Are you among the ones retiring in the coming few years? Well, it does not matter even if you are not because we all have to retire someday anyway. So ‘RETIREMENT’ is a word that needs your serious attention. Everyone hopes for a strong retirement – a secured financial future. How will that happen? Retirement planning is the answer. Planning here is financial planning which means you are securing your future and creating a source of income generation when you are not working any longer.

Retirement is almost the last thing on our minds when we are in our 20’s. But the right financial move would be to start saving for retirement as soon as we begin earning income. All you have to do is investing little bit of your money consistently for a defined time period. This way, our investments keep earning interest gradually over the years.

Here comes the importance of choosing the right investment options. There are many saving options available, but it is usually tough to choose the right ones. Financial experts suggest you some of the finest investment avenues you can explore and start putting your money in.

a) Equity: If started early, this traditional investment option can do wonders. Start investing in equity funds and stocks during your early years (25-35 years of age). During this period, you can take more risk than years later. You can go for diversified large-cap or multi-cap stocks, can try blue-chip stocks. Although discouraged as an ideal investment, it cannot be denied that equities have given the best returns among all assets over long periods. Having few balanced and quality stocks in your portfolio will do only good.

b) Fixed Deposits: They are safe, secure and the most common type of investment avenues. So to say, there are mainly two types of fixed deposits namely bank fixed deposits and corporate fixed deposits. Bank FDs are highly preferred due to its characteristics of safety and surety of returns. On the other hand, corporate FDs pay a higher rate of interest as they carry a higher risk than bank FDs.

c) Mutual Funds: They are the professionals whose experience and expertise come handy. Mutual funds offer various schemes depending on your risk profile and financial goals. There are number of schemes such as equity-based mutual funds, Hybrid schemes, sectoral and global funds which are good savings tools.

d) Public Provident Fund or PPF: A traditional investment instrument, Public Provident Fund or PPF has always been a favorite savings tool for many. PPF are long-term investment tools primarily meant for retirement. It is one of the best tax saving tools as well, but the linking of its interest rate to the bond yield in the secondary market had made it even dearer. PPF is especially useful for risk averse investors, self-employed professionals and those not covered by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and other retiral benefits.

While these are just few examples, there are many other schemes and options which act as ideal investments for your sunset years. To ensure a secure and wealthy retirement, pick only those options that match your expectations. To do away with the dangers of making bad choices, you can take the help of an expert financial planner who will guide you in making decisions.

Disclaimer:

1. Views, as are mentioned in the article, are personal views of Author and nothing to link with Co., its Director and Employees.

2. All investments are subject to market risk and you need to consult your financial advisor/consultant before investment.