freefincal https://freefincal.com/ Mon, 04 May 2026 15:29:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://freefincal.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cropped-Freefincal-favicon-32x32.jpg freefincal https://freefincal.com/ 32 32 57044001 no A Planned Dip: Funding a Home Without Losing the FI Roadmap https://freefincal.com/a-planned-dip-funding-a-home-without-losing-the-fi-roadmap/ Sat, 09 May 2026 00:30:27 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=346982 In this edition of the reader story,  “Here we are again with our fifth yearly audit. If you missed the earlier ones, you can read our previous audits on freefincal below. A huge thanks, Pattu sir, freefincal community and AIFW group on Facebook, which has been the constant source of guidance.” A very brief background: we...

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]]> 346982 National Pension Scheme Fund Screener May 2026: Shortlist consistent performers https://freefincal.com/national-pension-scheme-fund-screener-may-2026-shortlist-consistent-performers/ Fri, 08 May 2026 00:30:38 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=352220 This is a National Pension Scheme Fund Screener to shortlist consistently performing NPS schemes. You can also identify NPS schemes that offer a higher return than the benchmark while maintaining 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...

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]]> 352220 The King Lear Dilemma: The Heavy Price of Giving Your Wealth to Your Children Too Soon https://freefincal.com/the-king-lear-dilemma-the-heavy-price-of-giving-your-wealth-to-your-children-too-soon/ Thu, 07 May 2026 00:30:02 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=346950 There is a scene in the classic Bollywood movie Baghban that haunts an entire generation of Indian parents. Amitabh Bachchan’s character, having retired and spent his entire provident fund on his children’s settlements, sits at home. He asks his son for a small amount of money for glasses. The son sighs, rolls his eyes, and...

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]]> 346950 Your Risk Profile Isn’t a Label – It’s a Behaviour You Discover in a Drawdown. https://freefincal.com/your-risk-profile-isnt-a-label-its-a-behaviour-you-discover-in-a-drawdown/ Wed, 06 May 2026 00:30:57 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=351622 I recently tested several risk profilers available online to Indian DIY investors. Most of them, I realised, are built to sell rather than to help. I didn’t set out to write this. I was just trying to find a decent risk-profiling tool for myself as part of my research for NISM Retirement Advisor preparation. The...

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]]> 351622 Stocks with low volatility and momentum for May 2026 https://freefincal.com/stocks-with-low-volatility-and-momentum-for-may-2026/ Tue, 05 May 2026 00:30:23 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=352172 We publish a list of stocks with low volatility and momentum each month. We provide data for BSE 500 and BSE 100 stocks. Update: Starting March 2026, the screening metrics have been significantly updated (details below). There are now three different screener files available. (1) Stocks with low volatility and momentum from the BSE 100...

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]]> 352172 Efficient time management tips to boost your income https://freefincal.com/efficient-time-management-tips-to-boost-your-income/ Mon, 04 May 2026 00:30:04 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=219051 Last Updated on May 4, 2026 at 7:47 am Almost everyone dreams of making more money, but almost everyone has the same two problems:  (1) What should I do to make more money? And (2) how do I find the time to do it? By more money, we shall refer to a long-term, scalable combination...

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]]> 219051 This simple act could make your cashless claim approval smoother https://freefincal.com/this-simple-act-could-make-your-cashless-claim-approval-smoother/ Sun, 03 May 2026 00:30:34 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=245811 Unlike life insurance, the policy number changes each time a health insurance is renewed. So, over a 25-30-year period, many changes in policy number formats can be expected as health insurers modify their product features, change their TPAs, etc. On top of this, if you have ported your policy once or twice (often from the...

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]]> 245811 Muted Returns but Strong Process: Why “Invest Like a Machine” Works https://freefincal.com/muted-returns-but-strong-process-why-invest-like-a-machine-works/ Sat, 02 May 2026 00:30:09 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=346900 In this edition of the reader story, “Hi, I’m Pretorius, a 30-year-old Software Engineer, sharing my 2026 financial audit.  My upbringing has been very middle-class, so investing, saving and spending money prudently is almost second nature to my family. I review my personal finances and retirement portfolio annually, and I would like to thank Pattu sir...

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]]> 346900 What is the Ideal Duration for Maintaining an Emergency Fund? https://freefincal.com/what-is-the-ideal-duration-for-maintaining-an-emergency-fund/ Fri, 01 May 2026 00:30:07 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=133095 Establishing an emergency fund is the initial step in achieving financial stability. The amount of funds needed for emergencies cannot be calculated accurately as it varies based on personal outlook. It depends on the individual’s experiences with unfortunate events and their frequency, whether positive or negative. It’s important to note that experts recommend having an...

