Pavan Polineni
Founder, FinPlann
Pavan Polineni
Founder, FinPlann
Pavan Polineni is the Singapore-based founder of FinPlann, a financial planner for Indians in India and abroad. He writes about NRI money questions (residency, returning to India, cross-border tax), mutual funds, tax planning and retirement. Educational content only — not SEBI-registered, not investment advice.
Pavan founded FinPlann to give Indians at home and abroad one connected plan for their money — calculators, goal-based SIPs, a freedom tracker and a five-pillar financial health score, with INR and foreign assets side by side. He writes about NRI topics such as RNOR status, NRE/NRO accounts, PFIC and returning to India, and about Indian products like NPS, PPF, ELSS and capital-gains rules, in plain language. Every article lists its sources.
How articles are researched, sourced and corrected: editorial policy.
Writes about
Articles by Pavan Polineni
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EPF for NRIs: Withdraw or Keep When Moving Abroad, Interest and Tax
EPF for NRIs under the new EPF Scheme 2026: withdrawing before you migrate, when the account turns inoperative and interest stops, tax on interest after you le…
04 Nov 2026 · 9 min read -
How NRIs Invest in Indian Stocks: PIS, NRE/NRO Demat, F&O and Tax
How NRIs invest in Indian stocks in 2026: PIS and the repatriable route, NRE vs NRO demat and trading accounts, the new 10% and 24% limits, why intraday and sh…
03 Nov 2026 · 8 min read -
TDS on NRI Income 2026-27: Rates, Lower TDS Certificate (Form 128) and Refunds
TDS on NRI income under section 393 for 2026-27: 30% on rent and NRO interest, 12.5% on property gains, 20% on dividends. How the Form 128 lower TDS certificat…
02 Nov 2026 · 8 min read -
FCNR Deposit vs NRE FD vs Saving Abroad: After Tax and Currency
FCNR(B) deposit vs NRE FD vs keeping savings in the US: RBI rules, current USD FCNR rates at SBI and ICICI, tax in India and the US, and a 3-year illustration …
01 Nov 2026 · 9 min read -
NRI Inheritance in India: Property, Money, Tax and Repatriation
Inheriting property or money in India as an NRI: no inheritance tax, FEMA lets you inherit any property including farmland, the US$1 million NRO repatriation r…
31 Oct 2026 · 9 min read -
UK NRI Tax on Indian Income: FIG Regime, Non-Dom Abolition and the UK-India DTAA
How the UK taxes Indian interest, rent and capital gains after the non-dom remittance basis ended in April 2025: who qualifies for the 4-year FIG regime and wh…
30 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
UAE NRI Tax in India: Deemed Resident Rule, 120-Day Rule and Gratuity
UAE NRI tax in India explained: the deemed resident rule for Indian income above ₹15 lakh, the 120-day visit rule, why both make you RNOR, the India-UAE treaty…
29 Oct 2026 · 9 min read -
Income Tax Form Numbers 2026: Old vs New Table (Form 16, 12BB, 15CA, 10F)
New income tax form numbers from tax year 2026-27: Form 16 is now 130, 12BB is 124, 15G/15H are 121, 13 is 128, 10F is 41, 67 is 44 and 15CA/15CB are 145/146. …
28 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
FBAR and FATCA (Form 8938) for Indian Accounts, FDs, Mutual Funds and PPF
FBAR and FATCA for Indian assets: the US$10,000 FBAR test, Form 8938 thresholds by filing status, and a table of which Indian accounts, FDs, mutual funds, insu…
27 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
Money From Parents in India: Gift Tax Rules, LRS and US Form 3520
Money from parents in India is tax-free as a gift from a relative under section 92 of the new Act. How parents send it abroad under LRS, the 20% TCS above ₹10 …
26 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
Moving Abroad from India: The Money Checklist for New NRIs
Moving abroad from India? The money checklist in order: when you become an NRI for tax, savings to NRO, mutual fund KYC and SIPs, demat, PPF, NPS, EPF, insuran…
25 Oct 2026 · 9 min read -
Recurring Deposit for NRIs: NRE vs NRO RD, Tax and What Happens When You Return
NRIs can open a recurring deposit only as an NRE RD (foreign money, tax-free in India, at least a year) or an NRO RD (Indian income, taxed at 31.2% TDS). Rates…
24 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
Investment Proof Submission to Your Employer: Tax Year 2026-27 Guide
How to submit investment proof to your employer for tax year 2026-27: Form 124 replaces Form 12BB, the proof needed for HRA, LTA, home-loan interest, section 1…
24 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
Retirement Corpus Needed by State in India (2026 Data)
