Tax
F&O trading losses: how they are taxed, whether you can set them off against salary, and what June 15 means for traders
15 Jun 2026·8 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 →Investing
What is the cost of starting your SIP 5 years late — in exact rupees
A 5-year delay in starting ₹10,000/month at 12% CAGR costs ₹2.10 crore by age 60 — illustration only. To make up that delay starting at 30, you'd need to invest ₹17,900/month instead of ₹10,000 — 79% more, every month, for 30 years. The early years cannot be recovered by investing more later.
14 Jun 2026·7 min read
Investing
How much should a 25-year-old invest monthly to reach ₹1 crore — and what it actually means after inflation
At 12% CAGR, a 25-year-old needs ₹2,100/month to reach ₹1 crore by 60 — investing just ₹8.82 lakh total, the rest is compounding. But ₹1 crore in 35 years is only ₹13 lakh in today's purchasing power. The inflation-adjusted target of ₹1 crore in today's money requires ₹16,000/month. All figures are illustrations.
14 Jun 2026·7 min read
Investing
Should I buy a house or keep renting and invest the difference? The P/R ratio framework
Mumbai's P/R ratio is 30–45, Bengaluru's is 24–35 — meaning you pay 30–45 years of rent to own the property. Arjun's comparison: renting at ₹30K and investing ₹61,300/month builds ~₹5.8 crore in 20 years vs buying a ₹1.2 crore property appreciating at 6% → ~₹3.85 crore. The math favours renting — if you actually invest the difference.
13 Jun 2026·9 min read
Investing
What is VPF and why it beats PPF for salaried employees: the 8.25% vs 7.1% comparison
VPF lets salaried EPF members contribute extra into their EPF account at the same 8.25% interest — no contribution cap, same EEE treatment. On ₹10,000/month over 20 years, VPF builds ₹62L vs PPF's ₹49L. It's set up through HR as a payroll deduction and automates the entire savings process.
13 Jun 2026·7 min read
Personal Finance
Can I switch between the old and new tax regime every year?
Yes — salaried employees can switch between old and new regime every financial year. Tell your employer in April for TDS; choose your final regime at ITR time in July. You can switch to old regime even after the employer deducted TDS for new regime — you'll get a refund. Employees with business income have one-time exit rules.
12 Jun 2026·6 min read
Personal Finance
Section 87A rebate: when it applies, the ₹12L cliff in the new regime, and what it does NOT cover
The Section 87A rebate makes income up to ₹12L taxable (₹12.75L gross) completely tax-free under the new regime. But at ₹12.25L taxable, your tax suddenly jumps to ₹66,300 — a cliff effect where a ₹25,000 raise costs you ₹41,300 in net income. And the rebate doesn't apply to equity STCG or LTCG at all.
12 Jun 2026·6 min read
Investing
Step-up SIP: how increasing your monthly SIP by 10% each year changes your final corpus
A flat ₹10,000/month SIP at 12% CAGR for 20 years gives ₹99.9 lakh. The same SIP with a 10% annual step-up gives ₹2.07 crore — a ₹1.07 crore difference. The step-up directs salary increments into investment before lifestyle adjusts. Here's the corpus comparison, how to set it up, and what step-up % to choose.
11 Jun 2026·7 min read
Insurance
Health insurance in India: how to compare room rent limits, co-payment, and no-claim bonus before you buy
Two ₹10L health insurance policies can give very different payouts in a real claim. A room rent limit of 1% of sum insured can reduce your entire ₹3.2L hospital bill reimbursement to ₹1.92L through proportionate deduction. This guide explains room rent limits, co-payment, NCB, and PED waiting periods — the four clauses that determine what you actually get.
11 Jun 2026·8 min read
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