College students often ask me: “What is the best way to start trading?”. They probably expect me to belt out learning resources and the best demat account. But I usually disappoint them with the following response. To make significant money from trading, one needs significant capital, which college students are unlikely to have. Trading involves…

Here are a few personal finance milestones that can help you gauge “where you stand today” on the road to wealth. We will assume the basics like insurance, emergency fund, and goal planning are in place. If not, we recommend this free e-book: Re-assemble Step by Step Money Management Basics. 1. Your Liquid Networth exceeds…

We do not need intelligence to make money. We do need the smarts to make money. We need clarity, discipline, confidence, or conviction to stay the course. Today we have many free and paid materials on managing our money. One could learn to DIY from scratch without professional financial advice. However, very few are successful….

In this article, we discuss simple tips to review your investment portfolio. Every portfolio requires a personalized benchmark for comparison. Our long-term goals, particularly the money required for these goals, form natural benchmarks for a portfolio review. First, the basics should be in place before we start investing or immediately after: Emergency fund Life Insurance…

A reader says, “I have a query regarding mf investment vs loan prepayment. I have an SBI MaxGain home loan account where I can park surplus funds and save on interest. Now I’ve approx 20L outstanding there, and I’m about to receive approximately the same amount from a different venture”. “I have two options. 1….

Phrases like “guaranteed income” or “guaranteed returns” are used to sell thousands of insurance policies or products because they strike an emotional chord within us. Sadly, even in 2024, many investors are unaware of the risk they pose to our lifestyle and our aspirations. So many investors want to buy guaranteed income plans, arguing that…

So many investors search for the best investment strategy and products offering the highest returns (and lowest risk and tax!). When we tell them these do not exist, they get irritated and move to someone who hopefully can offer them these. Investors want constant confirmation that they have chosen the right products and are on…

Paralysis by analysis is a common issue in personal finance, affecting individuals in varying ways. It is, however, somewhat healthy, often indicating a concern for money and its future. Taking time to make a decision, be it a week or a month, is acceptable, provided a decision is eventually made. If not, it signals a…

A Let’s Get Rich with Pattu podcast listener writes, “If I have invested ~40-50% of the house price, is it a good idea to take out that amount and pay as a downpayment, or take the max loan amount possible, keeping the investment intact, paying more EMI and hence lesser investments thereafter till the loan is…

I maintain a document named “Where is our money?”. This document captures everything I want my family to know about money if I were to be in a position not to tell them—maybe because I am dead or in a coma or prison—or something more pleasant, like being in a Vipassana camp. About the author…

A significant realisation strikes us as we complete our college education and enter the workforce. We discover what our school and college peers are up to, their lifestyles, probable income, and more. We start to determine our relative position in life. So, what should a relatively young individual with a “low income” do to reach…

A reader says, “I have a query in portfolio rebalancing. When we are moving excess funds from equity to debt (based on asset allocation), normally from which asset, i.e. top performing or laggard fund, do we need to move? All funds in the portfolio are entered after considering all aspects, but given market volatility, few…

Investors often fixate on the returns of their investments. Some prefer higher returns and are willing to take on more risk, while others prioritize a guaranteed return with no threat to their principal investment. However, there are more aspects to consider in investing than just the returns. While it could be argued that real returns…

“Is AI necessary in investment advisory? Will it make a difference?” was one of the responses we received for this article: Retirement Planning with AutoGPT: The Informal Future of Investment Advisory. The truth is AI is already well and truly here and here to stay. At the time of writing, in areas relevant to us,…

A reader says, ” First of all, thank you for providing all the answers needed by me & all. A long time ago, I came across one of your articles about the rent vs buy topic wherein you mentioned that we need to save about half of the cost of the house and then get…