A comfortable retired couple in urban India needs about ₹3.0 to ₹5.1 crore at 60 if they are 35 today, depending on the state. Ranked for 11 large states and C…
07 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
What Is PMS? Portfolio Management Service Meaning, Minimum, Fees and Tax
PMS means a SEBI-registered manager runs a portfolio held in your own demat account, from ₹50 lakh. How it differs from a mutual fund, the three types, fees wi…
06 Oct 2026 · 11 min read -
Total Expense Ratio (TER) in Mutual Funds: Meaning, SEBI Limits and the 2026 Base Expense Ratio
TER is the yearly fee a mutual fund takes from its assets every day, already built into the NAV. How it is calculated, what 0.2% vs 1.8% costs over 20 years, S…
06 Oct 2026 · 9 min read -
Dearness Allowance (DA) Meaning: What DA in Your Salary Changes
Dearness allowance is a cost-of-living payment set as a percentage of basic pay: 60% for central government staff from 1 January 2026. Here is how DA is calcul…
06 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
Case Study: An H-1B Family Returning to India (Illustrative Plan in FinPlann)
An illustrative walk-through: an H-1B family in Seattle moving back to Hyderabad. Their health score, NRI-sized insurance gaps, whether savings can fund life i…
04 Oct 2026 · 7 min read -
Case Study: A Dubai NRI Planning to Retire in Kochi at 55 (Illustrative Plan in FinPlann)
An illustrative walk-through: a Dubai-based NRI supporting parents and planning to retire in Kochi at 55. His health score, NRI-sized cover, whether retirement…
04 Oct 2026 · 7 min read -
FinPlann vs a Spreadsheet: Which Is Better for Planning Your Money?
An honest comparison of planning your money in a spreadsheet versus FinPlann: cost, flexibility, multi-currency, goal maths, tax rules and privacy, including w…
04 Oct 2026 · 6 min read -
FinPlann vs SBNRI vs INDmoney: Which Is Right for NRIs? (2026)
SBNRI and INDmoney help NRIs invest and transact; FinPlann helps you plan. A dated, sourced comparison of features, fees, regulation and how each makes money, …
04 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
FinPlann vs a Financial Advisor: Do You Need a SEBI-Registered Adviser?
Planning software or a SEBI-registered investment adviser? How RIAs and distributors are paid in India (SEBI's 2026 fee caps), what each is good for, and when …
04 Oct 2026 · 7 min read -
Moving Back to India: The Complete Money Checklist for Returning NRIs (2026)
A step-by-step money checklist for NRIs moving back to India: RNOR tax status, NRE, NRO, FCNR and RFC accounts, demat and mutual fund updates, keeping foreign …
03 Oct 2026 · 10 min read -
Loans After Returning to India: Personal Loans, Car Loans, LAP and Building a Credit Score
Moved back to India? Your foreign credit history does not come with you. What banks ask returning NRIs for personal, car and home loans, how to build a CIBIL s…
03 Oct 2026 · 8 min read -
401(k) and IRA After Moving Back to India: Tax, Treaty Rules and Your Options
Moving back to India with a 401(k) or IRA? How the US and India tax withdrawals, what the India-US treaty says about pensions vs lump sums, the 10% early-withd…
03 Oct 2026 · 10 min read -
Small Cap ETFs in India 2026: Every Nifty Smallcap ETF Compared on Cost, Tracking and Liquidity
India has eight plain small-cap ETFs and three factor variants. We compare all of them on expense ratio, tracking error, size and daily trading, explain Nifty …
02 Oct 2026 · 11 min read -
NRI ETF Investment in India 2026: Can NRIs Buy ETFs and Gold ETFs? Rules, Tax and PFIC
Yes, NRIs and OCIs can buy Indian ETFs, including gold and silver ETFs, through an NRI demat account. Here is how the NRE and NRO routes work after the June 20…
02 Oct 2026 · 11 min read -
List of ETFs in India 2026: NSE ETFs by Category With TER, AUM and Trading Volume
India has 357 ETFs, but only about 200 hold more than ₹100 crore. Here they are by category, from Nifty 50 to gold, silver, liquid and international, with NSE …
02 Oct 2026 · 14 min read -
Top 10 ETFs in India 2026: Screened on Cost, Size, Tracking and Liquidity
Which ETFs in India screen best on cost, size, tracking error and liquidity? We ran a four-step screen across large cap, Next 50, mid cap, small cap, gold, sil…
02 Oct 2026 · 12 min read -
SBI Gold ETF Review 2026: Cost, Returns, Liquidity and SBI Gold Fund Compared
A data-first review of SBI Gold ETF (SETFGOLD): what it holds, how closely it tracks gold, what it costs against Gold BeES and cheaper rivals, how it fell in 2…
29 Sep 2026 · 8 min read -
PPF for NRI: Can You Continue, Extend or Close Your Account?
