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Tag: Retirement Planning

  • Planning for Your Future: Essential Financial Steps before Retirement

    Retirement is a significant time in a person’s life, and financial preparation is essential for guaranteeing a safe and enjoyable retirement. In order to secure a decent living after retirement, it is crucial to start planning for retirement early given the rising average life expectancy in India. Before retiring, the following important financial planning procedures should be completed.

    Consider your financial condition: The first stage in financial planning is to consider your financial situation as it stands today. This entails looking through your earnings, outgoings, possessions, and liabilities. You may use this information to calculate how much you can invest and how much you need to save for retirement.

    Create a retirement budget: Following a financial assessment, you should put together a retirement budget that accounts for your anticipated outgoings in retirement. All of your necessary costs, such as those for housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and insurance, should be included in your budget.

    Start early with your savings: The earlier you begin planning for retirement, the more time your investments will have to grow. Saving at least 15% of your salary annually and investing it in a diverse portfolio of mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments is a decent rule of thumb.

    A pension plan is an investment instrument that offers a consistent income after retirement. Take this into consideration while investing. As early as possible, you should think about contributing to a pension plan since the longer you contribute, the more you will get from the power of compounding. India has a number of pension programmes, including the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), the Public Provident Fund, and the National Pension System (NPS) (PPF).

    Think about getting insurance: Insurance is a crucial component of retirement planning because it offers financial stability in the case of an unforeseen circumstance, such as a catastrophic sickness or death. To benefit from reduced rates and longer coverage periods, it is a good idea to get insurance products like health insurance, life insurance, and term insurance as soon as you can.

    Plan ahead for medical expenses: Medical expenses can significantly deplete your retirement resources, making them a substantial burden. It is crucial to budget for these expenses because they will probably rise as you become older. It is advisable to invest in a health savings account that may be used to meet medical costs as well as a health insurance policy that covers pre-existing diseases and has a high coverage limit.

    Plan for taxes: Since taxes can decrease the amount of money you have available for spending, they can also have a big influence on your retirement savings. It’s critical to comprehend the tax ramifications of your retirement funds and to make appropriate plans. This might entail contributing to a tax-deferred retirement account, like an NPS, or investing in tax-efficient goods, such tax-free bonds.

    Plan for estate planning: The process of being ready for the transfer of your assets after your death is known as estate planning. This include drafting a will, designating beneficiaries, and choosing the executor of your inheritance. The distribution of your assets in accordance with your intentions and the care of your family after your passing are two essential goals of estate planning, which is a crucial component of retirement planning.

    Finally, it should be noted that retirement planning is a crucial component of financial planning, and that it is never too early to begin. By taking these actions, you may contribute to a happy and secure retirement and take advantage of your golden years free from financial stress. It is crucial to speak with a financial advisor who can assist you in developing a unique retirement strategy that takes into account your unique requirements and objectives.


  • The Power of Consistent Investing for a Secure Retirement

    Retirement is a crucial stage in our lives and requires proper planning and preparation. Investing a portion of your salary consistently can help secure your financial future and ensure that you have the means to live a comfortable life in retirement.

    Investing 30% of your salary consistently for 25-30 years has numerous benefits. One of the key benefits is compounding, which can lead to significant growth over the long term. Compounding refers to the interest you earn on your investments and the reinvestment of that interest. The longer your investments remain in the market, the greater the potential for compounding to work its magic.

    Consistent investing also helps to mitigate the impact of market volatility. By investing a portion of your salary each month, you are buying into the market at different price points. This means that you will purchase more shares when prices are low and fewer shares when prices are high, thereby averaging out your purchase price over time. This can help reduce the impact of market volatility on your investments and increase your chances of achieving your retirement goals.

    Another benefit of consistent investing is that it helps to overcome the temptation to time the market. Trying to predict the market’s movements is a risky strategy, and attempting to time the market can result in missed opportunities for growth. By investing a portion of your salary each month, you are able to focus on your long-term goals and let the market work for you.

