Bond platforms are becoming popular in India. Thanks to many finfluencers, bond investments are recommended to the “retail investor”. I had recently published a video in English – Do not buy bonds unless you need an income! and in Tamil – வருமானம் தேவையில்லை என்றால், பத்திரங்களை வாங்க வேண்டாம்! In these videos, I argued that unless you…
Continue reading →A reader asks, “I am 27 years old. My current monthly expenses are about Rs. 30,000. I don’t intend to get married. Can I achieve financial independence at 40 if my net worth today is zero?” Let us determine what the freefincal robo advisor tool coughs up for this scenario. The assumptions and inputs are…
Continue reading →In this edition of the reader story, Sanjoy shares how he found his way in money management. Sanjoy’s earlier contributions: Financial Lessons Learned During and After a PhD The Road to Redemption: How I Overcame My Investment Mistakes Dealing with my investment fears and doubts About this series: I am grateful to readers for sharing intimate…
Continue reading →I evaluate the performance of my retirement portfolio and my son’s future portfolio each year in a personal finance audit. This is the 13th edition. Published from 2013 onwards, these audits provide a sense of accountability and ensure I do not fall prey to fear of missing out, preventing bad investment decisions. They also point…
Continue reading →A reader says, ” I am 30, married, and have a 3-year-old daughter. I come from a middle-class background, and although I have completed my bachelor’s degree, I’ve worked in HR more out of necessity than passion”. “Over time, I became interested in financial literacy, especially through watching YouTube videos on equity investing. As I…
Continue reading →In this edition of the reader story, we meet someone who is starting over at 39. This is in response to my recent request on social media to share their investment journeys. We urge you to share your journey too (anonymously, like this piece, if you prefer). You can find details at the top of…
Continue reading →This is a debt mutual fund screener for portfolio selection, tracking, and learning. It also includes hybrid funds that invest in bonds. It will satisfy investors who wish to invest in money market funds, banking PSU funds, etc. The credit quality of the bonds in the portfolio and the bond maturity profile can be tracked….
Continue reading →A reader says, “This concerns the required retirement corpus and whether I am on the right track. I am 32 years old, my spouse is 26, and both are working (private jobs and no job security). I wish to retire by age 45. How should I plan, and what is the corpus required?” “Current retirement…
Continue reading →I have tracked the amount invested in my goal portfolio for over 14 years. It has been a life and game-changer for my family. Whether you track your spending or not, tracking your investment amount or maintaining an investment diary is crucial. Today, I can invest more for retirement than my target investment. That was…
Continue reading →This index fund screener is based on tracking error and returns difference wrt benchmarks (also known as tracking difference). It will help users evaluate how efficiently an index fund has tracked its underlying benchmark. It will also help them understand how tracking a midcap index or the Nifty 100 or 500 differs from tracking the…
Continue reading →In a major reform, on 12th Dec 2025, the NPS regulator, PFRDA, has reduced the mandatory annuity requirement for non-government subscribers from 40% to 20%. This is most welcome news for existing subscribers. But what about those who wish to open an NPS account? Should this reform motivate them to do so? First, let us…
Continue reading →Readers often ask us if there is any ideal equity exposure after retirement. This is a tough question to answer as it depends on the individual, but some general guidelines or thumb rules are possible. Asking this question on the verge of retirement without prior market experience can be harmful. It is essential to ask…
Continue reading →Many readers often ask, Is 35 too late for proper retirement planning? Assuming retirement is 55, there is a good chance of accumulating enough corpus for retirement. If necessary, one can consider an extension up to age 60. Let us answer this using the freefincal robo advisory tool. Current monthly expenses that will persist in retirement…
Continue reading →In India, buying a traditional life insurance policy is almost a family tradition. It is often the first thing people buy when they start a job. But recently, you might have heard a lot of noise from financial experts or friends. They keep saying, “Why are you keeping that old policy? Surrender (close) it immediately…
Continue reading →This ETF screener is based on tracking errors and differences (ETF return minus index return). It will help users evaluate how efficiently an ETF has tracked its underlying benchmark. The tracking error is the ETF’s standard deviation minus the index’s monthly return differences. The lower the tracking error, the more efficiently the ETF tracks the…
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