NRIs cannot open a new PPF, but can run an existing one to maturity from NRO. Here is what happens at maturity, and how the US and UK tax PPF interest.
29 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
NRI Term Insurance in India: Rules, Cost, Tax and How Much Cover
Can NRIs buy Indian term insurance? Yes. Here is how to buy from abroad, pay premiums, compare with US/UK/UAE cover, handle tax and size the cover correctly.
29 Sep 2026 · 11 min read -
NRI Home Loan in India: Eligibility, Rules, Tax and EMI Guide
How NRI home loans work: eligibility, LTV limits, documents, FEMA repayment rules, power of attorney, tax benefits and a worked EMI example.
29 Sep 2026 · 12 min read -
NPS for NRI: Eligibility, Tax and Withdrawal Rules (2026)
NRIs and OCI holders can open NPS Tier I and fund it from NRE or NRO. Here is how exit, India tax deductions and US/UK tax actually work before you commit.
29 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
Nippon India Silver ETF (Silver BeES) Review 2026: Costs, Returns, Tax and the FoF Option
A data-first review of India's largest silver ETF: what it holds, how it has tracked silver, what it costs compared with other silver ETFs, how it fell in the …
29 Sep 2026 · 9 min read -
Nippon India ETF Gold BeES Review 2026: Costs, Returns, Liquidity and the Gold Savings Fund
A data-first review of Gold BeES, India's largest and most traded gold ETF: what it holds, how it tracks gold, what its 0.81% fee costs you against cheaper riv…
29 Sep 2026 · 8 min read -
How to Invest in a Gold ETF in India (2026): Step-by-Step, Costs and Tax
A step-by-step guide to buying gold ETFs in India: the account you need, how to choose a fund, how to place the order at a fair price, SIPs, the gold fund-of-f…
29 Sep 2026 · 8 min read -
ETF vs Mutual Fund vs Index Fund: Which Is Cheaper in India? (2026)
ETFs, index funds and active mutual funds can hold the same stocks but cost very different amounts. Real AMFI data on what the ETF, the index fund and the Regu…
29 Sep 2026 · 8 min read -
TDS on Sale of Property by NRI: Tax, Form 13 & Repatriation (2026)
NRI selling property in India? TDS is on the full sale value, LTCG is 12.5% with no indexation, and repatriation is capped at $1M a year. The complete 2026 gui…
26 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
RSU Taxation in India: RSU & ESOP Tax Guide for Residents and NRIs (2026-27)
How RSUs and ESOPs are taxed in India for Tax Year 2026-27: tax at vesting, capital gains with a 24-month clock, Schedule FA, the foreign tax credit and NRI ru…
26 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
How to Repatriate Money from India as an NRI: The $1 Million Rule
Moving your India money abroad — sale proceeds, inheritance, NRO balances — is governed by an annual USD 1 million limit and a paperwork trail. Here's the proc…
26 Sep 2026 · 7 min read -
DTAA India USA: How NRIs Avoid Double Tax (2026 Guide)
How the India-US tax treaty works: residency tie-breaker, treaty rates on interest and dividends, TRC and Form 10F, Form 67 vs Form 1116 credits, and why there…
26 Sep 2026 · 11 min read -
NRE vs NRO Account: Differences, Tax, FCNR and Which NRIs Need
NRE for money earned abroad, NRO for Indian income. Here's how tax, the US$1M repatriation limit, joint holding and FCNR(B) compare, and what to do when you le…
26 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
How Much Money Do You Need to Retire in India as an NRI? (2026)
If you'd spend ₹50,000 a month in today's money and move back at 55 to 60, you need roughly ₹5.8 to 6.8 crore at retirement. Here is the maths behind that, wha…
26 Sep 2026 · 9 min read -
AI Financial Planner India 2026: What It Can Do, and What ChatGPT Gets Wrong
What an AI financial planner can and can't do for an Indian household, where general chatbots get Indian tax rules wrong, and five questions to test any AI pla…
12 Sep 2026 · 11 min read -
Year-End Tax Planning Checklist, Tax Year 2026-27: 12 Moves Before 31 March 2027
Twelve tax moves to finish before 31 March 2027, the end of tax year 2026-27, with the new section numbers under the Income-tax Act, 2025, the limits, the adva…
12 Sep 2026 · 11 min read -
PFIC and Form 8621 for Indian Mutual Funds: The 2026 Guide for US Residents
If you live in the US and hold Indian mutual funds or ETFs, the IRS usually treats them as PFICs. This guide explains the PFIC tests, who must file Form 8621, …
12 Sep 2026 · 12 min read -
REITs in India 2026: All 5 Listed REITs Compared - Embassy, Knowledge Realty, Mindspace, Brookfield, Nexus
India now has five listed REITs. We compare Embassy, Knowledge Realty Trust, Mindspace, Brookfield and Nexus on yield, size, occupancy and how their payouts ar…
12 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
NRI ITR Filing in 2026: Who Must File, Deadlines and DTAA Relief for US, UK, Singapore and UAE
Missed 31 July? NRIs can still file a belated FY 2025-26 return until 31 December 2026. Who must file, which ITR form, the real deadlines, how TDS refunds work…
12 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
ELSS Lump Sum vs SIP: Which Works Better for Tax Saving in 2026-27?