    Compound Interest: One of the greatest benefits of consistent investing is the power of compounding. This refers to the interest earned on your investments and the reinvestment of that interest. Over time, the compounding effect can lead to significant growth in your investments.

    Mitigation of Market Volatility: By investing a portion of your salary each month, you are buying into the market at different price points. This strategy, known as dollar-cost averaging, helps reduce the impact of market volatility and increase your chances of achieving your retirement goals.

    Overcoming Market Timing: Trying to predict the market’s movements and timing your investments can be a risky strategy. Consistent investing helps to overcome the temptation to time the market and allows you to focus on your long-term goals.

    Reduced Investment Costs: Consistent investing can help reduce investment costs, as you will be buying fewer shares when prices are high and more shares when prices are low.

    Better Financial Discipline: By committing to investing 30% of your salary consistently, you are making a long-term commitment to your financial future. This discipline can help you avoid impulsive spending and make better financial decisions.

    Achieving Your Retirement Goals: By consistently investing 30% of your salary for 25-30 years, you are taking the necessary steps to achieve your retirement goals and ensure a comfortable and secure retirement.

    In conclusion, investing 30% of your salary consistently for 25-30 years can help secure your financial future and ensure a comfortable retirement. The benefits of compounding, mitigation of market volatility, and overcoming the temptation to time the market make consistent investing a powerful tool for securing your financial future.

    So, if you’re looking to secure your financial future, consider investing a portion of your salary consistently each month. Whether you are just starting out or well into your career, the power of consistent investing cannot be overlook

  • How can investing in mutual funds help in retirement planning?

    Financial planning must include retirement planning in order to guarantee a pleasant and long-lasting lifestyle when one’s working years are done. It is essential to have a strategy in place to maintain financial stability and self-sufficiency because of the increase in life expectancies and rising medical expenditures.

    Investing in mutual funds is one of the best methods to accomplish this. A form of investment instrument known as a mutual fund pools the funds of several participants to buy a diverse portfolio of stocks, bonds, and other assets.

    Investing in mutual funds can help with retirement planning for the following reasons:

    Potential for long-term growth: Investors may see long-term growth with mutual funds. This is due to the fact that mutual funds invest in a diverse portfolio of stocks, bonds, and other securities, which over time may generate a consistent flow of income.

    Asset diversification: Mutual funds offer a diverse portfolio of assets, which reduces risk. Mutual funds can lessen the effect of any one investment on the whole portfolio by investing in a number of other securities.

    Professional management: Professional fund managers who have the knowledge and skills to make investment choices on behalf of the fund’s investors oversee the management of mutual funds. This might make sure that the portfolio is well-diversified and managed in a way that is consistent with the investment goals of the fund.

    Automatic contributions are available with many mutual funds, which can make it simple to consistently save for retirement. This may be a practical approach to accumulate savings over time without having to give it much thought.

    Tax benefits: Some mutual funds offer tax benefits that may aid investors with their tax obligations. For instance, some mutual fund categories, such those that invest in municipal bonds, can be qualified for tax-free dividends.

    It’s crucial to keep in mind that there is some risk associated with investing in mutual funds, so do your homework and fully comprehend the fund before you do. When selecting a mutual fund, it’s also crucial to take into account your individual risk tolerance and investing objectives.

    When preparing for retirement, it’s crucial to invest for the long term and concentrate on asset diversification to lower risk. A well-diversified mutual fund portfolio can help assure a comfortable living in retirement by generating a consistent stream of income over time.

    As a result of its potential for asset development and diversification, expert management, automated contributions, and tax benefits, investing in mutual funds can be a useful tool for retirement planning. When selecting mutual funds, it’s crucial to conduct your homework, take into account your personal risk tolerance, and have financial goals in mind so that you can make an informed choice that works with your retirement plan.

