Planning Guides
Guides on emergency funds, SIPs, retirement, FIRE, and long-term wealth building.
The India Personal Finance Playbook 2026: Your First ₹1 Crore by Income, Age, and City
A complete decision tree for India in 2026: a 7-question diagnostic, income-bracket and age-decade playbooks, the 12-step sequence most people get wrong, and what changed for the new tax year. Built for the salaried Indian professional aiming for the first ₹1 crore.
Read guideNPS Tax Benefit in New vs Old Regime (2026 Update)
Section 80CCD(1), 80CCD(1B)'s extra ₹50,000, and 80CCD(2) employer contribution — which NPS deductions still work in the new regime in 2026, and a worked example at ₹15 lakh salary.
Read guideStep-Up SIP: When Increasing Your SIP Every Year Beats Starting Big
A ₹20,000 SIP stepped up 10% every year builds a larger corpus than a flat ₹30,000 SIP over 20 years — with less strain. The math, when to step up, and when prepayment or the emergency fund should come first.
Read guideFIRE in India: Can You Actually Retire at 40?
FIRE (Financially Independent, Retire Early) is possible in India — but the math is different from the West. Healthcare costs, family obligations, and 6% inflation change the safe withdrawal rate and required corpus significantly.
Read guideNPS vs PPF in 2026: Which Should You Invest In?
Both NPS and PPF are government-backed retirement savings instruments. But they work very differently. Here's how to choose, and why most people should use both.
Read guideEmergency Fund Guide: How Much Do You Actually Need?
The complete guide to sizing, building, and holding an emergency fund in India. How many months, where to park it, and when to use it.
Read guideSIP Guide: How Monthly Investing Actually Builds Wealth
A plain-English guide to Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) in India. How they work, what returns to expect, and how to avoid the three most expensive mistakes beginners make.
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