Articles
50 pages across personal finance, product comparisons and global markets. Each page has a short example and links to the calculator or glossary.
What is a SIP
A systematic investment plan puts a fixed sum into a mutual fund on a set date each month.
SIP and fixed deposit
A fixed deposit pays a stated rate. A SIP units a fund whose value moves every day.
How much to keep as an emergency fund
Keep cash or a liquid fund that can cover three to six months of essential costs.
How to start a mutual fund SIP
You need KYC, a bank account and a fund choice. The SIP date should match your salary date.
What NAV means
Net asset value is the per-unit price of a mutual fund after expenses.
Regular and direct mutual fund plans
Direct plans charge a lower expense ratio than regular plans of the same scheme.
What is an expense ratio
The expense ratio is the annual fee the fund house takes from the scheme.
ELSS and income tax
Equity linked saving schemes have a three year lock and can be used under section 80C if you still use that route.
PPF rules in brief
Public Provident Fund is a 15 year account with a notified rate and EEE tax treatment.
NPS and PPF
NPS is market linked with an annuity rule at exit. PPF is a notified-rate lock-in account.
EPF for salaried people
Employees Provident Fund takes a share of salary plus an employer share.
How much term insurance to buy
A common starting point is 10 to 15 times annual take-home, then adjust for debts and dependants.
HRA exemption
House rent allowance exemption is the lowest of three figures set in the Income Tax Act.
New tax regime for FY 2026-27
The new regime is the default. Slabs and the section 87A rebate decide whether tax is due.
Long term capital gains on equity
Listed equity and equity funds held beyond the holding period face LTCG at the notified rate.
How an EMI is worked out
An equated monthly instalment splits interest and principal on a reducing balance.
Prepaying a home loan
Compare the after-tax loan rate with the expected after-tax return on an extra SIP.
Recurring deposit and SIP
Both take a monthly sum. An RD pays a bank rate. A SIP buys fund units.
What is a SWP
A systematic withdrawal plan sells units each month so you can take a cash amount.
Estimating a retirement corpus
Work backwards from monthly spend, inflation and the years you expect to draw.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
SSY is a notified-rate account for a girl child, with a long lock and tax benefits.
Credit card annual fees
The annual fee is a cost. Points and lounge access only matter if you use them.
Fixed deposits and inflation
If inflation is close to the FD rate, the real return after tax can be near zero.
Asset allocation for a salaried household
Split money across equity, debt and cash based on time horizon and job stability.
What a folio number is
A folio is the account number the registrar uses for your holdings in a fund house.
Term insurance and ULIP
Term cover pays a lump sum on death. A ULIP mixes cover with market investment and extra charges.
Index funds and active funds
An index fund tracks a published index. An active fund tries to beat that index after fees.
Indemnity and benefit health policies
Indemnity pays hospital bills up to the sum insured. Benefit pays a fixed amount on a listed event.
Floating and fixed home loan rates
A floating rate moves with the lender benchmark. A fixed rate stays put for the agreed period.
PPF and debt mutual funds
PPF has a lock and a notified rate. Debt funds price every day and have different tax rules.
Credit card and personal loan
Card revolving rates are usually much higher than a personal loan EMI.
Trading and demat accounts
A demat holds securities. A trading account places orders. Some brokers wrap both.
Gold jewellery and gold ETFs
Jewellery includes making charges. A gold ETF tracks bullion price minus a small fee.
NSC and tax saver FD
Both can sit under 80C if you use the old regime. Rates, lock and liquidity differ.
Endowment policy versus term plus SIP
An endowment mixes low cover with a savings rate. Term plus SIP keeps the two jobs separate.
How a US Fed rate hike reaches Indian investors
Higher US rates can lift the dollar, slow foreign flows into Indian equities and raise local bond yields.
Why USD INR matters at home
A weaker rupee makes imported fuel, electronics and foreign education cost more.
Crude oil and Indian fuel prices
India imports most of its crude. Pump prices also include tax and marketing margins.
What FIIs are
Foreign portfolio investors buy and sell Indian stocks and bonds from outside the country.
The US 10-year yield and Indian bonds
When US long yields rise, money can leave other bond markets, including India.
What risk-off means
Risk-off is a period when investors sell equities and other risk assets and hold cash or US Treasuries.
What moves the gold price
Gold often rises when real rates fall, the dollar weakens, or political risk rises.
RBI repo rate
The repo rate is the rate at which banks borrow overnight from the Reserve Bank against eligible securities.
Current account in plain words
The current account records trade in goods and services plus income and transfers with the rest of the world.
How global inflation reaches India
Imported commodities, freight and a weak rupee pass into local prices with a lag.
The dollar index
DXY measures the US dollar against a basket of other major currencies.
Why emerging market funds often move together
Global funds treat many emerging markets as one risk bucket when they cut exposure.
OPEC decisions and the diesel bill
Supply cuts by large producers can lift crude, which later shows up in diesel and freight.
What a basis point is
One basis point is 0.01 percentage point. A hike of 25 basis points is a quarter of one percent.
How to read a markets brief
Look at rates, the dollar, oil and flows before you look at a single index level.