  • Should You Invest In The National Pension Scheme?

    If you’re looking for assets that can lower your tax bill, the National Pension Scheme (NPS) should be at the top of your list. In addition to the tax benefit, NPS is a great way to invest if you want to increase your wealth and build up a strong retirement fund. This article will talk about the tax benefits of the National Pension Scheme and why it should be on your list of investments that save you money on taxes.

    The main goal of the NPS is to make sure that account holders continue to get a steady income after they retire, even if their investments have made a lot of money.

    What is the NPS program and how does it work?

    Before we look at the tax benefits of the NPS scheme, let’s take a closer look at how it works. People who have an NPS account can make regular payments to their account while they are working.

    If you are a Tier I subscriber, you must give at least Rs. 6,000 per year. If you are a Tier II customer, there is no minimum amount you must give. If you do decide to give, you may contribute Rs 250. A person with an NPS account can take out about 60% of the money in their account after they retire. With the remaining 40% of the total amount invested, an annuity should be bought so that there is a steady source of income after retirement.

    What are the basic parts of NPS tax savings?

    Not sure if investing in the NPS plan will be worth it? NPS has many benefits, such as being a cheap way to save for retirement and invest. It is important and helps you plan for retirement, and it also gives you stable long-term returns and a good income after you retire.

    Here are some more reasons why NPS is good:

    It’s up to the investor to decide where to put their money.
    Investments in the NPS are handled by people who are qualified to do so.
    The person who uses the account can decide how much to give each month.
    Accounts in the NPS can be managed from anywhere in India.
    NPS gives you a tax break.

    Let’s look at the NPS Income Tax Benefit in more depth. Under Section 80CCD, NPS gives tax breaks of up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs (1). Also, Section 80CCD(2) of the Income-Tax Act says that the employer’s contribution to the NPS can only be deducted from taxes up to 10% of the employee’s salary (base plus DA).

    Salary people who have already claimed the tax exemption of Rs. 1.5 lakh under Section 80C can save more money on taxes through NPS. Section 80CCD lets people who have NPS accounts and invest up to Rs 50,000 get a tax break. This is true for both salaried and self-employed people (1B). Section 80CCD allows this extra deduction, but only for owners of Tier I NPS accounts (1B). Unlike Tier I NPS accounts, Tier II NPS accounts are not affected by Section 80C of the Income Tax Act.

    Another thing to remember about the NPS tax benefit is that the deduction under Section 80CCD is available to both salaried and non-salaried people (1). But under Section 80CCD (1), the most a paid professional can deduct is 10% of their income for the year. Those who don’t get a salary, on the other hand, pay 20% of their gross annual income.

    An important point

    The government has also agreed to raise the costs of the NPS fund manager from 0.01% to 0.09%. This is a small raise to make sure that the pension fund’s management can pay for it. IPOs and more than 200 stocks are now available to NPS fund managers.

  • Investment Tips For Women

    It is a good time for women to be financially independent and take charge of their money. With easy access to information on the internet, changing social norms, and the ability to work and invest, women must get over the stereotypes and deal with money problems head-on.

    Here are a few tips for women to plan their finances.

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    Set up a budget

    Make a budget that fits your monthly or annual income and how long you want to take to reach your goals. This is where the 50-30-20 rule can help. Set aside 50% of your monthly income for living expenses, 30% for savings and investments, and the remaining 20% to live like a queen.

    It is important to make a budget for your money. Once you know what your costs will be, you can work around the estimate. With a budget, you can also figure out how much money you’ll need over the next 10 to 15 years, taking inflation into account.

    Set Financial Goals

    Learn how to make a plan and set financial goals for yourself as part of financial planning for yourself. You can use a spreadsheet or Excel to make a list of your financial goals. A financial goal is what you want to do with the money you’ve worked hard to earn. The goals are broken up into short-term, medium-term, and long-term groups.

