Personal finance, answered simply
Straight answers to the money questions Indians actually ask — SIPs, mutual funds, term & health insurance, tax, NPS, bonds and retirement. Written by a Chartered Accountant who is a NISM-certified Research Analyst & Mutual Fund Distributor.
54EC capital gains bonds — save tax when you sell property
Sold a house, land or building and facing a big capital gains tax bill? Section 54EC bonds let you legally avoid that tax by parking the gains in government backed bonds. How it works, step by step: 1. You sell an immovable property held over 2 years → long term capital gain arises. 2. …
Asset allocation and rebalancing
Asset allocation — the equity/debt/gold split — decides ~90% of your portfolio outcome. Fund selection matters far less. Setting the split: Starting point: equity % ≈ 110 − your age (a 34 year old → ~75% equity), then adjust for temperament. If a 30% fall would make you sell, hold less equity. …
Investing in bonds, NCDs and corporate FDs for steady income
Bonds are loans you give to a company or government — they pay you fixed interest (coupon) and return your money at maturity . They sit between savings accounts and equity: steadier than shares, better earning than savings. Reading a bond like a pro (3 things only): 1. …
Direct vs regular mutual fund plans
Every mutual fund scheme comes in two plans holding the same portfolio : Direct plan — you invest without an intermediary; lower expense ratio. Regular plan — bought through a distributor; the expense ratio includes the distributor's trail commission (typically 0.5–1.25%/year, every year, on your full balance). …
How big should an emergency fund be and where to keep it?
Your emergency fund is the foundation under every other investment — it stops a job loss or medical event from forcing you to sell equity at the worst time. How much: 6 months of expenses (not income) for salaried; 12 months if your income is variable (business, freelancing, commissions). Where to keep it (in layers): 1. …
How equity and mutual fund gains are taxed in India?
Equity taxation (shares and equity mutual funds), FY 2024 25 rules onwards: LTCG (held 12 months): 12.5% on gains above ₹1.25 lakh per financial year . No indexation. STCG (held ≤ 12 months): 20% flat. Dividends: added to income, taxed at your slab. …
The financial planning process — how advisors build your money plan
This is the same 6 step process SEBI certified investment advisers use — apply it to yourself: 1. Know where you stand. List what you own (assets) minus what you owe (loans) = net worth . Track it yearly; the trend matters more than the number. 2. …
About Findost, PaisaGuru and who runs it
I'm PaisaGuru — the 24×7 wealth desk of Findost , an AI powered wealth companion for Indian investors. "Your Wealth. Intelligent. Personal. Always." It is built by a Chartered Accountant who is also a NISM certified Research Analyst and NISM certified Mutual Fund Distributor (mutual fund distribution in partnership with Wealthy.in). …
Futures and options explained simply — what is F&O and should you trade it
Futures and options (F&O) are "derivatives" — contracts whose value comes from something else (a stock or an index like Nifty). Professionals use them to manage risk; most retail traders use them to speculate — and SEBI's own study found 9 out of 10 retail F&O traders lose money . …
GIFT City USD funds — international dollar investing from India
GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec City) is India's own international finance zone — it lets resident Indians invest in US dollar denominated funds without opening overseas accounts. …
How to analyze and pick stocks — fundamental and technical analysis?
Professional analysts judge a stock in three steps — you can use the same checklist in simple form: 1. Is the business good? (Fundamental analysis) Earnings growth — is profit (PAT) growing steadily over 5 years? ROE (Return on Equity) above ~15% — the company uses shareholders' money efficiently. …
Types of mutual funds and which category to choose
SEBI groups mutual funds into clear categories — pick by goal horizon and risk appetite , not by last year's returns: Equity (5+ year goals): Index funds (Nifty 50/Sensex) — lowest cost, no fund manager risk. The simplest core holding. Flexi cap — manager moves freely across large/mid/small caps. Good all weather choice. …
NPS vs PPF — which retirement vehicle to choose
PPF and NPS solve different problems — most serious savers use both. PPF (Public Provident Fund): ~7.1% fully tax free (EEE) — the cleanest debt instrument in India. 15 year tenure, extendable in 5 year blocks; partial withdrawals from year 7. Max ₹1.5 L/year (counts in 80C). Sovereign guarantee. …
Old vs new tax regime — how to choose
India now has two personal tax regimes; the new regime is the default but you can opt for the old one (salaried can switch every year). New regime: lower slab rates, ₹75,000 standard deduction, but no 80C, no HRA, no home loan interest deduction (self occupied) . Income up to ~₹12 L effectively tax free (post rebate, FY 2025 26). …
Section 80C options and how to use the 1.5 lakh limit
Section 80C allows up to ₹1.5 lakh/year of deductions (old regime only). Where to put it, ranked by typical usefulness: Strategy: EPF + tuition often fill a chunk automatically. Top up the balance with ELSS (if you want growth) or PPF (if you want safety). Do it in April, not March — a full year of returns on the same deduction. …
SIF, PMS and AIF — premium investment vehicles explained
Beyond mutual funds, India has three "premium" vehicles for larger portfolios — here's each in one breath: SIF — Specialized Investment Fund (min ₹10 lakh) SEBI's newest category (2025), sitting between mutual funds and PMS. …
What is a SIP and how does it work?
A SIP (Systematic Investment Plan) invests a fixed amount into a mutual fund every month, automatically. Why it works: 1. Rupee cost averaging — you buy more units when markets fall and fewer when they rise, smoothing your purchase price across cycles. 2. …
How the stock market works and how to start investing in shares?
Think of the stock market as a regulated marketplace where you buy small pieces of ownership (shares) in companies . When the company grows, your piece becomes more valuable. The basics in plain words: Exchanges — NSE and BSE are where shares trade. Nifty 50 and Sensex are scoreboards tracking India's biggest companies. …
How much term insurance cover do I need?
Term insurance is the only life insurance most people should buy. It's pure protection: large cover, small premium, zero investment component. How much cover: the practical thumb rule is 15–20× annual income , plus outstanding loans, minus existing assets. …
What can I invest in through Findost and the Wealthy platform?
Through wealthy.findost.io , Findost gives you a full service wealth desk — one login, every regulated product, with a real CA led team behind it: Grow: Mutual funds — including the Wealthy Select list: funds filtered on 4 evidence tests — rolling return consistency across a decade, benchmark & category outperformance, risk adjusted stren …
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