Should you put ₹1.5 lakh into ELSS in one go or spread it out? How the 3-year lock-in works for each SIP instalment, who can still claim the deduction in tax y…
12 Sep 2026 · 9 min read -
Advance Tax December 2026: Freelancer Deadline & Calculation
The third advance-tax instalment for tax year 2026-27 is due on 15 December 2026. How much freelancers and consultants owe, how presumptive (old 44ADA) filers …
12 Sep 2026 · 9 min read -
SIF vs PMS vs AIF vs Mutual Fund (2026): Minimums, Fees, Tax and Liquidity Compared
Mutual funds, SEBI's Specialized Investment Funds, PMS and Category III AIFs compared on minimum ticket, regulation, fees, how they are taxed, liquidity and tr…
12 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
LRS Limit and TCS on Foreign Remittance 2026: Rates and Refunds
LRS lets residents send US$250,000 a year abroad. From April 2026, TCS is 20% above ₹10 lakh for investments and gifts, 2% for education and medical. Here's ho…
12 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
RNOR Status Explained: Rules, Calculator & Tax Benefits (2026)
RNOR status lets returning NRIs keep foreign income outside Indian tax for 2 to 3 years. The residency tests, what is taxed, and how your return date sets the …
12 Sep 2026 · 10 min read -
Silver ETFs in 2026: The January Peak, the 44% Crash and What to Do Now
Silver ETFs in India rose about 65% in January 2026, peaked on 29 January, then fell about 44% by 23 March. Here is what happened, where prices stand now, and …
29 Aug 2026 · 7 min read -
Best Nifty 50 Index Funds (Direct Growth) 2026: Expense Ratio, Tracking Error and Returns Compared
The five largest Nifty 50 index funds compared on expense ratio, tracking error, size and returns, with real AMFI data to September 2026, plus how they stack u…
27 Aug 2026 · 8 min read -
Equity ETFs Beyond Nifty 50: What Indian Portfolios Miss (2026 Data)
Nifty Next 50, midcap, smallcap, bank and Nasdaq 100 ETFs compared on cost, tracking error, 10-year returns and worst falls, with AMFI and NSE data to Septembe…
28 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Contra Funds in India: The Underrated Equity Category
Contra funds bet on out-of-favour stocks and sectors — buying what others are selling. The category sounds clever but has had inconsistent execution. Here's wh…
28 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Smart Beta and Factor ETFs in India: How They Work, What They Cost, How They Have Done
Low volatility, momentum, quality, value, alpha and equal-weight ETFs explained: how NSE builds each index, what the ETFs charge, how they performed to August …
28 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Fund of Funds (FoF) in India Explained: Types, Costs, Tax and When They Make Sense (2026)
A fund of funds invests in other mutual funds. SEBI's 95% rule and FoF sub-categories, the real two-layer costs of popular FoFs, how each type is taxed in tax …
28 May 2026 · 10 min read -
Children's Fund vs Separate Goal SIPs: The Math Most Parents Miss
Children's mutual funds promise a packaged "education+marriage" solution with mandatory lock-in until child turns 18. The same allocation done via separate goa…
28 May 2026 · 10 min read -
Multi Asset Allocation Funds vs DIY: Is the Single Fund Worth It?
Multi asset allocation funds hold equity, debt, and gold/commodities in one product. Convenience comes at a tax and cost price. Here's whether the bundle beats…
28 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Conservative Hybrid Funds for Retirement Income in India
Conservative hybrid funds hold 75-90% debt and 10-25% equity. Designed for income-focused investors and retirees who want a small equity kicker on top of debt …
28 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Floating Rate Funds: The Rising-Rate Hedge Most Indians Don't Use
Floating rate funds invest in bonds whose coupons reset with rates. When rates rise, FD and gilt fund holders lose; floating rate fund NAV barely moves. Here's…
28 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Retirement Mutual Funds vs NPS vs PPF: Which Comes First for Salaried Indians?
