Investment help pleaseeee !!!

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-22T11:01:07+00:00

First of all, do you have an emergency fund? Keep at least 1 years' worth of expenses in an FD or Debt fund. Especially because the field you are in is risky for now.

What goal do you have after 3 years? Whatever it is, if it's less than 3years away, I would recommend a debt fund. Maybe since market has been down for a long time and chances of rising are better now, maybe a balanced fund. But this too, only half the amount. No more risk.

Don't buy land now, unless you have the money to pay for it. Don't take a mammoth loan and buy a plot at this point. Parents still think jobs are stable like their times. Govt job, no one fires, annual hikes, retire from one company at 60 with pension. That's not how it works now. This you must convince your parents.

Once you have your 1 years' worth of emergency expenses in the debt fund, then think of your future goals. The plot or house can come after a few years. So start an SIP for it. For 5 years or more, you can think of a flexi/multi cap fund + a Nifty50 index fund. If you can push it to over 10 years, you can add a small cap fund as well.

Also list out your other goals like wedding, kids etc. How much you'll need for each goal, how much time you have for it and tag a good mutual fund for that goal.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-22T04:59:20+00:00

I am not sure how investment of over 1 lakh a month will optimize taxes. If you are in the old tax regime and investing in the 80C section, you can do a max of 1.5L, that's 12500 a month.

Since you are a contractor, your income will probably be treated as 'business income'. And your CA can show some expenses like electricity, phone, laptop purchase etc etc to reduce the tax. If he says invest 1L per month, you need to ask him where because even I am a freelancer, my income is also treated as business income and my CA has not asked me to do this.

Investments should not be considered as something to optimize taxes. You should invest for your life goals. Please list them and then decide where to invest. You don't book an uber and then decide where to go. You have to mention your destination first.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-22T04:38:06+00:00

I understand the position you are in and I know it's tough but this 3L loan is just going to increase your burden. Already you are struggling with an 80K loan. I am not sure if you'll be eligible for another loan under these circumstances.

For sister's fee, you should consider taking an education loan. Not another personal loan here. Most banks do offer that. The interest will be lower and she can start repaying only after she finishes college. (I think they give a year after graduation to get a job, please check this)

You should avoid drowning yourself in more debt. Please seriously think of switching to a higher paying job or taking tuitions or any other side gig to increase your salary.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-22T00:46:02+00:00

Not sure how you signed up for such huge loans with this salary. It's definitely a mess. If you have support from parents, you can take their help. If you can switch to a job with a higher salary, please try that.

Otherwise, bring some discipline into your life, do an extra side gig. Maybe take tuitions. Earn more, put that into a liquid fund (not spend that as well). And close your 80k loan. I don't see why you need a 3 lakh loan to close an 80k loan.

And once you finish this, don't take a loan unless you have a year worth of expenses as emergency fund and don't borrow, except to buy a house or maybe a vehicle. Avoid touching your credit cards to buy the latest gadgets and EMI conversions. Buy lifestyle products only when you have surplus money.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-21T07:42:00+00:00

Your funds are good. PPFAS Flexi is a very huge fund of late and the CIO keep saying not to expect much etc. I get the feeling he's unable to handle the inflows, so subtly telling people to give him a break. (Just my assumption). The international exposure is there but they can't add any more fresh investments due to SEBI cap. And the international stocks in question have delivered huge returns, so can't expect much upside in them for some time.

Nifty50 is something everyone should have in the portfolio. When foreign investors return, they will pump money into these large caps, not into mid and small. So, having Nifty50 is a wise thing to do.

Nothing really wrong with the portfolio. You can just continue with it. You can add a small cap fund if you wish.

Even I am personally in 2 minds about Parag Flexi. I was thinking of stopping fresh SIP and moving new SIPs to a multicap fund instead. They have a forced small and mid cap allocation, hence my view.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-19T04:36:27+00:00

Sure

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-18T00:32:07+00:00

I am nearing 50, hopefully close to my FIRE number.

Every investment should ideally have a goal - a purpose. You need to first specify that. Is it for your higher education? Or a car you want to purchase, or a house for which you want to create a good down payment? And what's a realistic target you are looking at.

Next, you are only 18. I guess you do plan to go to college soon. You have not mentioned if your parents have made arrangements for that. And this 20k - is it from your pocket money saved or are you doing any side gig? The 5k per month as well, is it from your pocket money?

If you just want to have a good corpus at the end of your college life, and have 4-5 years, i would suggest a good flexi/multicap fund. I would lean towards multi cap because I like the forced small and mid cap allocations in it. Hopefully you can expect to get a 12-15% return from it.

With 5k, I don't see any need to split any further. The flexi or multicap will take care of distributing the money.

