Last month saw the launch of NaviPlan: A Privacy-Focused Multi-asset Tracker and Goal Planner. This tool, developed by Gokul of Naviran Technologies in association with freefincal, can be used to track mutual funds, stocks, and FDs.  The user can tag these to financial goals and track their progress. The tool also provides options to lower…

I was recently asked in an interview, “How can I emotionally handle long periods of poor returns in the equity markets?” – a discussion. Many readers accuse us of scaring them by stating the factually obvious: Long-term equity investment comes with no guarantees of success! So, we discuss how to stay invested in equity without worrying…

Many assume that their expenses will decrease after retirement and that they do not need as large a corpus as computed using our current lifestyle. This is a mistake. A 35-year-old once told me, “My expenses will be lower when I turn 60 because I will travel less, eat out less, etc.” There could be…

Everyone instantly recognizes rental income as passive income—potentially the oldest one. Real estate has an irresistible allure, which naturally leads to inquiries about its potential use as a source of passive income, especially after retirement. We discussed how passive income is crucial to your retirement plan and how to build the ideal retirement portfolio beyond…

In my previous article on risk profiling, I explored the shortcomings of most online risk assessment tools. That exercise unexpectedly led me somewhere deeper. About the author: Sneha Rege writes about personal finance and retirement planning based on her own journey as a salaried professional. She has cleared the NISM Series XA exam and continues to…

Here are some simple steps to plan and achieve your dreams and financial goals. One should consider investment products only after the goal is defined and planned for (the process). Sadly, most investors have a product-first, plan-later approach. Some assume they do not have a financial goal and only want to create wealth. They need…

A few years ago, during a long drive, I discussed money and governance with the auto-driver (it is safer to chat with strangers than relatives). He said, “For middle-class people like me ..”. I do not remember the rest of the sentence, but that phrase middle-class people like me has stayed with me. Up until that…

‘I’ll start once things settle down. It sounds like a plan. It even sounds responsible. But I’ve come to believe it might be one of the most expensive things a person can say to themselves. I’ve been investing in equity for about five years now. In the investing world, that’s not very long. I haven’t…

Many products and services offer users a choice: pay monthly or once a year at a considerable discount. Does it always make sense to take the deduction? Time is money, so paying a large amount now to avail of a discount (or to protect against a future price rise) can feel like a loss. On…

Each time the stock market falls, a new generation of investors learns how risky it can be, especially in the small and mid cap segments (including the Nifty Next 50). Equity investing is challenging for two reasons. 1) It requires incredible patience, discipline and conviction. See: Now Is the Best Time to Invest: Do not stop…

A few days ago,  a young man approached me after a talk and asked,  Is it unpatriotic to buy gold and international stocks now? I was not sure I was convincing in my answer, so let me put my thoughts together as an article. Caveat: I am not an economist. So please excuse the crudeness. Thankfully,…

A reader says, “I am 36 and have a 4-year-old daughter, trying to save some money for her education, marriage and my retirement.  I need your advice on how to invest 1 lakh per month wisely to achieve my goals.” You can treat each goal independently and have separate portfolios, or consider a single portfolio…

When Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams could not find a publisher for a one-page book on “Everything you need to know about financial planning”, he was forced to write a 368-page book – Dilbert and the Way of the Weasels. (Ref: MyMoneyBlog) You don’t need a page to hold all the advice Adams gives. All you need…

You may have heard this on many personal finance forums: It is hard to reach a net worth of Rs. one crore. After that, things become easier. In my experience, this is not a universal truth. Going from Rs. 10K to 20K networth and going from Rs. 1 Crore to 2 Crore could have similar ease or hardship….

Establishing an emergency fund is the initial step in achieving financial stability. The amount of funds needed for emergencies cannot be calculated accurately as it varies based on personal outlook. It depends on the individual’s experiences with unfortunate events and their frequency, whether positive or negative. It’s important to note that experts recommend having an…