Loans and debt in India, explained

Whether to buy or rent, whether to prepay a loan or invest instead, how NRIs borrow in India, and how to get out of expensive debt. Rates quoted in the guides are dated; check your lender's current card before you decide.

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Home loans

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 Year 2026…

10 min read · Read guide →

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 new regim…

9 min read · Read guide →

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.

12 min read · Read guide →

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 score fast,…

8 min read · Read guide →

Credit and debt

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.

6 min read · Read guide →

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 eliminate th…

6 min read · Read guide →

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 obligations…

5 min read · Read guide →

Loan calculators

Home loan EMI calculator

EMI, total interest and the effect of prepaying.

Car loan calculator

EMI, interest and the true cost of the car.

Personal loan calculator

EMI and total interest on a personal loan.

Loan prepayment calculator

Interest saved by prepaying any loan.

Debt payoff planner

The fastest order to clear several debts.

Rent vs buy calculator

Whether buying beats renting and investing the difference.

NRI home loan eligibility

How much an NRI can borrow on overseas income.

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Frequently asked questions

Should I prepay my home loan or invest the money?
Compare the loan's interest rate after any tax benefit with the after-tax return you can realistically expect from investing. Prepaying is a guaranteed saving; investing may earn more but isn't guaranteed. The home loan prepayment vs SIP guide works through the numbers.

Is there a penalty for prepaying a floating-rate home loan?
No, for floating-rate loans to individuals for non-business purposes. RBI's Pre-payment Charges Directions, 2025 bar such charges on loans sanctioned or renewed from 1 January 2026, and earlier RBI rules already barred them on floating-rate home loans. Fixed-rate and business loans can still carry a charge, so check your loan agreement.

Can NRIs take a home loan in India?
Yes, from banks and registered housing finance companies, for a residential home in India. RBI requires the terms to match those for residents and caps the loan at 90%, 80% or 75% of the property value depending on the loan size. The NRI home loan guide covers rates, documents and repayment from NRE or NRO accounts.