How to stop your retirement portfolio from stressing you

Summary: Neha’s father had steadily built wealth over the years, thanks to his equity mutual fund investments. However, once he retired, the same portfolio began giving him sleepless nights. We find out why his strategy needs a rethink. Neha couldn’t understand why her father seemed so worried about money. After all, the family had always been financially comfortable. But there was her father, Ashok, 62, sitting in front of his laptop, his hands trembling as he scrolled anxiously through his mutual fund statements. "The market's down 18 per cent this month," Neha’s father said quietly. "That's nearly Rs 25 lakh wiped out from my portfolio." This was a conversation Neha was hoping to avoid. Her father had built an impressive portfolio during his working years, almost entirely invested in equity mutual funds. It had served him well through the 2000s and 2010s. But now, six months into retirement, every market dip felt like a personal crisis. When the safety net becomes a tightrope "Papa, you're looking at this the wrong way," Neha began explaining, pulling up a chair. "The strategy that made you rich isn't the same one that'll keep you comfortable any longer." Ashok looked puzzled. "But why not? I have always invested in high-performing equity funds. They've given me almost 15-18 per cent returns over the last two decades." "That’s true. But at 35, when you had 25 years to retirement and a steady sa

This article was originally published on October 10, 2025.