Investing Insights

The Three Mistakes of an Investor’s Life

We’ve all been there—making investment decisions we later regret. Whether it’s misunderstanding risk and reward, buying on euphoria, or selling in fear, these mistakes can derail your financial goals. In this article, FinEdge highlights the top three investment pitfalls and offers practical advice to help you make smarter, long-term decisions with your money!

Child Education Planning: The Nuts and Bolts of it

Planning for your child’s education has never been more important, especially with rising costs. In this article, we’ll explore how you can prepare financially for your child’s higher education, accounting for inflation, student loans, and the need for a solid savings plan. Find out why early planning and strategic investing, such as SIPs in mutual funds, are key to ensuring that your child’s future educational dreams don’t become a financial burden. Start early, invest wisely, and secure your child’s future!

Should you pre-pay your Home Loan?

Deciding whether to prepay your home loan or invest your lump sum? This article breaks down key considerations, from loan structure to tax benefits, helping you make an informed decision to reach financial freedom sooner.

10 “Personal Finance Commandments”

As the year draws to a close, it's time to reflect on how we can improve our financial habits. In this blog, we present the "Ten Commandments" of personal finance that will guide you towards a more secure and prosperous financial future. From controlling spending to understanding the importance of insurance and investments, these commandments are designed to help you stay disciplined, make smarter decisions, and set a solid foundation for long-term financial freedom. Follow these commandments, and you’ll be closer to achieving your financial goals in the year ahead!

Beware of The Sunk Cost Bias

The Sunk Cost Bias traps investors into holding onto losing investments just because they’ve already committed time and money. This mental pitfall leads to poor financial decisions, like averaging down a failing stock or refusing to cut losses. The solution? Evaluate your investments with a fresh perspective, challenge your assumptions, and exit when the facts change—just as Keynes wisely advised!

Mutual Fund Myth-busting: Are GILT Funds Risk Free?

GILT funds, often seen as low-risk investments due to their reliance on government securities, are actually more volatile than many investors realize. In this article, we’ll explore the hidden risks of GILT funds, including how interest rate fluctuations and the long-term maturity of government bonds can lead to sharp price movements. While they can provide impressive returns in certain conditions, they are not risk-free. If you’re considering investing in GILT funds, it's important to consult a financial advisor and understand how market dynamics can affect your returns, especially in the short term.

Chalkboard illustration of child’s education planning with graduation cap and diploma symbolizing goal-based investing

Your Child’s Education Goal: A Step-by-Step Investment Guide

Every parent wishes for a bright and secure future for their child, and that includes a quality education. Achieving this goal requires advanced and proactive planning to ensure you’re financially prepared to support your child’s aspirations. In this article, we will explore why it is important to plan for your child's education and some best practices for the same.

Top Wealth Management Strategies for Long-Term Success

The goal-planning process, like a retirement fund, has two important aspects: Wealth creation and wealth management. During your working years, you create wealth by building a retirement fund. During the retirement years, you manage the wealth created so that it sustains you during the retirement years. In this article, we will understand what wealth management is, how it differs from wealth creation, and the best wealth management strategies.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Personal Financial Planning

Some individuals follow a return-centric approach to investing. They chase returns by selecting mutual funds based on the last one and three-year returns. However, that is not the right approach. The appropriate approach is to identify your financial goals and invest towards fulfilling them. It keeps you focused on your investments for the long term till the goals are achieved. The personal financial planning journey can help you map all your financial goals, invest towards them, and review them till they are achieved. In this article, we will understand what is personal financial planning and how to go about it.

Sectoral/Thematic Funds Have Seen Inflows of Rs. 55,000 Crores in the Last 6 Months: Should You Invest?

As of July 2024, sectoral and thematic mutual funds have seen more than Rs. 55,000 crore inflows in the last six months. The AMCs are on a NFO launching spree and mutual fund investors are lapping these funds. So, what are these sectoral/thematic funds, why are investors pouring so much money into these, and should you invest? Let us discuss.

Emergency Fund: What Is It, Why and How Much of It Should You Have?

In 2023-24, many IT companies and start-ups laid off many employees. The IT companies had to lay off people as the demand or discretionary spending pickup in their major market, i.e. the US, was not as strong as expected. The start-ups had to lay off people as they were not able to raise subsequent round(s) of funding due to the funding winter. In both scenarios, people who lost jobs were left in the lurch. As the IT and start-up sectors were going through a soft patch, it was difficult for these people to either get new jobs or at the same/better pay package.

Succession Planning: What Is a Will, Terms Related to It, and How to Make It?

As per Indian succession laws, on the death of an individual, their assets are distributed among the legal heirs. The legal heirs are categorised into various classes and are listed in the sequence in which they can claim the assets. However, what if you want to distribute your assets to other people along with your legal heirs?