top of page

By:

Kaustubh Kale

10 September 2024 at 11:37:15 pm

Four Pillars for a Strong Financial Foundation

Investing for your financial goals is not just about choosing the right investment or earning the highest return possible. It is about building a well-rounded and strong financial foundation. A strong financial foundation helps you invest with greater confidence, remain disciplined and avoid disturbing long-term investments when unforeseen expenses arise. There are four important pillars that support this foundation. 1. Life Insurance The first pillar is adequate life insurance. If there is...

Four Pillars for a Strong Financial Foundation

Investing for your financial goals is not just about choosing the right investment or earning the highest return possible. It is about building a well-rounded and strong financial foundation. A strong financial foundation helps you invest with greater confidence, remain disciplined and avoid disturbing long-term investments when unforeseen expenses arise. There are four important pillars that support this foundation. 1. Life Insurance The first pillar is adequate life insurance. If there is an earning member in the family, his or her income supports several financial responsibilities, including household expenses, children’s education, loan repayments and future goals. An unfortunate death can therefore create not only an emotional loss but also a significant financial loss for the family. A suitable life insurance cover, preferably through a term insurance plan, can help replace this lost income and provide financial security to the dependants. Life insurance is therefore primarily about protection against the financial impact of losing an earning member. 2. Health Insurance The second pillar is health insurance. Hospitalisation is unpredictable. A major medical emergency can arise suddenly and potentially consume a sizeable portion of a family’s savings. Having adequate health insurance ensures that an unexpected hospitalisation does not force you to withdraw money from investments created for other financial goals. Your savings and investments can then continue doing the job they were originally meant to do. It is important to have comprehensive personal health insurance with the necessary product features rather than depending entirely on your employer’s health insurance. 3. Contingency Fund The third pillar is an emergency or contingency fund. Ideally, a family should keep approximately six to twelve months of household expenses plus EMIs in a highly liquid and conservative avenue such as a bank account, fixed deposit or suitable debt mutual fund, where capital safety and liquidity remain the priority. Think of this as your financial piggy bank, money that is kept aside specifically for emergencies. Knowing that this reserve exists can give you the confidence to invest the rest of your money with a longer-term perspective, without constantly worrying about short-term emergencies. 4. Asset Allocation The fourth pillar is proper asset allocation. Every financial goal has a different time horizon. Some money may be required within a few years, while other investments may be meant for goals several years or decades away. The investment product chosen must therefore match the time available for the goal. A mismatch between the investment and the time horizon can create unnecessary complications in the portfolio. In simple terms, short-term goals should generally be invested in assets that offer a greater degree of capital safety and liquidity, such as bank FDs, RDs or debt mutual funds. Long-term goals, on the other hand, need exposure to assets that have the potential to beat inflation and create wealth over time, such as stocks, equity mutual funds, hybrid mutual funds and gold. (The writer is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor. Views are personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.)

US Vice President JD Vance, his family arrive in Delhi

PTI
Apr 21, 2025
2 min read


NEW DELHI: US Vice President J D Vance arrived here on Monday on a four-day visit to India against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between the two strategic partners to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance is accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri and their three children Ewan, Vivek, Mirabel and a delegation of senior US government officials.


The US Vice President and the Second Lady were received at the Palam air base by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.


The American leader was also accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival.

In the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for the Vances after holding wide-ranging talks with the US Vice President.


External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by PM Modi at the talks.


The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost overall trajectory of ties between the two countries.


Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance's first visit to India comes weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.


New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance and his family are scheduled to leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US Vice President and his family are staying at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.


On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites in Jaipur, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.


In the afternoon, the US Vice President is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur.


Vance is expected to delved into broader aspects of India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.


The US Vice President and his family will travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, people familiar with the matter said.


In Agra, they will visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram which is an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.


After concluding their visit to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur on the second half of April 23.


The US Vice President and his family will depart for the US from Jaipur on April 24, according to the people cited above.

Comments

bottom of page