A reader says, “You strongly recommend index funds for new investors. Why do you not recommend switching to index funds to other active fund investors? (Also wondering why you do not do it yourself)”. “Is it to avoid paying taxes on current gains if the size of the corpus is already substantial? I have also…
Continue reading →I was asked this question in a podcast recently. I am a college student. I receive some pocket money each month. How should I invest it? First, seeing 18-somethings think about investing a few years before receiving their first paycheck is wonderful. This is personal finance. So there is one right answer. I can think…
Continue reading →This article will discuss how SEBI-registered investment advisors (RIAs) earn a fee and which option is best suited for investors. This article is written with the help of inputs from Ashal Jauhari and other RIAs who are members of my curated list. SEBI only recognises two types of fees: A fee not exceeding Rs. 1.25L…
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 →We explain why “guaranteed income plans” with “assured returns” are inefficient investment avenues for our money and are best avoided. Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1748 that Time is Money in a note titled “Advice to a Young Tradesman“. Insurers use this idea to their benefit in all traditional insurance policies, including guaranteed income plans. Consider a typical…
Continue reading →In this article, reader Sampath explains why he had to postpone his plans for early retirement. His story is a lesson that we must be ready to adapt to the ups and downs of life. Dear freefincal readers, my name is Sampath. I will be 47 in Jan 2023. I have always been fascinated by…
Continue reading →In this article, we discuss how to audit a financial freedom or retirement portfolio. All long-term financial goals require periodic review to ensure that they are on track and in line with expectations and assumptions made while planning for the goal. Retirement is a unique financial goal because a corpus does not get spent within a…
Continue reading →A reader says, “I have a query about investment for my child’s future. We have been blessed with a baby boy this month, and I would like to start investing for his future and marriage”. “I plan to open a bank account (for the child) with my wife as the parent until my child becomes…
Continue reading →A reader asks,” Sir, almost my investment decisions are due to FOMO (fear of missing out). This has led to multiple stocks, mutual funds, fixed deposits, bonds and chit funds. I am ashamed to disclose the number. After reading your articles, I have understood that my approach is wrong. Can you please write an article…
Continue reading →A new weekly podcast on money management, Let’s get rich with Pattu, produced by Ofspin is launching on May 29th 2023. Each episode will cover one aspect of money management – insurance, emergency funds, planning for retirement, financial independence and early retirement, buying vs renting and more. Readers who want their questions featured on the…
Continue reading →Further extension of the deadline to opt for a higher pension under the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) has been extended to June 26, 2023. So, the subscriber of EPFO has a month to decide whether to opt for a higher pension scheme from EPS. The objective of this article is to help you determine the…
Continue reading →A reader says, “I am a regular reader of freefincal. I am wondering whether I will be able to be financially independent in the next 20 years. My Background: I am 34 years old and working for an MNC. My wife is a homemaker; she is 31 years old. We have a three-year-old daughter”. Expense…
Continue reading →This article compares my stock portfolio with an equivalent investment in a Nifty index fund and the Nifty 100 Low Volatility 30 TR index. We post this comparison each month. Before we begin, new readers need to appreciate the context of these investments. I started direct equity investing only after achieving a comfortable level of…
Continue reading →This article discusses two questions readers often ask about health insurance. (1) After buying a health insurance policy, should I inform the insurer if I am diagnosed with a new health condition? There is no need to inform the insurer immediately. At the time of renewal, if you don’t wish to increase your coverage and…
Continue reading →A reader says, ” I am a long-time admirer and follower of your blog. I started investing in 2010 after getting a job and am continuing. I am 37 years old, and my portfolio allocation is 72% equity (80% direct equity and 20% MF) and 28% fixed income”. “I wanted to invest for my newborn…
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