Retirement mutual funds vs NPS vs PPF — three very different products with overlapping use cases. Here's the comparison Indian professionals actually need befo…
19 May 2026 · 11 min read -
Thematic Funds in India: What the Returns Actually Show (ESG, Manufacturing, Infra, EV)
We computed 3- and 5-year returns for every ESG, manufacturing, infrastructure, transport and consumption fund with five years of history. Most beat a Nifty 50…
19 May 2026 · 10 min read -
Sector Funds in India: When to Use Them and When to Avoid
Sector funds bet on a single industry — banking, IT, pharma, FMCG, infrastructure. Returns can be spectacular in sector cycles, brutal outside them. Here's the…
19 May 2026 · 10 min read -
Multi Cap vs Flexi Cap Funds: What's the Difference?
Multi cap and flexi cap funds sound similar but have a critical difference: SEBI mandates 25% each in large/mid/small cap for multi cap, while flexi cap can go…
19 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Money Market Funds in India 2026: Where to Park Money for 3-9 Months
Money market funds invest in instruments under 1-year maturity — T-bills, certificates of deposit, commercial paper. Higher yield than savings, lower volatilit…
19 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Short Duration vs Ultra Short Duration Funds: Which Suits a 1-3 Year Goal?
Short duration and ultra-short duration debt funds look similar but serve different time horizons. Here's the math, the duration ranges, and how to pick the ri…
19 May 2026 · 9 min read -
NRI Mutual Fund Investment in India (2026): Accounts, KYC, US/Canada Rules, TDS and Repatriation
How NRIs invest in Indian mutual funds in 2026: who can invest, KYC and FATCA, repatriable vs non-repatriable routes after RBI's June 2026 changes, why US and …
19 May 2026 · 10 min read -
Equity Savings Funds: Debt-Like Risk With Equity Taxation
Equity savings funds combine equity (35%+), arbitrage, and debt to qualify for equity tax treatment despite low net equity. Here's the math, the use case, and …
17 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Long Duration Debt Funds in India: When Long-Bond Bets Pay Off
Long duration funds carry 7+ year duration. Massive gains in falling rate cycles, equally massive losses in rising. Pure interest rate bet, not for the faint-h…
17 May 2026 · 10 min read -
Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs) in India Explained: How They Work, Tax and Risks in 2026
FMPs are closed-ended debt funds that hold bonds to a set maturity date. How they work, why SEBI bars any 'indicative yield', how they are taxed in tax year 20…
17 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Corporate Bond Funds in India 2026: Yield, Risk and When to Use Them
Corporate bond funds invest 80%+ in AA+ and above corporate debt. Higher yield than Banking & PSU, much safer than credit risk funds. Here's how the category f…
17 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Dynamic Bond Funds: The Most Misunderstood Debt Category in India
Dynamic bond funds let the fund manager freely change duration based on rate views. Sounds smart. The data says active duration calls have mostly underperforme…
17 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Credit Risk Funds in India: Higher Yield, Higher Risk
Credit risk funds invest 65%+ in below-AA-rated debt for higher yield. The history is messy — IL&FS 2018, Franklin Templeton 2020. Here's when the category gen…
17 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Gilt Funds in India 2026: Pure Government Bond Funds Explained
Gilt funds invest 80%+ in government securities — zero credit risk, but high interest rate sensitivity. Here's why they're used, when they shine, and the trap …
17 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Mutual Fund Tax in India 2026: Equity, Debt, Gold and International Funds Explained (Tax Year 2026-27)
How mutual fund gains and dividends are taxed in tax year 2026-27: equity funds, debt funds bought before and after April 2023, gold and international funds, F…
17 May 2026 · 11 min read -
Pure Metal ETFs: 5 Hidden Risks Indian Investors Often Ignore (2026 Data)
Gold and silver ETFs are useful, but they are not "safe". Five real risks — volatility, no income, tracking gaps, tax timing and concentration — explained with…
17 May 2026 · 7 min read -
Liquid Funds vs Savings Account vs FD: The Math for ₹1 Lakh Parked
₹1 lakh in a savings account earns about 2.5%. The same ₹1 lakh in a liquid fund earns 6.5%. Over 5 years that is ₹20,000 lost to choosing the wrong instrument…
09 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Banking & PSU Debt Funds in India 2026: The Low-Risk End of Debt Funds
Banking & PSU debt funds invest 80% in bonds of banks and government undertakings — the lowest credit risk you can get in debt mutual funds short of gilt. Here…
06 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Aggressive Hybrid Funds: A Middle Path for First-Time Equity Investors
Aggressive hybrid funds hold 65-80% equity and 20-35% debt — equity exposure with built-in shock absorber. Here's why they're often the right first equity inve…
06 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Best Silver ETFs in India 2026: All 13 Funds Compared
All 13 silver ETFs in India compared on expense ratio, AUM and tracking error (September 2026 data), plus the silver fund-of-funds options, how silver is taxed…
05 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Business Cycle Funds in India: Should You Invest?
