Imagining MERA: My Empowered Retirement Account

In this conversation with Shray, Deepak shares why he feels now is the time for India's concept of a Retirement Account - he calls it the MERA account. This account should help improve investment opportunities for retail customers, create a longer-term investment horizon and push people to save for their retirements.

Listen in as we discuss:

• The concept of a retirement account
• Impact on the economy and people
• Imagining a retirement account scheme that works for India
• The operational aspect of such an account
• Who would oppose such a thing?

Show notes and references

2:00 - Seven consecutive years of positive market returns for India

4:00 Seize the opportunity of India story with retirement accounts 

Read: My Empowered Retirement Account (MERA)

8:30 Where do LIC and EPFO invest retirement money 

"We're giving asset managers our retirement money and asking them to do great things for the next 20 - 30 years... But, they're not doing great things... They are conservative.. not letting me realize my larger risk appetite."

14:30 ELSS equity funds hold money for a longer period of time. Can't they act as retirement funds?

17:00 The peril of investing for retirement with post-tax money 

25:00 Deepak introduces his idea of MERA - My Empowered Retirement Account (MERA)

33:00 Why does this matter so much at the national policy level? 

41:20 Who are the people who would feel this is not a good idea?