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…

A reader says, ” After watching all portfolio management videos. I purchased the robo-advisory tool. I have set goals. Now I am good to go. Goal: Son’s education. 13 years time period. As per the robo advisory tool, for the debt portion, I have two options. One is Gilt funds & 2nd one is PPF…

Recently, I attended a gathering where the discussion turned to personal finance. Someone inquired about the best place to begin. Predictably, responses such as “security analysis” and “intelligent investor” punctuated the conversation. Many also pointed to blogs that repeat phrases Buffett and Munger popularised, with “investor” as a common theme in their titles, paired with…

I have tracked the amount invested in my goal portfolio for over 12 years. It has been a life and game changer for my family. Whether you track your spending or not, tracking your investment amount is crucial. Today, I can invest more for retirement than my target investment. That was not the case when…

A reader asks, “How to perform a portfolio audit? What are the steps? What should be the frequency? How to achieve it without impacting your core day-to-day job/business? Ideally, how many goal-based portfolios an individual should have at max?” A portfolio audit comes after proper goal-based financial planning and implementation of the plan. We recommend…

We recently recorded an episode on women and investing for the Let’s Get Rich with Pattu podcast (it should be released when this article is published). As I prepared for it, I realised that it was my fault that my wife was not interested in personal finance. My wife says, “As long as I have…