A reader wants to know, “How do you prepare for parenthood financially?” — a discussion. I admire this line of thinking. I would recommend every wannabe parent to ask themselves this question. Previous generations considered childbirth a gift and believed it should not be hampered by too much planning. Perhaps they are right, but there…
Continue reading →This ETF screener is based on tracking errors and tracking differences (ETF return minus index return). The screener will help users evaluate how efficiently an ETF has tracked its underlying benchmark. The tracking error is the ETF’s standard deviation minus index monthly return differences. The lower the tracking error, the more efficient the ETF is…
Continue reading →A reader asks, “I am 35 years old and presently have a Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) cover for myself and my family (wife and daughter) on account of my Central Government job. Considering that the possibility of switching jobs is negligible and that CGHS can be extended to cover me and my wife post-retirement…
Continue reading →A reader wishes to know, “What is the ideal base health insurance plus super top-up combination?” If you are confused about which health insurance policy to buy, check out the free resources at the end of this article. There is no ideal base + super top-up combo. We will have to decide what is suitable…
Continue reading →A robust post-retirement investment strategy requires the following: (1) A large cash buffer for emergencies, (2) A guaranteed income source that handles partial expenses for the entire duration of retirement (also known as an income floor) or guaranteed income that increases at a rate close to inflation for the first 10-15 years of retirement. (3)…
Continue reading →The latest freefincal Equity Mutual Fund Performance Screener is now available. Use it to screen for consistently performing equity mutual funds. You can screen based on fund category & benchmark and spot mutual funds with a higher return than a benchmark at a lower risk. Inside, you get discounted links to our robo advisory tool…
Continue reading →In this edition of the reader story, a reader bravely shares his mistakes, hoping that younger people will not repeat them. About this series: I am grateful to readers for sharing intimate details about their financial lives for the benefit of readers. Some of the previous editions are linked at the bottom of this article. You can…
Continue reading →This is an updated capital gains taxation rules ready reckoner by tax expert Manmohan Sethumadhavan after taking into account the amendments to the Finance Bill 2025. Only two changes were to capital gains taxation rules in Budget 2025 and these were covered by Manmohan earlier Budget 2025: Changes in taxation of Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) Budget…
Continue reading →This is a National Pension Scheme Fund Screener to shortlist consistently performing NPS schemes. You can also spot NPS schemes with a higher return than a benchmark at a lower risk. This is similar in design to the freefincal Equity Mutual Fund Performance Screener. Inside, you get discounted links to our robo advisory tool and…
Continue reading →Each time the stock market falls, a new generation of investors learns how risky it can be, especially small cap and mid cap segments (which includes 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…
Continue reading →Nippon India Small Cap Fund, launched in September 2010, is the largest small cap fund in the category with an AUM of Rs. 57,010 Crores (as of 31st Jan 25). This is a technical report of how it has evolved. About the author: This article is written by a reader who prefers anonymity. The opinions…
Continue reading →In this edition of the reader story, we meet a software professional and certified table tennis coach from Coimbatore. About this series: I am grateful to readers for sharing intimate details about their financial lives for the benefit of readers. Some of the previous editions are linked at the bottom of this article. You can…
Continue reading →We publish a list of stocks with low volatility and momentum each month. We provide data for BSE 500 and BSE 100 stocks. There are now three different screener files available. (1) Stocks with low volatility and momentum from the BSE 100 large cap universe are available as a separate file (2) Stocks with low…
Continue reading →The equity market has been falling since September 2024. If you are losing patience and thinking about stopping or redeeming your equity investments, don’t! Now is the best time to invest – as long as your goals are far away! Even if we buy into the (incorrect*) belief that “over the long term, the stock…
Continue reading →You hold two asset classes in your portfolio (say equity and fixed income). Now, you are tempted to hold another asset class (say gold, at the right or wrong time; it does not matter). Every choice comes with its consequences and responsibility. Once you have a 3rd asset class, the risk in the portfolio can…
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