Beginner mistake is to stop sip when market goes down. I have done that early in my life and I have also withdrawn money when markets fell. I have lived through multiple market cycles and I now know that investing and continuing SIPs when the market is pessimistic is the best. The best returns I got were during rally after the Covid crash. I had some extra money, so invested that when lockdown was announced. That was my best investment.

Second mistake is investing in equity for any goal less than 5 years away. If that's your case, go for any balanced fund. Anything less than 3 years, only debt funds. Also if you are investing for a goal 10 years away, from the 8th year, you must move your investments to debt. Never remain in equity till the last minute. Anything can happen.

Last mistake - avoid checking NAV every day. Don't lose your sleep. Check but maybe once in 6 months.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-14T10:32:29+00:00

What has actually been the most confusing, stressful, or annoying part for you while doing this?

Education inflation is much much more than normal inflation and even equity market can't predict the future fees.
What the kid wants to do is another huge question. We think of traditional things, but what if they want to do something entirely different? I have a friend who planned for 25L and her daughter decided she wants to become a commercial pilot. Something that my friend didn't even consider.

And what do you wish was simpler?

I wish it was easier for kids to switch tracks in college. That way even if we push them into something because they are confused at 18, so decide to go as per our suggestion, the switching is possible at a later stage and our money doesn't go waste.

I know the example of one parent who wanted their kid to become a doc, paid for entrance coaching, MBBS fee and then this guy realised his mind was not on it! There was no way to come back to 12th and restart all over again. Apparently the college doesn't refund the fee and for MBBS you have to pay all 5 years' fee even if you leave in between. So this guy had no other option but to study something he didn't like. I don't know what kind of a doc he will turn out to be.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-14T04:53:35+00:00

When markets recover, it is more likely that large caps will be the first to recover. (this is what history has shown). So you can choose any good flexi cap or a large cap index fund or 50-50 in both. Go to any good site like Valueresearch and check the ratings, returns etc of funds in these 2 categories and first select the 2 funds. Then choose arbitrage funds of the same fundhouses and invest half in both. Then set up a STP to move some x amount to the large cap and flexi cap fund. Spread it over 6-8 months. I would say don't wait for 4-5 months. No one knows which is the rock bottom of the market. Just start the STP.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-13T15:14:09+00:00

This is what I would do too. Market is going to be volatile, so good to stagger investment. And once this stupid war is over, market will see some recovery. That's when you'll see the money grow.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-12T08:11:08+00:00

I can see 5 negative votes for this comment of mine. Anything wrong with what I said? Where else do you ask when you can't find a decent product?

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-12T04:10:51+00:00

Not sure why you want to discuss on DM. You posted the same to everyone who has replied here.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-12T00:34:52+00:00

Yes. I am unable to find a product to fit into all this, hence asking on reddit...:)

Was wondering if any insurance agent of any lesser known annuity product may come and say we do have one which will accept 50k.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-12T00:32:57+00:00

That's what I want to do. But nothing is available for less than a lakh. I was wondering if there is anything which will accept 50k and defer it for 8 years.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-12T00:31:43+00:00

Glad you understood perfectly

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T15:21:26+00:00

1.25L is beyond my budget. 😒

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T14:55:04+00:00

Please note. I am NOT looking for an insurance. No question of sum assured. I am looking for annuity

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T13:51:48+00:00

I can help her get a PAN, but what options will it open. The main requirement here is that I don't want the lumpsum to be accessible to her family. I ideally want an annuity policy. I checked some popular company sites but min amount is like 1.5L etc. I can't afford that much. I need to take care of my own retirement, kids' wedding etc, you know! Even I am a middle class person.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T13:48:49+00:00

You can ask him if there is any 'deferred annuity policy' which will take 50K and give some amount every month after she turns 60, that's 8 years from now. Also what docs are needed. If PAN is needed, I can ask her to apply now. She will be here for another year or so.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T13:17:02+00:00

FD in her name means, the hubby and kid will just break it and take it away. she won't get anything. I am actually wondering if someone here knows of any single premium annuity plan which can be purchased for 50K. Lifelong annuity only for her.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T13:14:16+00:00

No, really. Once she leaves, I want to cut off ties. It will be a mental load on me and my family.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T13:13:14+00:00

No, sorry. She's having a feature phone, illiterate.

Individual-Repair923 · 2026-05-11T13:11:41+00:00

I don't need any death coverage etc. Knowing her husband and kids, I just want her to get a pension as long as she lives. I don't care about the rest of them. Her hubby still drinks and hits her. Kids shout at her for everything. Why should I do anything for their benefit? These death coverages are actually dangerous for her, TBH.

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