    Once you have a plan, you will be able to figure out which goals you should save or invest for. So, it makes it easier for women to plan their finances.

    For instance, you will have to set a limit on your variable costs. If you don’t keep track of your irregular spending, you could end up in a financial hole. This could be caused by anything from required travel, phone, and internet services to a shopping spree or a night out with the girls. You don’t have to give up all the fun, but if you want to buy a house or start a business, you might want to be more careful with your money.

    Find out where you are now

    The next step in planning your finances is to find out where you are now. You can figure out your net worth or baseline by taking the value of your assets minus the value of your debts. Assets are things like bank accounts, investments, real estate, jewellery, and other valuable things. Liabilities are things like credit card debts, loans, mortgages, and other debts.

    Set up a fund in case of an emergency.

    There are no signs that a rainy day is coming. Anytime, things can go wrong. Women are often forced to take breaks from their careers to take care of their children or sick parents. This means that they don’t get paid and can’t invest their money. Because of this, it is important to have cash on hand even if you don’t get paid.

    Make sure you have a backup fund in a liquid investment that doesn’t have a time limit. You should always be able to get to the money. So, put money aside each month for those unexpected costs that your insurance won’t cover.

    Focus on Retirement

    On average women live longer than men when it comes to making financial plans. So, they will need, on average, more money to live without a salary. So, planning for retirement is an important part of making a plan for your money.

    Even though retirement seems far away, you’ll only have the money you’ve saved. So, even people who plan to work after they retire should get ready for a life with limited ways to make money.

    Also, make sure you have health insurance so that you don’t run out of money if you have to go to the hospital.

    CONCLUSION

    There are many reasons why women need to plan their finances. To start, women work less than men, live longer, and get paid less than men. And in the modern world, money is a sign of power, independence, and freedom. So, if you want to reach your goals, you need to plan your money well.

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  • Reasons Why You Should Invest Early

    When we are in our early or middle 20s and get our first job, the pay is not very high. From there, we have to figure out how to pay for things like rent, food, transportation, etc. every month. At this point in our lives, saving money and making investments are the last things we think about.

    But there are many reasons to start investing early. And we’ll talk about all of that in this blog.

    Here are 5 reasons why you should start investing as soon as you can.

    Number 1: When you start young, you can start small

    We all have things we want to do, like buy our favourite car or get married in an exotic place. For example, let’s say you want to get married in 5.25 years and you need to save Rs 15 lakh for this. You decide to put your money into equity mutual funds. Even though mutual funds don’t offer guaranteed returns, their long-term returns are around 12%. Now, you would have to put away Rs 11,250 every month to save Rs 15 lakh in 5.25 years.

    Alternatively, if you start saving for the goal 2 years later, you would have to save Rs 18,750 per month to reach the goal on time. You would also have to save more.

    In the same way, if you start early on any goal, whether it’s to buy a house or save for retirement, your monthly investments and total investments will be much less than if you wait.

    Number 2: It brings discipline to your life


    If you start saving and investing early on, it will improve your spending habits on its own. We’ll tell you how.

    If you want to save a fixed amount of money from your fixed salary, you will have to limit your spending by making a monthly budget. And making a budget is the best way to change how you spend money because it helps you keep track of how much you spend each month on things like food, utilities, rent, entertainment, etc. And after doing this simple task for a long time, it becomes a habit.

    Now, to get into the habit of saving put away the amount you want to save each month. Then, use the money you have left to make a monthly budget. If you make Rs 25,000 a month and want to save Rs 5,000, for example. Then, as soon as you get paid, put away the Rs 5,000 first. Use the rest of the money to keep up with your expenses.

    Number 3: Compounding makes you wealthy


    The longer you keep your money invested, the more the benefits of compounding will help you.

    Let’s look at two examples of this to see what we mean. Let’s say you want to save Rs 8 crore for your retirement. In the first scenario, you start investing in a mutual fund when you are 25 years old. And to do this, you would need to save Rs 12,000 every month until you were 60. And over the next 35 years, you would put away a total of Rs 50.4 lakh.

