On August 1st, 2017, Bitcoin is expected to fork (split into two). In this post, I discuss my learning about cryptocurrencies with an emphasis on Bitcoin and Bitcoin fork and why they may be a reasonable choice of currency for those who have a set of specific requirements but does not (dare I say, should not) represent…

Financial products get mis-sold every minute of every day. Interpretations of what constitutes miss-selling depend on who you ask. They range from persuasion (bending the rules) to outright fraud (breaking them).  In this case, the victim is the buyer. There is yet another form of miss-selling where both the buyer and seller are victims. In this…

The media is blaring at full blast about the number of jobs (not just IT) that could be lost in 2017 and beyond and how it could be “bigger” than 2008.  Whether there is merit in such speculation remains to be seen. What should be clear to anyone working in a non-government establishment is that…

I am often asked this question. The catching up here refers to being able to create an adequate retirement corpus. The answer depends on the age of the person. For someone in the 30s (even late 30s), I think it is quite possible if they put their head down and invest enough for the next 15 years….

If we wish to build the financial well-being of our family, one of the first things to do is to protect it. With life insurance, in case the breadwinner(s) die; health insurance, in the case of a hospitalization; an emergency fund, to handle unexpected expenses; an accident insurance to cover of temporary or permanent loss of…

Two of my close family members had health scares in the last couple of months. One of them realised (by chance) there that communication between the heart and brain was faulty. The other had a cardiac arrest and was revived. In both situations, there was mention of a pacemaker – a device that sends electrical…

When it comes to money management, success can be measured in many ways. If it is personal finance, then it makes sense that the milestones be personal. Here are a few personal finance milestones that can help you gauge “where you stand today”. Before we begin, my book with PV Subramanyam, You Can Be Rich Too…

The official inflation numbers, be it the consumer price index or the wholesale price index have little or no relation to how much our expenses increase each year. The main reason for this is because the cost of labour/services is not regulated or calibrated.  Here is a personal inflation calculator that can help you understand how…

Each week I try and answer generic questions from readers. Here is this weeks edition. If you have a question, you can use the form below and I will address it next week (if I can). Abhi: Hello Mr. Pattabhiraman, Trust you are doing good! In the first chapter of your book “You can be rich…

Each week, I try and answer generic questions from readers. Here is part one of this week’s edition.  If you have a question, please use the form below. Please note that I will not provide specific investment advice and/or product suggestions. Pattu Sir, can any MF CAGR could be 24%? How can i get returns…

Each week I try to answer generic reader questions on money management.  Here is this weeks edition. Hi Sir, I follow your blog regularly – you helped in a great deal choosing the right funds as per goals. Now, my question is – when is a good time for a retail investor to consider portfolio…

In this weeks freefincal Q/A, we discuss matters ranging from last year’s star ELSS fund to portfolio rebalancing. Before we get to the questions, a quick mention that the Q/A is a feature in which I address generic questions from readers. You can use the form below to ask your questions. I will address them next week….

Many investors worry that they would lose the benefit of compounding or growth if they switch mutual funds. A discussion on why is not true as part of the freefincal Q/A. As mentioned last week, I will respond to reader queries each Saturday. I was supposed to make a video response, but I don’t quite feel…

As 2016 draws to a close, a look at some of the personal finance developments that made a difference and the lessons from them. Before we begin, allow me to wish you a happy new year and pray for the ability to make informed decisions. If we get that right, the rest should take care of…

Each December, I conduct a personal financial audit. I take stock of my financial goals and other aspects of personal finance relevant to me. For the last three years, I have been sharing the gist of such audits at freefincal. The idea behind doing is this to put some context into the several goal based…