*Retirement Planning: A Wake-Up Call for Young Earners* For many individuals under 45, retirement planning often takes a backseat. While it's on their minds, it usually gets pushed to the bottom of their priority list—until it's almost too late. However, this mindset needs to change. *Allocating a portion of your income toward a retirement corpus should be a top priority, just like saving for a home, children's education, or wedding*. In countries like the US, retirement savings and medical insurance are deducted from salaries from day one, ensuring a secure and comfortable retirement. It’s time we adopt this discipline and prioritize retirement planning. Otherwise, we risk being financially dependent on our children or working until our last breath. Let’s put this into perspective: *Start at age 25*: A monthly SIP of *Rs. 5,000* for *25 years* could grow to ~Rs. 1.6 crore (assuming a 15% annualized return). *Start at age 45*: To build the same ~Rs. 1.6 crore corpus in just *10 years*, you’d need to invest *Rs. 60,000 per month—12 times more*! The key is to *start early with a smaller amount*, stay disciplined, and let compounding do the magic! Start early, save consistently, and retire happily! #retirementplanning #financialfreedom #retirehappy P.S.: Always do your research before investing or seek expert guidance.