    In the second scenario, you put the goal off for 15 years and start saving for retirement when you are 40. The goal amount, which is Rs 8 crore, hasn’t changed. Now, because of this delay, the amount you invest each month will be Rs 80,000, and the total amount you invest will be Rs 1.92 crores.

    So, if you put off investing for 15 years, the amount you put away each month goes up by more than 6 times, and the total amount you put away goes up by 4 times. Over time, this is how compounding works.

    Number 4: If you stay invested for longer, you can build up a bigger nest egg


    If you keep your money invested for a long time, you can get the benefit of compounding for a longer time. This means that the amount you have saved over the years will be much higher.

    To explain this, we can look at the point we talked about before. When we talked about the benefits of compounding, we said that even if you only invest Rs 12,000 per month, you can build up Rs 8 crore if you start investing at age 25 and keep it up until age 35.

    But if you start investing 15 years later and your savings decrease but deployed capital increases.

    So, it’s best to start early and keep investing for a long time if you want to build up a big nest egg without feeling the pinch in your pocket or lowering your standard of living.

    Number 5: You are more willing to take risks.


    When you are young, you have more opportunities to take risks than when you are older. At this age, you don’t have as many financial responsibilities, so you don’t have to think too hard before putting your money into something risky. Even if you make mistakes with your investments, you’ll have plenty of time to fix them and get back on your feet.

    For instance, a good rule of thumb for investing in stocks is (100 – your age). That is, if you are 30 years old, you can put 70% of your money in stocks and the rest in bonds. The rule of thumb says that if you are 22 years old, you can put up to 80% of your money in stocks. But if you start investing when you’re 45, you might not want to take that much of a risk. As a rule of thumb, you should only put 55 per cent of your money in stocks.

    Even though stocks are riskier than fixed-income investments, they may give you higher returns over time, allowing you to build a bigger nest egg with a smaller investment.

    Bottom Line

    So, if you haven’t started investing yet, you should do so today. Start small, keep things simple, and continue to learn as you go. Remember that getting rich is a long-term process that can’t be rushed. And as a young worker, the best thing you have going for you is time.

  • You Need An Imaginary “Third Child” To Prepare For Retirement

    Knowing how much it costs to raise a child and how much joy it brings isn’t always easy to compare, but it’s smart to know and plan for these costs. In general, it costs a lot to raise a child, from the time it is born to when it goes off on its own. It costs between 1.5 and 2 crores. When you think about how much it costs to raise a child now, having two kids makes sense.

    At different points in a child’s life, there are some costs that need to be paid. These are some of them. In light of the current trends, these costs are based on averages.

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    Expenses at different stages of life

    There is a lot of money spent on medicines and vaccines in the first year after the birth of a child in urban and semi-urban areas. A playgroup or creche costs a lot of money when a child turns two. This could cost anywhere from 50,000 to 1 lakh, depending on how many amenities the creche has to offer. In the early years of a child’s life, the cost of toys and clothes is big because they tend to grow out of them.

    School expenses: Based on recent trends, it looks like more than half the population of parents spend more than half their annual income to pay for their children’s education and hobbies. There are times when parents have trouble making ends meet because the cost of school has gone up. A good school charges a fee of 50,000 to 2 lakh for the whole year. Expenses for the 12 years from classes I to XII would be between 11 lakh and 43 lakh if annual education costs rose by 10% each year. In addition to any tuition or extra-curricular activities that the child will be paying for, this fee will be added on as well.

    Higher studies: Suppose that the average cost of going to school for engineering is about 10 lakh today. In about 15 years, the same thing would cost 40 lakh to 50 lakh, too. The same thing goes for medical degrees. If they cost 25 lakh now, it’s a safe bet that they will cost more than 1 crore in the next 15 years. Even though parents can take out loans to pay for their kids to go to school, the interest rate is still high, even after tax breaks.

