Insights
Plain English on tax, planning and investing.
Short, sourced and updated when the rules change. Education only — not advice.
How much term insurance do I need?
How much term insurance to take in India: the income-replacement method vs the 15–20x rule, what to add and subtract, till what age, riders and a worked example.
Is GST required for freelancers in India? Threshold, exports, LUT and 44ADA
Is GST registration mandatory for freelancers in India? The ₹20 lakh threshold, foreign clients and LUT, reverse charge, composition, invoices, returns and the 44ADA presumptive-tax link.
How are RSUs and ESOPs taxed in India? A two-stage guide with a worked example
How RSUs, ESOPs and ESPPs are taxed in India: perquisite tax at vesting or exercise, capital gains at sale, rupee conversion, Form 67, Schedule FA and the start-up ESOP deferral, with an example.
Old vs new tax regime for FY 2026-27: how to choose in five minutes
Old or new tax regime for FY 2026-27 (AY 2027-28)? Slabs, standard deduction, 87A rebate and the break-even deductions at each income level — with a free calculator.
What does a financial planner cost in India? Fee-only vs commission
How advisers and distributors are paid in India, what a 1% cost gap does over 20 years, SEBI's fee caps for RIAs, and how to verify an adviser on SEBI's website.
How much retirement corpus do I need? The formula, with a worked example
The retirement corpus formula for India: inflate expenses, size the corpus, test the 25–30x shortcut, and see where EPF, NPS and PPF fit. With a worked example.
Home loan prepayment vs SIP: which is better?
Prepay the home loan or invest in a SIP? Compare after-tax loan cost with an assumed return: a ₹50 lakh worked example, tenure vs EMI, and why both can be right.
Which ITR form should I file? ITR-1 vs ITR-2 vs ITR-3 vs ITR-4, and what to do if you are late
ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3 or ITR-4? Who can use which form for AY 2026-27, a decision table, and the deadlines for belated, revised and updated returns, plus the 30-day e-verification rule.
Does an NRI need to file an income-tax return in India? Status, taxable income, TDS and the right form
Do NRIs need to file an ITR in India? Residential status tests, what is taxable, NRE vs NRO interest, TDS on property sale and rent, DTAA, TRC and Form 10F, which ITR form to use and how refunds work.
What is tax harvesting? Tax-gain and tax-loss harvesting for shares and equity mutual funds
What is tax harvesting? How the ₹1.25 lakh LTCG exemption, set-off and eight-year carry-forward work for listed shares and equity mutual funds in FY 2026-27, with worked examples, costs and cautions.
Seven income-tax return mistakes that trigger notices — and how to avoid them
The seven most common income-tax return mistakes that lead to notices in India — AIS mismatches, missed interest income, wrong ITR form, capital gains errors, foreign assets — and the pre-filing checklist that avoids them.
How big should your emergency fund be — and where should it sit?
Three, six or twelve months? A simple way to size your emergency fund in India, what to include, and how to split it between a bank account and liquid funds.
Advance tax for FY 2026-27: who must pay, due dates, calculation and interest
Is advance tax applicable to salaried people, capital gains and freelancers? FY 2026-27 due dates, how to calculate it, interest under sections 424 and 425 (old 234B, 234C) and how to pay online.
AIS, TIS and Form 26AS (now Form 168): how to read them, fix errors and reconcile before filing
What Form 26AS (now Form 168), AIS and TIS show, AIS vs 26AS and which is correct, how to download and open them, fix wrong entries with feedback, get TDS corrected and reconcile before filing your ITR.
EPF, VPF and PPF: how each works, current rates, tax and withdrawal rules
How EPF, VPF and PPF work in 2026: interest rates, how PPF interest is calculated, tax on EPF interest above ₹2.5 lakh, withdrawals and the ₹25,000 ceiling.
First job, first salary: a 10-step money checklist for India
A first-job money checklist for India: CTC vs in-hand pay, tax regime, EPF, emergency fund, health and term cover, a first SIP, and avoiding mis-selling.
Do freelancers have to pay income tax in India? Presumptive taxation (44ADA), ITR and advance tax for FY 2026-27
Do freelancers have to pay income tax? Presumptive taxation under Section 58 (old 44ADA and 44AD), limits, which ITR, TDS, advance tax, GST and worked examples at ₹12 lakh, ₹30 lakh and ₹60 lakh of receipts.
How much health insurance cover is enough in India?
How much health insurance cover is enough in India: a sizing method, floater vs individual, super top-ups, waiting periods, claims, GST and Section 126.
HRA, home-loan interest and rent without HRA: what you can still claim in FY 2026-27
HRA exemption rules for FY 2026-27 (50% now in eight cities), home loan interest limits, claiming HRA and home loan together, rent without HRA under Section 134 (old 80GG), landlord PAN and TDS on rent above ₹50,000.
What to do if you get an income-tax notice: 143(1) intimation, defective return, high-value transactions and scrutiny
Got an income-tax notice? What a 143(1) intimation, defective return notice, high-value transaction message, scrutiny and refund-adjustment notice mean, the deadlines, how to reply, and the new section numbers.
NPS after the 2025 exit-rule changes: how it works, what it costs and how it is taxed
NPS after PFRDA's December 2025 exit-rule changes: the 80% lump sum and 20% annuity split, Tier I vs Tier II, charges, and tax in the old vs new regime.
Regular vs direct mutual fund plans, and how advisers and distributors are paid
Regular vs direct mutual fund plans in India: how trail commission works, how advisers are paid, what a 1% cost gap does over 20 years, and switching.
Step-up SIP explained: how a 10% yearly increase changes the SIP you need
What a step-up SIP is, the formula for Excel, and why a 10% yearly increase roughly halves the SIP you start with. Worked examples, assumptions shown.
How much tax on US stocks and ETFs in India? Dividends, capital gains, Form 44, Schedule FA and LRS TCS
How much tax on US stocks in India? Dividends at slab with credit for 25% US tax, 24-month LTCG at 12.5%, Form 67 (now Form 44), Schedule FA, the ₹10 lakh LRS TCS threshold and how to claim TCS back.