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Does BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) affect your CIBIL score in India?
21 Jun 2026·6 min read
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The first crore is the hardest. Start here.
Tax, investing, salary, insurance and credit — in plain English, for young Indians who earn well but haven't had time to figure out where it all goes.
◆ FeaturedThis WeekTopical
This week: 12 new articles on home loans, VPF, SIP maths, and tax — plus the June 15 advance tax deadline
A heavy week: home loan EMI maths, rent vs buy, VPF vs PPF, the cost of starting a SIP late, step-up SIPs, FD interest tax, LTCG harvesting, and the completion of Zero to One Chapter 2 on the old vs new tax regime. Plus: advance tax first instalment is due June 15.
14 Jun 2026 · 4 min readRead →
Recent articles
All articles →Credit Cards
What is a safe EMI-to-income ratio in India — and what happens when you cross it?
Your EMI-to-income ratio determines how much loan you can safely service. Keep total EMIs below 40% of net income; home loan alone below 30%. Above 50%, you're financially fragile — one income shock from missed payments. Lenders use a similar ratio (FOIR) to cap your borrowing. Here's how to calculate and use it.
21 Jun 2026·6 min read
Investing
What is goal-based investing and how to assign a timeline to every rupee you save
Most people invest without a destination. Goal-based investing assigns every rupee to a specific goal, timeline, and target — then matches the instrument to the horizon: liquid funds for short-term goals, equity for long-term. It surfaces shortfalls early and tells you exactly when to de-risk before each goal. Here's the four-step framework.
20 Jun 2026·7 min read
Investing
Is a fixed deposit's post-tax return positive after inflation in India?
A 7% FD sounds safe, but for a 30% bracket taxpayer, after tax (4.9%) and 5% inflation, the real return is about −0.1% — your purchasing power slightly shrinks despite the 'guaranteed' return. FDs preserve nominal capital but rarely build real wealth. Here's the full maths and when FDs still make sense.
20 Jun 2026·6 min read
Investing
How lifestyle inflation quietly stops your salary growth from building wealth
Lifestyle inflation is when spending rises to match every raise, keeping your savings rate flat. Two employees with identical salaries and raises can end up ₹95 lakh+ apart over 15 years — purely from how they handled increments. The fix is structural: automate a step-up SIP and save 50% of every raise before lifestyle adjusts.
19 Jun 2026·6 min read
Investing
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: 8.2% tax-free interest, rules, and how to open an account for your daughter
SSY offers 8.2% (Q1 FY 2026-27) — among the highest guaranteed rates in India — fully tax-free (EEE). Open for a girl child below 10, deposit ₹250 to ₹1.5L per year for 15 years, and ₹1.5L/year builds approximately ₹70 lakh by maturity. Here's how it works, the withdrawal rules, and how it compares to PPF.
19 Jun 2026·7 min read
Investing
How is NPS taxed at retirement: the 60% lump sum and 40% annuity rule explained
NPS gives great deductions while you contribute — but at 60, you can only withdraw 60% as a tax-free lump sum. The other 40% must buy an annuity, and that monthly pension is taxable. On a ₹1 crore corpus, ₹40 lakh is locked into a taxable pension. Here's the full 60/40 rule and how it compares to EPF.
18 Jun 2026·6 min read
Investing
NPS Tier 1 vs Tier 2: what is the difference and which should you use?
NPS has two accounts using the same funds but completely different rules. Tier 1 is the retirement account — tax benefits, locked until 60, 40% mandatory annuity. Tier 2 is flexible with no lock-in but no tax deduction for most. Here's which to use for tax savings vs flexible investing.
18 Jun 2026·6 min read
Tax
Do I need to file an ITR if my employer already deducts TDS from my salary?
TDS and ITR are not the same thing. TDS is tax paid on your behalf; the ITR reconciles your total income and tax. Filing is mandatory if your income exceeds the basic exemption limit (₹4L new regime) — regardless of TDS. And it's the only way to claim refunds of excess TDS or carry forward losses.
17 Jun 2026·6 min read
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