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]]> 133095 Why financial independence will be hard to achieve even at normal retirement https://freefincal.com/why-financial-independence-will-be-hard-to-achieve-even-at-normal-retirement/ Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:30:27 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=249369 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 our children. Also, why have we not seen a retirement crisis in India? (1) For this, we need to...

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]]> 249369 Diversification should not be driven by FOMO! https://freefincal.com/diversification-should-not-be-driven-by-fomo/ Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:30:24 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=351318 It is quite easy to appreciate the benefits of diversification. The proverb, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” (earliest use: Miguel de Cervantes’ 1605 novel Don Quixote) appeals to us immediately as a caution against taking on too much risk.  However, there are issues with its practical application to an investment portfolio. First,...

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]]> 351318 How beginners can plan for retirement in nine easy steps https://freefincal.com/how-beginners-can-plan-for-retirement-in-nine-easy-steps/ Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:30:57 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=249176 Here are nine steps beginners can follow to start planning for retirement. We will assume that retirement is 25 years away. The first step involves defining your target. The purpose for the funds and the timeline for when they are needed are already established, accounting for 25% of the planning. Investors often ask, “What return can...

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]]> 249176 My Stock Portfolio Analysis: Apr 2026 https://freefincal.com/my-stock-portfolio-analysis-apr-2026/ Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:30:30 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=349192 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 understand the context of these investments. Update: We recently added a new tool to the freefincal investor circle...

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]]> 349192 What should I do with my surplus cash? Invest it or park it someplace safe? https://freefincal.com/what-should-i-do-with-my-surplus-cash-invest-it-or-park-it-someplace-safe/ Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:30:47 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=248981 Many investors often ask, “I have some surplus cash. Where should I park it?”; “Can I park my surplus cash in my SBI Max Gain account?”; “Is this market dip a good time to deploy my surplus cash?”. Almost always, digging deeper reveals it to be a case of bad planning. The first question to...

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]]> 248981 From Fired at 25 to ₹12 Crore at 32: The Quiet Path to Financial Sovereignty https://freefincal.com/from-fired-at-25-to-%e2%82%b912-crore-at-32-the-quiet-path-to-financial-sovereignty/ Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:30:49 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=346890 In this edition of the reader story, “The path to financial independence is rarely a straight line. For me, it has been a story of shifting mindsets, career pivots, and learning how to manage risk without losing my mind”. I am 32 years old, married for four years, and a father to two daughters aged three...

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]]> 346890 Should I choose an outperformer or underperformer for rebalancing my portfolio? https://freefincal.com/should-i-choose-an-outperformer-or-underperformer-for-rebalancing-my-portfolio/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:30:05 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=248604 A reader asks, “Should I choose an outperformer or underperformer for rebalancing my portfolio?” The primary objective of portfolio rebalancing is risk reduction. We remove some funds from an asset class that is performing well and shift it to another asset class. Typically, this is done through equity to fixed income or vice versa. So...

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]]> 248604 Can we use the freefincal robo advisory tool to track the progress of our financial goals? https://freefincal.com/can-we-use-the-freefincal-robo-advisory-tool-to-track-the-progress-of-our-financial-goals/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:30:50 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=248422 “Can we use the freefincal robo advisory tool to track the progress of our financial goals?” is a question we often get from users and potential users. The robo tool, as many readers would know, is a financial planning tool. It automates the process of systematic risk management and suggests a variable asset allocation schedule...

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]]> 248422 Is it worth buying expensive health insurance for senior citizens? https://freefincal.com/is-it-worth-buying-expensive-health-insurance-for-senior-citizens/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:30:11 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=114443 A reader says, “I’ve been a reader of freefincal for the last few years, I really like your work. I have a generic question about health insurance for senior citizens, if you could write a post about it, it would be very helpful”. “My question is as follows – For senior citizens, if the premium...

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]]> 114443 Why Indian Retirees Can’t Spend the Money They Sacrificed Their Lives to Save https://freefincal.com/why-indian-retirees-cant-spend-the-money-they-sacrificed-their-lives-to-save/ Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:30:46 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=346970 Mr Sharma (a pseudonym for perhaps your father, uncle, or neighbour) is a success story of the great Indian middle-class dream. He grew up in an India of scarcity—ration cards, waiting years for a telephone connection, and job security being the ultimate prize. For 40 years, he worked tirelessly in a PSU or a corporate...

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]]> 346970 Why We Must Start Planning for Retirement Immediately https://freefincal.com/why-we-must-start-planning-for-retirement-immediately/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:30:02 +0000 https://freefincal.com/?p=174677 We have recently witnessed a big shift in how young earners manage money. Investing is getting popular instead of saving. Many more think of future money management (a better-sounding phrase than “retirement”) earlier than ever. However, not all of them sit down and do a proper retirement planning exercise. Here is why this is essential....

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