Budget 2025: New Tax Regime (new slabs) vs Old Tax Regime Calculator: Check which is better

Budget 2025 has further reduced the tax burden in the new tax regime. Use this free calculator to compare the old and new tax regimes (calculations for past new tax regime slabs are also available). This comparison table was originally prepared by Vinay Vittal, modified by Balasubrahmanyan, and then by me after budget 2024. This…

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Why most people will not be financially independent when they retire

Excuse me for stating the obvious. Most people will not be financially independent when they retire. Here is why. Forget about early retirement; Most people will not become financially independent at normal retirement (55-60). Unlike early retirement, this is a mandatory retirement. Otherwise, our quality of life will significantly decrease, and we will depend on…

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UPS vs NPS: Which should I choose for retirement?

Now that the gazette notification for the Unified Pension Scheme is out (look for CG-DL-E-25012025-260482 at https://egazette.gov.in/), or download a copy here now may be a good time to revisit the NPS vs UPS decision for government employees, especially given that they must exercise their choice, and it’s a one-time non-modifiable choice! About the author:…

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Revised UPS vs NPS Calculator after Jan 2025 Gazette Notification

Use this free calculator to determine if you can stay invested in the National Pension Scheme or consider switching to the Unified Pension Scheme. This is an updated version of the calculator first published in Aug 2024, incorporating the Jan 2025 Gazette Notification. We have tried to incorporate all the UPS essential features into the…

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Top RIA Melvin Joseph teaches how to become a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor

Many Freefincal readers have shown interest in becoming a SEBI Registered Investment Advisor to offer unbiased advice to clients and earn a decent income from this. Investment Advisory can be a second career for many DIY investors passionate about helping others manage their finances. As per old SEBI regulations, a postgraduate qualification in finance and…

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How to interpret rolling return charts?

Rolling return charts have become prominent over the last few years, especially for mutual fund analysis. However, few investors understand how rolling return charts are computed and their benefits and limitations. A discussion. Rolling lump sum, rolling SIP, and many other mutual fund and time series analysis and financial planning tools are available in the…

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Why a cash flow projection is essential for financial planning

This article explains how a simple cash flow projection can significantly impact our goal-based financial planning. When I started creating Excel sheets in 2010-11, I slowly realised that all goal-planning must culminate into a cash flow projection. The freefincal robo advisor tool automatically creates a cash flow projection with goal-planning results. If the user chooses…

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