Fee-only financial planning · SEBI Registered Investment Adviser

Early Retirement Planning in India

Retiring at 45 means the corpus has to last 40 years or more, through inflation, market swings and medical costs, with no salary to fall back on. The arithmetic is unforgiving but it is only arithmetic: a plan can show, year by year, whether the date you have in mind works and what it would take to make it work.

What is different about retiring early

Inflation has far longer to compound

At 6% inflation, today's ₹1 lakh of monthly expenses becomes about ₹3.2 lakh in 20 years and ₹10 lakh in 40. A corpus that looks large at 45 has to keep growing above inflation for decades, which decides how much equity it needs and for how long.

The order of returns matters as much as the average

A bad few years at the start of retirement, when withdrawals are taken from a falling portfolio, does lasting damage. The plan keeps the first years of expenses in debt and holds equity for the later years, and reviews the split every year.

Health cover stops with the job

Employer group cover ends with employment, and buying individual cover gets harder and dearer with age and health history. Your own health cover should be in place, with waiting periods served, well before the last working day.

EPF, NPS and other accounts have their own exit rules

EPF can be withdrawn in full after two months without a job, and the pension part has its own rules. Leaving NPS before 60 means most of the corpus must buy an annuity unless the balance is small. The plan sequences withdrawals so these rules work for you rather than against you.

A long retirement needs a withdrawal plan, not just a corpus

Which account to draw from first, how much equity to sell in a good year, how to use capital gains allowances and senior-citizen schemes later on: the plan sets this out as an annual routine, so the decisions are not made under pressure.

How we plan an early retirement

A retirement simulation with your own expenses, inflation and return assumptions, showing the corpus needed at the date you want and at later dates for comparison.
A clear answer on feasibility: whether the date works, what monthly saving closes the gap, or what spending level the corpus supports.
Three buckets: the next few years of expenses in debt, the medium term in a balanced mix, the long term in equity, with a glide path that lowers equity as you age.
Insurance before you leave: health and critical illness cover in place while you are still employed; life cover reviewed, since a large enough corpus may need less of it.
A written withdrawal order across EPF, NPS, mutual funds and deposits, with the tax effect of each.
A review after six months, email support through the year and an annual renewal to re-run the numbers as markets and costs move.

See what a finished plan looks like, section by section

What the engagement includes

₹15,000 for the first year, including GST, per couple with dependent children and parents. Renewal is ₹7,500 a year, including GST.

A free 30-minute discovery call, then a data sheet and risk-profile questionnaire.
A written financial plan, usually within two weeks of the data being complete, walked through on a video call.
A review after six months and email support for the whole 12 months.
Advice only: you keep control of your accounts and investments. No commissions, no percentage of assets, no products sold.
Not included: income-tax return filing, direct stock tips, cryptocurrency, PMS or other complex products, or holding your money.

The plan and the fee in detail · How the engagement runs · All questions

Questions early retirees ask us

How much do I need to retire at 45 in India?

It depends on your expenses, how long the money must last and the inflation and return assumptions, so there is no single number. A rough starting point is 30 to 35 times annual expenses for a 40-year retirement at 6% inflation; the plan replaces the rule of thumb with your own figures.

Can I stop all equity investments once I retire?

A 40-year retirement usually cannot be funded from debt alone, because debt returns barely keep pace with inflation after tax. The plan keeps enough equity for the later decades and enough debt to ride out bad years without selling equity at a loss.

What happens to my EPF and NPS if I retire at 45?

EPF can be withdrawn after two months of unemployment; the EPS pension starts later, at a reduced rate from 50 or in full from 58. NPS can be exited before 60, but most of the corpus must then go into an annuity unless the balance is below the current threshold. The plan shows what to withdraw when.

Do you help with FIRE (financial independence, retire early)?

Yes. The retirement simulation and bucket plan are the same whether you call it FIRE, a career break or a second career, and the plan also covers the health, insurance and withdrawal questions FIRE guides skip.

What does the plan cost?

₹15,000 for the first year and ₹7,500 a year to renew, both including GST, per couple. The fee does not depend on the size of your corpus.

Other guides

Investment in securities is subject to market risk. The rules described here are general and change; the plan applies the rules in force to your situation. SahajMoney does not file tax returns or give legal advice.

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