Business cycle funds claim to rotate between sectors based on economic cycles — invest in defensives during slowdowns, cyclicals during recoveries. Here's whet…
04 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Dividend Yield Funds in India 2026: 5 Funds Compared on Returns, Costs and Holdings
What dividend yield funds are, what SEBI requires of them, and how five of the larger funds compare on 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year returns, expense ratio, size and …
04 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Focused Mutual Funds in India 2026: 5 Funds Compared on Returns, Costs and Concentration
Focused funds can hold at most 30 stocks. We explain SEBI's rules for the category, how to judge a concentrated fund, and compare five of the largest on return…
04 May 2026 · 9 min read -
REITs in India Explained: How They Work, How Payouts Are Taxed and How to Invest (2026)
A plain-English guide to Real Estate Investment Trusts in India: what a REIT owns, the SEBI rules that protect unitholders, why each payout is taxed in three d…
04 May 2026 · 10 min read -
Should You Sell an Underperforming Mutual Fund Just to Avoid Tax?
You hold a fund that has underperformed for 4 years. Selling triggers LTCG tax. So you hold on. Is this smart or expensive? Here's how to run the math and deci…
04 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Value Funds in India 2026: 5 Funds Compared on Returns, Costs and Portfolios
What a value fund is, what SEBI's February 2026 rules changed, how to judge one, and how five of the larger value funds compare on 1- to 10-year returns, expen…
03 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Should You Pause Your SIP in a Market Crash? 25 Years of Indian Data Says No
Every major crash — 2008, 2013, 2020 — sees a surge in SIP cancellations. But 25 years of Indian market data shows continuing the SIP through a crash is worth,…
03 May 2026 · 8 min read -
How to Choose an Index Fund in India: The 4 Checks, With Real 2026 Data
Two index funds on the same index can trail it by very different amounts. Here is how to compare any index fund on tracking difference, expense ratio, tracking…
03 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Portfolio Overlap in Mutual Funds: SEBI's 50% Cap and What It Means for You
Two sectoral funds from the same AMC could share 75%+ of their portfolio. SEBI's Feb 2026 rule now caps this at 50%. Here's how to audit your own portfolio, wh…
03 May 2026 · 9 min read -
Children's and Retirement Mutual Funds After SEBI's 2026 Changes: Is Your Fund Closing or Continuing?
SEBI scrapped the solution-oriented category in February 2026, then in March let fund houses keep their children's and retirement funds if they give up some Li…
03 May 2026 · 8 min read -
Life Cycle Funds in India: How SEBI's Target-Date Mutual Funds Work
A Life Cycle Fund is a mutual fund with a maturity year in its name that moves your money from equity to debt as that year gets closer. Here are SEBI's glide-p…
03 May 2026 · 9 min read -
SEBI's New Mutual Fund Rules 2026: What the February Overhaul Changes
SEBI's February 2026 overhaul is the biggest mutual fund rule change in a decade. Here's what changes for equity categories, portfolio overlap, value funds, an…
27 Apr 2026 · 11 min read -
Best Gold ETFs in India 2026: All 14 Large Funds Compared
Every gold ETF in India with more than ₹1,000 crore in assets, compared on expense ratio, AUM and tracking error (September 2026 data), plus the 2026 tax rules…
24 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Best International Mutual Funds in India (2026): Global and Foreign Funds Compared
The best-known international funds in India are closed or limited for new money because of SEBI's overseas-investment caps. We show each fund's status and retu…
24 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
Portfolio Rebalancing: When and How Indian Investors Should Do It
Your carefully chosen 70/30 equity-debt split drifts to 85/15 after a bull run. Rebalancing forces you to sell high and buy low — but done wrong, it wrecks you…
23 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
Direct vs Regular Mutual Funds: How a 1% Fee Costs You Lakhs
The only structural difference between direct and regular mutual fund plans is the expense ratio. Over 20 years, that 1% gap costs a ₹25,000 monthly SIP about …
23 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Best Hybrid Mutual Funds 2026: Aggressive, Conservative and Equity Savings Funds Compared
Aggressive hybrid, conservative hybrid and equity savings funds compared on real returns, costs and size to September 2026, with the current fund names and the…
22 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
Step-Up SIP: How ₹2,000 a Month Grows With a 10% Yearly Increase (and What ₹2 Crore Really Takes)
₹2,000 a month, raised 10% every year for 25 years at a 12% return, builds about ₹78.7 lakh, not ₹2 crore. Here is the maths, a flat vs step-up comparison at f…
19 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
Large Cap vs Mid Cap vs Flexi Cap: Which One and How Much?
