughter’s marriage. Retirement was normally taken care of by pensions and provident funds while children’s education was more of a peripheral expenditure. So what has changed in the last one decade? We will have a detailed discussion on it in some future posts.

Planning your child’s future has become more critical in the light of the rising costs and higher education. According to conservative estimates, a parent would be spending anywhere in the region of Rs. 25 lakhs to Rs. 30 lakhs by the time the child completes professional graduation degree. The expenditure on a Master’s or a Doctorate degree, in your home country or abroad, could take your total cost anywhere in the region of Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 1 crore.

Any plan for your child’s future should be broadly based on a few key guiding principles. Let me reiterate here that consistency, security and discipline need to take precedence when you embark upon the journey of planning the children’s future.

Asset Allocation for Married & have kid ►►► Age above 60 yrs

At this stage in your life you are in the verge of retirement and your children are well settled. You just need to enjoy your retirement. Your asset should be allocated as follows : 

► You have probably fulfilled all your major responsibilities. You can go in for accumulation of property for your children by investing your money to the extent of 40%. If you think this is too much, then you can think of keeping a lesser amount in property for your children. It can be 30% or 25% then.

► You don’t need to have more than 20% of your money in savings accounts.

► Keep 20% in fixed interest bearing securities like debentures and bonds. If you have put 30% in property for your children then consider putting 30% in debentures and bonds too. And if you have put 25% in property for your children then consider putting 35% in debentures and bonds.

► Keep a small amount of money nearly 15% in equity.

► Keep 5% in Gold too.

Asset allocation for Married & have kid ►►► Age between 40-60 years

At this stage in your life you need to build wealth and property for your children. You may not be willing to take risk because at present you have major responsibilities. Your asset should be allocated as follows :

► You need to plan for your children. And may be you should begin to focus on money for your children’s marriage. Keep 30% of your money in property.

► Invest around 30% in equity market. If you think this is too much, then you can rethink and make this portion to be little less, say 25%.

► You should have around 15% of your money in savings accounts. If you have invested 25% of your money in equity market, you can think of putting 20% of your money in your savings accounts.

► Keep 15% of your savings in debentures and bonds to earn fixed income.

► And keep 10% in Gold too.

Asset allocation for Married & have kid ►►► Age between 25-40 years

At this stage in your life you need to plan for your children’s future. You may not be willing to take risk because at present you have major responsibilities. Your asset should be allocated as follows :

►  You need to plan for the days ahead, not only for yourselves, but also for your children. And may be you should begin to focus on money for children’s education. Keep 35% of your money in property.

►  Invest around 35% in equity market. If you think this is too much, then you can rethink and make this portion to be little less, say 30%.

►  You need to have more than 10% of your money in savings accounts. If you have invested 30% of your money in equity market, you can think of putting 15% of your money in your savings accounts.

►  Keep 10% of your savings in debentures and bonds to earn fixed income.

►  And keep 10% in Gold too.

Asset allocation for Married & Have Kid ►►► Age less than 25 years

At this stage, your main concern is to have a property as well as to plan for your children future. Here, you may afford to take risk. Your asset should be allocated as follows :

►  You need to plan for the days ahead – not only for yourselves, but also for your children. But a property of your own is your top priority at this stage. Keep 40% of your money in property. If you think this is too much,  make this percentage to 35%.

►  Keep a decent amount of money around 40% in equities. If you think this is too much, make this percentage to 35%.

►  You need to have around 10% of your money in savings accounts. Here, if you have put 35% each in property and equity, then put 20% in savings accounts.

►  Invest 5% of your savings in debentures and bonds to generate fixed income.

►  And keep 5% in Gold also.

Asset allocation for Married & No Kid ►►► Age between 40-60 years

At this stage in your life you just want to plan for your retirement so that later you and your spouse may have a healthy post retirement life. A relaxed and tension-free life is always advisable at this age. Your asset should be allocated as follows :

►  Keep a decent amount of money around 35% in equity. Or if you want less risk, you can think of keeping 30% to equity.

►  Hopefully, you have already made your investment in a property. Keep not more than 25% of your money in property. If you have put 30% in equity make this portion to 30% too.

►  You need to have around 15% of yor money in savings accounts. If you still need some more liquidity, set aside more percentage.

►  Keep 15% in debentures and bonds to generate fixed income. If you have put 20% in savings accounts, then make this portion to be 10%.  

►  And keep nearly 10% in Gold.

Asset Allocation for Married & No kid ►►► Age between 25-40 yrs

At this stage in your life you can build your wealth, you may take plenty of risk because at present you do not have any responsibility of kids. Your asset should be allocated as follows –

►  Keep a decent amount of money nearly 40% in equity. Or if you want less risk, you can think of keeping 35% to equity.

►  You need to now start planning for the days when you may have a family. Hopefully, you have already made your investment in a property. Keep no more than 30% of your money in property. If you have put 35% in equity make this portion to 35% too.

►  You don’t need to have more than 10% of your money in savings accounts. If you still need some more liquidity, set aside more percentage.

►  Keep 10% of your savings in debentures ad bongs being fixed income instruments.

►  And keep 10% in Gold.

Asset allocation for Married & No Kid ►►► Age less than 25 years

At his stage, your main priority is to have a property considering your age and absence of responsibilities of kids. You may afford to take risk. Your asset should be allocated as follows :

►  Invest a decent amount of savings, nearly 45%, in equity. You should now have relationship with a professional stock broker and a mutual fund adviser too.

►  You need to plan for the days when you may have a family. Invest 35% of your savings in property. You ca also think of keeping 40% in property and another 40% in equity.

►  In order to have liquidity, you need to have around 10% of your savings in bank accounts. Depending on your day to day needs, you can also reduce the percentage of allocation.

►  It is necessary to keep some money around 5% in fixed income instruments.

►  And keep 5% in Gold also. Please don’t jump on buying gold at today’s market price – the rate is bit high now. Just wait when the rate of 10gm Gold bar is available at around rupees 12K. Insist on buying Gold bar from reputed banks.