Guides — India
India Personal Finance Guides — Calculator-Backed Explainers
In-depth articles on tax, inflation, loan tenure, and real returns — each linked to a free SmartFinance calculator so you can test your own numbers.
Disclaimer: General education only — not financial, legal, or tax advice. Rules change; verify with a qualified professional before acting.
-
PPF vs ELSS for Section 80C — liquidity, risk, and tax
Compare 15-year PPF with 3-year ELSS lock-in — 80C ceiling, EEE vs LTCG, and when each fits salaried investors.
-
Why your FD headline rate is not your real return
Income tax on interest, TDS vs slab, and inflation — why brochure rates mislead Indian depositors.
-
Home loan prepayment vs reduce tenure vs invest
Prepay or invest your bonus? Compare interest saved, EMI vs tenure, Section 24(b), and post-tax SIP returns with worked examples.
-
SIP: nominal vs real CAGR, and LTCG in plain language
What fund app CAGR hides — tax on gains, inflation, and planning honest mutual fund goals in India.
-
RD interest, TDS thresholds, and your real yield
Recurring deposit interest is fully taxable; TDS is not your final tax. Post-slab yield can be far below the quoted rate.
-
SSY: 15 years of deposits vs 21 years to maturity
The silent compounding phase after contributions stop — two timelines on one Sukanya Samriddhi passbook.
-
Floating vs fixed home loans when rates rise
What +1% does to EMI vs tenure on repo-linked loans — and fixed/hybrid trade-offs for Indian borrowers.
-
PPF extension in 5-year blocks without fresh contributions
Compounding on autopilot after year 15 — extend without new 80C deposits and when that makes sense.