The three most popular equity fund categories — but most investors don't know the difference. Here's a clear comparison with allocation guidelines based on you…
17 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Child Education Cost in India: 2026 Fees, 2044 Projections and the SIP You Need
IIT Bombay's B.Tech costs about ₹10 lakh in fees and hostel today, BITS Pilani about ₹29 lakh and a private MBBS about ₹71 lakh. For a child born in 2026, plan…
15 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
How Much SIP Do You Need? A Formula Based on Your Goals
Don't pick a random SIP amount. Here's the reverse formula: start with your goal, work backward to the exact monthly investment you need — with real compoundin…
13 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Index Funds vs ELSS for Tax Saving (2026): Costs, Lock-in and When Each Fits
A Nifty 50 index fund and an ELSS fund both invest in Indian shares, but only ELSS gives a tax deduction, and only in the old regime. We compare their costs, l…
12 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
Best Debt Mutual Funds India 2026: 5 Funds Compared by Category, Returns, Cost and Tax
Five large debt funds, from a liquid fund to two corporate bond funds, compared on real returns, expense ratio and size with AMFI data to September 2026, plus …
12 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Best Multi Asset Allocation Funds 2026: Equity, Debt and Gold in One Fund Compared
Five multi asset allocation funds compared on real returns, SIP results, costs, equity share and tax, using AMFI data to September 2026 and each fund's current…
12 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Best Balanced Advantage Funds 2026: Returns, Costs and the 2020 Crash Test Compared
Five large balanced advantage funds compared on real returns to September 2026, costs, fund managers and how far each fell in the 2020 crash, with the current …
12 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Best Flexi Cap Funds in India 2026: 5 Funds Compared for SIP and Lump Sum
HDFC, JM, Franklin India, Parag Parikh and Canara Robeco flexi cap funds compared on real 5-year returns, expense ratio, size, fund managers and portfolio mix,…
12 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Best Small Cap Mutual Funds India 2026: 5-Year Returns, Costs and Crash History
Seven small cap funds compared on 3- and 5-year returns, expense ratio, size and how far they fell in 2024–25, using AMFI data to 28 September 2026, plus which…
12 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
Best Mid Cap Mutual Funds India 2026: 5-Year Returns, Costs and Crash History
Seven mid cap funds compared on 3- and 5-year returns, expense ratio and size, using AMFI data to 28 September 2026, with how far mid caps fell in 2020 and 202…
12 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
Best Large Cap Mutual Funds India 2026: 5-Year Returns, Costs and Risk Compared
Eight large cap funds compared on 3- and 5-year returns, expense ratio and size, using AMFI data to 28 September 2026, with the real crash history of large cap…
12 Apr 2026 · 8 min read -
How Much Money Do You Need to Retire in India? (2026 Tables)
If you spend ₹50,000 a month today and want to retire at 60, you need about ₹1.6 crore in today's money, or ₹2.8 to 9.1 crore on the day you retire, depending …
10 Apr 2026 · 10 min read -
How Much Term Life Insurance Do You Need?
The common advice is '10x your annual income' — but is that enough? Here's the actual formula financial planners use, and how to calculate the exact cover your…
08 Apr 2026 · 9 min read -
How to Choose a Mutual Fund in India: 7 Things to Check Before Investing
With 1,500+ mutual funds in India, picking the right one feels overwhelming. Here are the 7 things that actually matter — and the 5 things that don't.
06 Apr 2026 · 10 min read -
F&O and Intraday Trading Tax in India: Guide (Tax Year 2026-27)
How F&O and intraday profits and losses are taxed in tax year 2026-27 under the Income-tax Act, 2025: speculative vs non-speculative income, turnover, tax audi…
25 Feb 2026 · 11 min read -
NPS Tier 2 Account: How It Works, Withdrawal Rules, Charges and Tax (2026)
NPS Tier 2 is a flexible add-on to your Tier 1 pension account: withdraw any time, no exit load, up to 100% equity and low fund charges. But there is no tax de…
25 Feb 2026 · 8 min read -
HRA Exemption on Rent Paid to Parents: 2026-27 Rules and Paperwork
Living in your parents’ home? Paying them rent can make part of your HRA tax-free under the old regime. Here’s how it works in 2026-27, including the 4 new 50%…
24 Feb 2026 · 7 min read -
How to Invest in US Stocks from India: 2026 Guide to LRS, TCS and Tax
The four ways to invest in US stocks from India in 2026: direct via LRS, Indian international funds, India-listed ETFs and GIFT City. Covers the ₹10 lakh TCS t…
24 Feb 2026 · 10 min read -
Step-Up SIP: What It Is and What a 10% Yearly Increase Does
A step-up SIP raises your monthly SIP each year. See what a 10% yearly increase does to a ₹10,000 SIP over 10 to 25 years, and how to set one up.
