Guides & Articles
Plain-English guides to Indian personal finance.
Old vs New Tax Regime FY 2025-26: Which Is Better?
A complete, up-to-date comparison of India's old and new income tax regimes for FY 2025-26, with slab tables, worked examples and a clear framework to choose the one that saves you more.
Read guide →How to Save Income Tax Under Section 80C (and Beyond)
A beginner-friendly guide to saving income tax in India using Section 80C and other deductions — the best options ranked, how much you can save, and the traps to avoid.
Read guide →SIP vs Lumpsum: Which Is Better for Mutual Funds?
SIP or lumpsum investing? Understand rupee-cost averaging, timing risk, when each approach wins, and a simple framework to decide — for Indian mutual fund investors.
Read guide →GST 2.0 Explained: The New 5%, 18% and 40% Slabs
India's GST 2.0 reform (effective 22 September 2025) simplified the tax slabs. Here's what changed, how the new 0/5/18/40 structure works, and what it means for you and your business.
Read guide →PPF vs EPF vs NPS: Which Retirement Option to Choose?
A detailed comparison of PPF, EPF and NPS on returns, lock-in, tax treatment, risk and flexibility — with a table, examples and an FAQ to help you decide where your retirement money should go.
Read guide →How Much SIP Do You Need to Become a Crorepati?
See the monthly SIP needed to reach ₹1 crore at different time frames and return assumptions, why starting early matters so much, and how a step-up SIP shrinks the amount further — with a table and FAQ.
Read guide →How Home Loan EMI Works (and How to Cut Total Interest)
Understand how a home loan EMI is calculated, why long tenures make interest rival the principal, and the practical ways — prepayment, tenure reduction, tax breaks — to slash what you pay overall.
Read guide →EPF vs PPF: Where Should Your Retirement Money Go?
EPF and PPF are India's two big safe retirement pots. Compare them on returns, eligibility, lock-in, contribution limits and tax to decide which suits you — with a table and FAQ.
Read guide →How Much Do You Need to Retire in India?
A practical, honest guide to estimating your retirement corpus in India — using the 25x rule of thumb, inflation, and a full worked example.
Read guide →HRA Exemption Explained (with Worked Examples)
Understand how House Rent Allowance (HRA) exemption is calculated under Section 10(13A) of India's old tax regime — with two full rupee-by-rupee examples.
Read guide →Capital Gains Tax on Shares & Mutual Funds (FY 2025-26)
How capital gains tax works on listed shares, equity and debt mutual funds and property in India after the July 2024 changes — with rates, holding periods and examples.
Read guide →FD vs RD vs Debt Funds: Where to Park Safe Money
Compare fixed deposits, recurring deposits and debt mutual funds on safety, returns, liquidity and tax to decide where to keep your safe money in India.
Read guide →XIRR vs CAGR: Which Return Number Should You Trust?
CAGR and XIRR both measure investment returns, but they answer different questions. Learn why XIRR is the right metric for SIPs and irregular investments, with a worked example.
Read guide →Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: A Complete Guide for Parents
A complete guide to Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) for parents of a girl child — interest rate, eligibility, deposit rules, tax benefits and a worked maturity example.
Read guide →CTC vs In-Hand Salary: Why Your Take-Home Is Lower
Confused why your take-home salary is far less than your CTC? This guide breaks down CTC, gross and in-hand salary in India with a full worked example.
Read guide →NPS Explained: Tax Benefits, Returns & Annuity Rules
A clear guide to the National Pension System (NPS) — how it works, the extra ₹50,000 tax deduction under 80CCD(1B), market-linked returns, and the annuity rules at 60.
Read guide →