Dream Retirement? It Starts With One Decision Today

Because your second innings deserves a strategy.

Picture this: You wake up at 7 a.m.—not to an alarm, but because sunlight gently filters through your window.

No emails. No Zoom calls. Just hot chai, your favorite playlist, and maybe a walk in the park. Later? A cooking class, a road trip, or picking up that long-abandoned painting hobby.

Sounds peaceful, right? That’s retirement done right.

But here’s the not-so-fun fact: most people treat retirement like a distant afterthought—until it’s too close to fix.

In this article, we’ll explore why retirement planning is the most underrated form of self-love—and how you can start crafting a future that’s as chill or as exciting as you want.

The Problem: Retirement Isn’t What It Used to Be

Gone are the days when pensions and family support were guaranteed. With increasing life expectancy, rising medical costs, and nuclear families becoming the norm, you might spend 25–30 years in retirement. That’s a whole second adulthood—except this time, you don’t get a salary.

According to Mirae Asset, you’ll need to generate monthly income for at least 25 years after retirement. And HDFC Life points out that 1 in 3 Indians underestimate how much they’ll need.

Let’s change that.

Why Planning is Non-Negotiable

Here are 9 compelling (and sometimes surprising) reasons to take retirement seriously:

  1. You Won’t Want to Work Forever: Even if you love your job now, burnout is real. Retirement is your break from deadlines.

  2. Rising Costs: Inflation is sneaky. That ₹40 sandwich might cost ₹120 when you retire.

  3. Medical Emergencies: With age comes wisdom—and often, hospital bills. Health insurance helps, but it’s not enough.

  4. No Pension Safety Net: Most private-sector jobs don’t offer pensions. It’s up to you now.

  5. Family Support is Changing: Your kids might love you, but they’ll have their own expenses.

  6. To Maintain Your Lifestyle: Want to travel, shop, eat out or gift freely post-retirement? That requires planning.

  7. Retirement is Getting Longer: Retiring at 60 and living till 85+? That’s 25 years of self-funded life.

  8. To Avoid Dependency: Financial freedom = dignity. You shouldn’t have to ask anyone for money at 75.

  9. Peace of Mind: Nothing beats the confidence of knowing you’re sorted. You sleep better when your future is funded.

The Magic Formula: Stay Consistent

The earlier you start, the less you have to invest.

  • Start at 30? Investing ₹10,000/month for 30 years can give you ₹3.5 Cr (assuming 12% CAGR)

  • Start at 45? You’ll need to invest ₹75,000/month for the same result

If you are already between 40-50 years of age, minimum SIP contribution you should have is Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 150,000.

Why Mutual Funds are Good Choice to Build Retirement Corpus?

Because they offer:

  • Diversification: Your investment is spread across 70-80 stocks

  • Growth: Equity funds grow faster than traditional savings

  • Tax Efficiency: Especially with long-term capital gains

Where to Park Your Retirement Funds

  1. Growth Phase (till 50–58): Focus on equity mutual funds

  2. Pre-Retirement (58–60): Gradually shift to hybrid funds

  3. Post-Retirement: Use SWPs (Systematic Withdrawal Plans) to generate monthly income

Also consider:

  • NPS (National Pension System)

  • RBI Floating Rate Bonds

Visualize This: A Retirement Worth Waking Up To

Imagine it’s 2035. You’ve retired.

You take a vacation every summer. You have time for morning yoga, coffee with friends, and Sunday brunches with family.

Your bank account still credits you monthly—from your own investments.

You’ve got insurance, your kids are proud, and you’re living life on your terms.

Feels good, doesn’t it?

TL;DR – Start Today, Sleep Peacefully Tomorrow

  • Don’t delay. Start your retirement plan now.

  • Use mutual funds for long-term compounding

  • Ensure you have life and health cover in place

  • Think of retirement not as an end, but as your beginning 2.0

You owe it to yourself to retire not just comfortably—but joyfully. If you know someone who wants to build for retirement, let’s connect to make someone’s dream come true.

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Warm regards,
Tejas Lakhani