    Besides paying for their kids’ education, a family might have to spend money to make their home more private for their grown-up kids. Entertainment costs have also gone up a lot, especially in cities. There are birthday parties to plan, birthday gifts to buy, school cultural events, gadgets, hobbies to keep track of, and so much more to think about.

    In light of the above outflows, it is important for parents to plan their finances so that they don’t spend more than they need to and aren’t able to save for their own retirement. There are also safety nets that need to be put in place, like getting enough insurance and setting up an emergency fund.

    To make sure that you have a retirement fund, you can assume that you have a third child and every time you spend on your first two children, you can invest the same amount for the imaginary third child and invest it in a mutual fund. With a return of around 12-15% per annum, you will be left with a substantial corpus. You can use this as your retirement fund and can enjoy your golden years with enough funds.

  • Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE): What Is It?

    Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) is a movement of individuals committed to extreme savings and investing strategy that enables them to retire significantly sooner than typical budgets and retirement plans allow. FIRE was born out of Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez’s 1992 best-selling book Your Money or Your Life. It came to reflect the book’s central premise: People should analyse every expense in terms of the number of work hours required to pay for it.

    The FIRE retirement movement is a direct challenge to the traditional retirement age of 65 and the business that has developed to encourage people to plan for it. By allocating the majority of their income to savings, members of the FIRE movement aspire to be able to retire decades before they reach 65 and live entirely off tiny withdrawals from their holdings.

    The concept of FIRE is extremely popular with millennials and there is no reason that Gen Z Indians will not follow suit. Followers of FIRE work for several years and save up to 70% of their annual salary. When their savings accumulate to approximately 30 times their annual expenses, or approximately $1 million, they may decide to quit their jobs or retire entirely.

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    To fund their living expenses after early retirement, FIRE enthusiasts make small annual withdrawals from their investments, often between 3% and 4% of the sum. Depending on the size of their funds and desired lifestyle, this may require extraordinary care in monitoring costs as well as a commitment to investment upkeep and reallocation.

    Types of FIRE

    Fat FIRE—This option is for the conventional worker who wishes to save significantly more than the average worker but does not wish to sacrifice their existing way of living. It is often not feasible without a high salary and active savings and investing plans.
    Lean FIRE—This involves a strong dedication to minimalism and extreme savings, necessitating a significantly more restricted lifestyle. Numerous Lean FIRE devotees live on less than $25,000 per year.
    Barista FIRE—This is for those who choose to reside in the grey area between the two options above. They abandoned their typical 9-to-5 occupations but maintain a less-than-minimalist existence through a combination of part-time work and savings. The former enables individuals to receive health insurance, while the latter stops them from withdrawing assets from their retirement accounts.

    Who Is FIRE Really For?

    The majority of people believe that FIRE is only for people who have a big salary, typically in the six figures. Indeed, if your goal is to retire in your 30s or 40s, this is almost certainly true. However, there is much for everyone to learn from the movement’s ideals, which can help individuals save for retirement and even attain an early retirement, albeit not quite as early as 40.

    And keep in mind that the first part of FIRE stands for financial independence, which, if attained, enables you to work at something you enjoy rather than something you have to do. According to author Robin, FIRE is about more than early retirement; it teaches you how to consume less while living better.

    Meticulous planning

    The FIRE movement emphasises the necessity of developing a clear strategy and sticking to it, which are principles that will assist anyone in saving for retirement and building a sizable emergency fund.

    Economic self-control

    To attain a FIRE retirement, you must maximise your income while keeping your spending to a minimum. While retiring by 40 requires extreme measures, everyone can benefit from creating and adhering to a budget while working as hard as possible to earn as much money as possible, whether through a better job, adding a second one, or creating additional revenue streams through side hustles or rental property ownership.

