Announcement of our upcoming new Title : The Autobiography of A Stock

Get set for the simplest and the most powerful book ever written on stock investing as yet. 
"The Autobiography of a Stock" is going to change how common people - like you and me - look at stock investing. 
Get set for 2018, as we get ready to launch this amazing book in the coming month.

Cost Inflation Index base year has shifted. You may be in for windfall tax gains

[Updated : 09-Nov-2018]
Cost Inflation Index(CII) now has a new Base Year. In a seemingly silent move that is likely to immensely impact your taxation on long term capital gains from real estate, bonds, gold and debt based mutual funds, the base year for Cost Inflation Index(CII) has been shifted from 1981 to 2001. Understand more about CII and how this change in base year impacts your future potential gains and taxes thereof.

22 Apex Lessons from the Book "See You At the Top" by Zig Ziglar

With more than 1,600,000 copies in print, "See You at the Top" is an extraordinary perennial favorite and annual bestseller, which teaches the value of a healthy self-image and how to build that image. It clarifies why goals are important, teaches you how to set them, and motivates you to reach them.
I, hereby, list down the 22 Apex Lessons that i learnt from this awesome book. I know that I need to keep practicing these learning day in and day out. These learning are worded and appended in a way that makes it easier for most of us to understand and absorb.

If you are interested in reading about such learning from other all time best selling books, you may click here.

EPF Taxation Laws Post Leaving Your Employment

Did you know that EPF interest earned post quitting your job becomes taxable from the day you quit? Did you know that your EPF account does not earn any interest 3 years after your retirement? Did you know that withdrawing EPF before 5 years is taxable in many cases, though not all? 
There are many such EPF rules that you should be aware of, for ignorance of law is no excuse...Read on.

200 Trees Up for Kalpavriksha !

Dreams do come true. If one is passionate and working for a right cause, HE is always going to be with you.
Post my Financial Freedom, I started my NGO 'Kalpavriksha' with a mission to plant 1 Million trees. In our first year of operations in 2016, we had planted 25 trees. In spite of my best efforts, almost half of them couldn't survive until the next year. I learnt from my mistakes and decided to build a bigger team, with a very robust process framework. 
Soon, passionate individuals started to join in. We took a target of planting and nurturing 200 trees by the end of this year (2017). We achieved the target just a few days back - and that too with a survival rate of 98%+. Read more..

How long is 'Long Term' in Equity?

For someone running the last 100 meters of a 42 Km marathon, one sec can seem to be quite a time. On the other hand, to change a simple habit in your life, a decade may seem quite small. Long Term, therefore, is a relative term in life. But it is not so in equity investments. Whether it is mutual funds or stocks, we can define Long Term quite precisely, clearly and objectively - with logical data points.

Let us see how.

The Magical Happiness Formula.

While in school, we studied numerous formula. Things were easier to analyse and control, when defined by a formula. Knowing a formula tells us what we need to change in one of the inputs to cause an impact on the output. 
Imagine how beautiful our life could be, if Happiness also had a defined formula and if we precisely knew the factors it depended upon.  It will all be so easy and logical if we knew what needs to be changed to increase the Happiness content of our lives. So, here we go. Let's learn the Magical Happiness Formula.

Your gain could be your family's pain

Have you ever faced a situation wherein your colleagues, friends, relatives and the world around you appreciates your work and acknowledges your achievements. However, your immediate family members are not too enthusiastic about all that you have been doing and achieving?  

It happened with me. It happened with Sachin Tendulkar. It can happen with anyone. Once you understand why it happens, it can just make your close relationships that much better...Read on..

38 Thunderous Lessons from the Book - Awaken the Giant Within - by Anthony Robbins

Tony Robbins, an American author, entrepreneur, philanthropist and life coach. Robbins is known for his infomercials, seminars, and self-help books including Unlimited Power and Awaken the Giant Within. Approximately 4 million people have attended his live seminars. Robbins is the founder of several companies that earn approximately $5 billion in annual sales. In 2015 and 2016 he was listed on the Worth Magazine Power 100 list.

In his book, Awaken the Giant Within, Tony offers advice on such matters as mastering emotions, overcoming debilitating habits such as over-eating, and drinking, unleashing the hidden power of body and mind, improving personal and professional relationships, and taking control of personal finances...Read on..

