'Money is not just about greed or accumulation. It gives you freedom, dignity and choice. And you have every right to all three.'
'Except for extremely conservative investors, others can consider allocating 10 to 20 per cent of their portfolio to small caps.'
Investors with a 6 to 12 month horizon may consider them. They should align their holding period with the fund's maturity profile and prefer schemes with a lower expense ratio.
Their assets under management (AUM) rose from Rs 1.04 trillion (January 31, 2025) to Rs 1.75 trillion (January 31, 2026), an increase of 68.3 per cent.
Zero-coupon bonds suit investors with long-term goals such as retirement or education planning.
The recent correction suggests that while precious metals hedge geopolitical tension and inflation, they are not immune to sharp short-term corrections and profit-booking.
Most first-time investors may be better served by diversified options such as flexicap or multi-cap funds, which already hold pharma and healthcare stocks.
New investors should enter gradually and with a long horizon. 'Staggered investment through systematic purchase plans is advisable rather than lump-sum buying.'
Overlap refers to the same stocks appearing across fund portfolios.
NPS Vatsalya offers a disciplined investment avenue that parents can use to create intergenerational wealth by contributing even small sums.
Taxpayers should consider ITR-U if they omitted income, wrongly claimed deductions or exemptions, or made reporting errors that led to a shortfall in tax payment.
Flexicap fund performance depends heavily on the fund manager's decisions.
The most common mistake is investing without assessing suitability and long-term implications.
The RBI has flagged concerns over rising volatility in gold prices and advised lenders to exercise caution in the gold loan segment.
'Stay invested but progressively reduce risk. Beyond a point, the objective should shift from maximising returns to avoiding unpleasant surprises.'
Fund managers advise conservative investors to cap midcap exposure at 10 to 15 per cent of their equity portfolio.
'Trading without strict position sizing, stop-loss discipline, or a clear exit plan almost guarantees losses.' 'Chasing tips, reacting to intraday noise, or assuming frequent trading improves outcomes are equally damaging habits.'
With medical inflation hovering at around 13-14 per cent annually, policyholders must reassess their sum insured once every two years.
While investments are typically reviewed annually, risk cover is often left unchanged for years.
Largecap equity funds remain suitable for conservative and moderate risk-taking investors seeking relatively stable returns.
'We expect modest returns in 2026 versus the steep gains seen over the past few years.'
Wedding insurance goes far beyond protecting against cancellations.
Investors must account for currency depreciation in their financial plans and use instruments that can cushion the erosion in purchasing power.
This exercise allows investors to realign their portfolios with changing market conditions and evolving personal objectives.
Investors encountering underperformance must be patient.
Investors seeking higher returns at relatively higher risk should consider allocation to smallcap equity funds.
'Pick a sum insured that realistically covers major hospitalisation costs in your city.'
'Exiting during corrections tends to lock in losses. Patient investors have benefited from holding through similar drawdowns in past cycles.'
Make sure the rider adds value rather than just adding to cost.
'Stopping now would defeat the core purpose of an SIP, which is to average out the purchase cost over market cycles.'
Largecap equities are less volatile than mid- and smallcap stocks, making them suitable for risk-averse investors.
'Reviewing terms such as war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies or hostilities, which often appear in industry exclusion lists, can help avoid surprises at the time of claim.'
New investors or those with lower-than-planned exposure should add US-oriented funds through SIPs.
Younger customers should opt for increasing cover as their financial commitments are likely to rise in the future.
Avoid donating without checking the receipt proforma showing the political party's ECI registration number and PAN.
Lawful possession means having both actual control over a property and a valid legal right to keep it, usually based on a registered sale deed, lease agreement, or lawful allotment.
Before booking a flat, buyers should confirm that the project is registered with the state's Rera portal.
Algo trading should be segregated in a separate account with only risk capital deployed.
'First-time or conservative investors should avoid narrow sectoral funds.'
'Buy early and review the sum insured regularly.'
'Combining individual or family policies with corporate cover, along with top-ups and wellness programmes, can help maintain strong health protection throughout life.'
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