    A prudent investment

    Nobody can retire comfortably if they do not invest in their retirement funds. FIRE devotees invest a greater percentage of their income than the ordinary person would. However, the notion of setting aside a fixed proportion of your salary each month for investment — and beginning as soon as possible — will enable you to grow your retirement savings to a level that will ensure your financial stability in your later years.

    According to Robin’s comments, the book’s purpose is not to impart a master plan for early retirement; rather, it is to demonstrate how to live better while spending less in order to live a more fulfilling life while consuming less of the world’s resources.

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  • A Post Retirement Income Plan

    Until a few years ago, almost no one was interested in annuities as a source of post-retirement income. In the last three or four years, members of the NPS have been interested in the concept of annuities and how they may be used to create income. Unfortunately, annuities, at least those offered in India, are prohibitively expensive, inefficient, and incapable of mitigating inflation, which is, after all, the greatest long-term threat to anyone’s retirement income. As a result, retirees should consider alternative sources of income (whether fixed income or equity-based). Indeed, even the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), which now requires that 40% of a retiree’s money accumulated in the National Pension System (NPS) be used to purchase an annuity, is considering adding a non-annuity withdrawal plan in its place. PFRDA recognises that annuity should not be the only option and may not even be the most appropriate one. Before you get started on your post-retirement plan, you need the best stock trading platform with the lowest brokerages to realise maximum profits from your investments. As one of the fastest growing and best brokerage firms in the country, we have created a suite of products to help you analyse stocks and make an informed decision. Developing a post-retirement income plan begins with an evaluation of your monthly income requirement and available money to determine if there is a meeting ground. Clearly, in the early years, there is little that can be done to alter this equation. As a general guideline, an initial withdrawal rate of no more than 6% is optimal. Anything more tends to increase the risk of capital depletion. Indeed, the lesser the withdrawal, the better. Keeping a close eye on spending, in the beginning, will pay dividends afterwards. If you can make do with less, that would be ideal. Increasing the withdrawal ratio exposes you to significant risk down the road because when you are attempting to develop a long-term withdrawal strategy from your investment, you must be prudent enough not to deplete your cash. Of course, there are times when a retiree may experience market misfortune. Interest rates may also tend to drop over extended periods of time in fixed income. You must choose an asset allocation strategy based on all of these considerations. Almost certainly, you will realise that an all-fixed-income strategy is insufficient. To sustain a rising inflation-beating income, a fixed income plan must accept a withdrawal rate that cannot exceed 4% and should preferably be lower. To put the concept into perspective, a withdrawal plan permits you to withdraw a significant portion of your income while leaving a tiny portion of your growth. Assume you have Rs 1000 and it increases by 8%. By deducting 6%, you retain a small portion of the appreciation to support a bigger income the next year. However, if you consume it all, your capital will remain constant, which is undesirable given that you will almost certainly require a higher income during the next 25 years. Given the reality of inflation and increased medical costs in old life, there is very little chance you will require less money in ten years. As a result, you must leave a portion of your growth and not consume it entirely. Not only that, the less money you borrow today, the more secure you will be later. As a result, you’ll need to consider a conservative allocation, perhaps 15% to 35% in equity, depending on the size of your investment. If your capital is restricted, you might have to undertake more risk in equity. If you have more than sufficient capital, you can afford to have a lower equity allocation. The optimal strategy is to take away at most (ideally less than) 80% of the appreciation in the current year and then leave 20% there. This way, you’ll have some room for capital growth, which is how you’ll need to adjust it. This way, your income will rise faster in good times, but you will not deplete your capital in poor times, and it will remain fair. This level of discipline will provide a financially secure retirement. Whether you are starting your investment journey at retirement or are looking for a reliable trading and investment platform to grow your capital, then Zebu is the answer for you. As one of the best brokerage firms in the country, we have created Zebull, our best stock trading platform. We charge the lowest brokerage for derivative trading and will help you realise your financial goals. To know more about our products and services, please get in touch with us now.