'Your retirement corpus isn't just a big pile of cash for 'one day' -- it is the salary you pay yourself when you no longer want to go to work.'
Most Indian investors start their investment journey with the wrong question. They ask, "Which fund will give the highest return?" instead of "How do I structure my investments so that I pay less tax, manage risk effectively, and still compound wealth over time?"
Urban Indian millennials are caught in an algorithmically amplified consumption spiral where social media normalises spending patterns that systematically undermine retirement security.
Smallcap funds have emerged as the primary beneficiaries of the systematic investment plan (SIP) wave in Indian mutual funds over the past five years, with their SIP assets surging to approximately 1.83 trillion by March 2026, a fivefold increase.
Of course, NOT! Here's why. And here's how you can increase your Rs 1 crore retirement corpus.
An employee whose financial future is 60-80 per cent dependent on a single company's growth trajectory has no genuine safety net.
Taxpayers must provide more details to support deduction and exemption claims.
Equity-oriented mutual fund schemes in India experienced a 5 per cent decline in net inflows in April, reaching Rs 38,440 crore, while monthly Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) contributions also saw a decrease.
If you have ever said 'I'll sort retirement later,' now is when 'later' begins.
ELSS investments require a long-term commitment of at least seven years.
Investors with a long-term horizon and high-risk appetite seeking capital appreciation can consider investing in ELSS.
In the rush to complete tax-saving investments at the end of the financial year, many taxpayers choose instruments that do not match their long-term financial goals.
If you are overweight on fixed-income instruments, go for ELSS, and vice versa.
From the financial year 2025-2026, the government has introduced a new column in the tax return form for presumptive taxpayers, requiring them to disclose their year-end investments. This requirement was not present last year.
The most common mistake is investing without assessing suitability and long-term implications.
With Income Tax Act 2025 in force, your tax choice can quietly cost you big money if you're not paying attention. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains how
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Anamika Pareek explains the advantages of investing in tax-saving options like the equity-linked savings schemes.
The three year lock-in period enables ELSS fund managers to invest in high conviction stocks for a long period of time because of relatively less redemption pressure, says Dwaipayan Bose
Equity mutual funds attracted Rs 29,911 crore in November, marking a 21 per cent increase from the preceding month, according to data released by industry body Amfi on Thursday. This rise in inflows comes after three consecutive months of decline, signalling an improvement in investor sentiment.
Among its 27 recommendations for the Union Budget is this: It has suggested that equity investments held for more than one year and up to three years should be taxed at 12.5 per cent on gains exceeding 2 lakh in a financial year.
Overlap refers to the same stocks appearing across fund portfolios.
These funds can fetch double-digit returns over the long term which debt tax-saving products can't.
Avoid investing in a new ELSS scheme each year. Stick to one well-chosen scheme to avoid clutter in your portfolio.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Investors must, however, be prepared for volatility in ELSS, cautions Sanjay Kumar Singh.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU and PF, MF and insurance expert Purshotam Lal your mutual fund, insurance and personal finance-related questions.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries.
The net inflow into equity mutual funds surged 24 per cent to Rs 23,587 crore in June, reversing the declining trend of the last five months, driven by strong equity market performance across segments, data released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) showed on Wednesday. Also, the latest fund infusion by investors marks the 52nd consecutive month of net inflows into the segment.
Organise your PAN, Form 16, Form 26AS, AIS, and all other proofs before e-filing.
Master the online ITR filing process and then learn the differences between the old and new tax regimes to pick your best option.
Since November 2022, sectoral, midcap, and smallcap funds have collectively added nearly 39 million folios, which is 65 per cent of the total additions to equity funds over the past two years.
Cross-check key documents, maximise your deductions, avoid errors, and ensure you get your refund smoothly.
Review your family emergency fund and replenish it if needed. Revisit financial goals to see if there is any change in timeline or the corpus required.
The season for investment in tax saving instrument has started. Here, is an investment avenue to save tax that is cheap and lets you participate in India's economic growth story.
Find out which amongst the three tax-saving options investors should opt for.
When looking at fund returns, avoid looking at just the past 12 months' performance, says Sanjay Kumar Singh