23 Feb 2026 · 6 min read -
How to Pay Off Personal Loan and Credit Card Debt Faster in India
Personal loans and credit card debt (up to 45% a year) are the two most destructive forces in Indian household finances. Here is a battle-tested strategy to el…
18 Feb 2026 · 6 min read -
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana vs Mutual Funds for Your Daughter: 2026 Comparison with Real Numbers
SSY pays 8.2% tax-free (Oct–Dec 2026) with a government guarantee. An equity SIP could build more, with risk. We compare both on the same ₹1.5 lakh a year, usi…
16 Feb 2026 · 9 min read -
How Much Health Insurance Does a Family Need in India? A Simple 2026 Framework
A family of four needs about ₹20–25 lakh of health cover, built as a ₹5–10 lakh family floater plus a super top-up, with a separate policy for parents. Here is…
12 Feb 2026 · 9 min read -
Lumpsum vs SIP: Which Is Better, and When Each One Wins
A lumpsum usually beats a SIP when you already have the money, but a SIP or STP wins if markets fall early. A ₹6 lakh worked example, tax rules and who should …
10 Feb 2026 · 5 min read -
How to Improve CIBIL Score: Steps, Timelines and Your RBI Rights
What actually moves a CIBIL score, how long each fix takes to show, and your RBI rights: a free yearly report, 30-day corrections and ₹100 a day for delays.
05 Feb 2026 · 6 min read -
PPF vs Fixed Deposit: Which Is Better for Safe, Long-Term Returns?
PPF and Fixed Deposits are India's most-trusted safe investments. They look similar but differ dramatically in tax treatment, liquidity, and long-term wealth c…
03 Feb 2026 · 5 min read -
NPS vs EPF: Which Retirement Tool Should You Prioritise?
EPF is mandatory for most salaried employees, but NPS offers tax benefits and market-linked returns. Understanding both helps you build a more complete retirem…
29 Jan 2026 · 6 min read -
The 50/30/20 Budget Rule: How to Apply It on an Indian Salary
The 50/30/20 rule is the simplest framework for managing money — 50% needs, 30% wants, 20% savings. But adapting it to Indian income levels, EMIs, and family o…
27 Jan 2026 · 5 min read -
Physical Gold vs SGB vs Gold ETF (2026): Tax, Costs and What You Can Still Buy
No new Sovereign Gold Bonds have been issued since February 2024, and since April 2026 only original subscribers get tax-free maturity. How physical gold, SGBs…
22 Jan 2026 · 8 min read -
Home Loan Prepayment vs SIP: How to Decide, With the Maths
Prepay when your loan costs more after tax than equity can be expected to earn after tax, or when you need the certainty. A worked ₹50 lakh example, the old vs…
20 Jan 2026 · 9 min read -
Buy vs Rent a House in India: Which Is Smarter in 2026?
Should you buy a home or rent and invest the difference? A 2026 framework for Indian cities: rental yield, the full cost of owning, home-loan tax rules for Tax…
15 Jan 2026 · 10 min read -
New vs Old Tax Regime: Which Saves More (Tax Year 2026-27)
New and old regime slabs for tax year 2026-27 under the Income-tax Act, 2025, the ₹12 lakh rebate, which deductions survive, and how much you must deduct befor…
07 Jan 2026 · 10 min read -
ELSS vs PPF: Which Is Better for Tax Saving in 2026-27?
PPF pays a tax-free 7.1% with a 15-year lock-in; ELSS is equity with a 3-year lock-in. Both share the ₹1.5 lakh section 123 (old 80C) deduction, but only in th…
02 Jan 2026 · 6 min read -
4% Rule in India: Your FIRE Number and Whether 4% Holds
Where the 4% rule comes from, how to work out your FIRE number, and why Indian inflation and long early retirements point to a 3–3.5% withdrawal rate.
29 Dec 2025 · 7 min read -
Term Insurance vs Investment Plans: Why You Should Keep Them Separate
ULIPs and endowment plans promise insurance plus returns. But this mix often delivers the worst of both worlds — inadequate cover and poor returns. Here is why…
23 Dec 2025 · 5 min read -
SIP to Become a Crorepati: How Much per Month for ₹1 Crore, and How Long It Really Takes
How much SIP do you need for ₹1 crore? At 12% a year it is about ₹10,900 a month for 20 years or ₹3,250 for 30. We show the full maths, what changes at 8% or 1…
18 Dec 2025 · 9 min read
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