10 Common Myths Surrounding Fixed Deposits and Earned Interest

Though tax inefficient and not the best returns provider, Fixed Deposits (FDs) definitely deserve their own pie in your portfolio. This is one investment option which is simple, guaranteed, 100% liquid, monitoring free and risk free - all rolled in one. However simple you may think they are, there are many myths surrounding Fixed Deposits and the interest accrued from them. Inefficiently managed interest accrued from your Bank Fixed Deposits can actually land in you in deep trouble with the taxman. Let us remove some of those myths...Read on..

10 Outstanding Lessons from the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Why are ice hockey players born in the first few months of a year? How did Beatles and Bill Gates succeed? "The Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell answers these and many more questions. Debuted at number one on the bestseller lists for The New York Times and The Globe and Mail, "Outliers" held the position on the former for eleven consecutive weeks...

8 Strong Reasons to buy your own Health Insurance Cover right now.

You feel you are too young for Health Insurance? Or you are under the false impression that you are already adequately covered by your employer? Or you are one of those who have closed their eyes to the modern lifestyle diseases and feel that nothing is going to happen to you? Whatever be the case, it is better to wake up to the reality of Health Insurance before it is too late....Read on

Are you chasing your goals or merely its means?

Have we got mixed up between our goals and the means to achieve those goals? Most of us have. Wake up before time runs out !...

Sophia M Joe from Kochi - A sports champion, a super model, a Dreamer

Sophia Joe is a celebrated model and an athlete. A three-time national champion at shot put and discus throw, she has represented India at numerous international events. She is also a talented painter and jewellery designer. 

But none of these achievements makes her truly special. There is something beyond all these, which makes her a worthy contender for our Dream On story today...Read on....

Open Ended Vs Close Ended Mutual Funds

Mutual Funds, which was supposed to be an extremely simplified method of investing in equity market, has become overly complex today with hundreds and thousands of products from innumerable fund houses. If you were a new investor in the market and you had INR 5000 per month to invest in Mutual Funds, imagine how confusing it could be to take your first step. 

One of the most fundamental bifurcation in mutual fund space is the one between an Open Ended Fund and a Close Ended Fund....Read on...

This amazing new tool feature wont let you miss your key expenses !

This amazing new feature in our Financial Planning and Tracking Tool warns you if you have missed tracking your regularly occurring expenses...and it comes all FREE to you.
Read on..

5 Fantastic Lessons from the book "The Kite Runner" by Khalid Hosseini

"The Kite Runner" by Khalid Hosseini was a # 1 New York Times bestseller for many years with over 7 million copies sold in USA alone. The book revolves around key relationships of a father-son, two close friends, and the spirit of redemption...Read on..

Track every tree online - Launching Kalpavriksha website

Your Kalpavriksha Website (http://www.mykalpavriksha.org) is now LIVE and kicking !

For the first time across this planet (we think so), you can track every single tree, view latest tree pictures, monitor every single donation, see each rupee spend, view entire book of accounts, check the status of the trees you are volunteering or leading, see the trees you donated - and apply for being a volunteer or a leader - all open to public...
Read on...

The world of Payment Banks in India

My PayTM wallet account recently got converted to a PayTM Payment Bank account of its own, and the wallet balance will now start earning a decent interest as well. Welcome to the world of Payment Banks - a new model of banks conceptualised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

42 Awesome Realisations from the book "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda

"Autobiography of a Yogi" was first published in 1946. It has been in print for 70 years and translated into 45 languages. This book has been highly acclaimed as a spiritual classic including being designated as one of the "100 Most Important Spiritual Books of the 20th Century."

The new world of Crypto Currencies

Cryptocurrencies are an alternate to the standard currencies that you are used to seeing. Heard of Bitcoin or Ethereum? These digital currencies are a subset of "alternative currencies", or specifically of "digital currencies".....Read more...

Kalpavriksha - Beyond our Neighbourhood !

Kalpavriksha goes beyond the Janak Puri district. In a first for us, two volunteers from Hari Nagar district approached us for tree plantation and we did the needful, with glee. We cannot thank enough to our biggest individual contributors : Shwesh Rehani and Mukesh Kathuria - though each small contribution had its own impact.

Loan against your Assets

If you are facing a cash crunch, then borrowing from a friend or a relative is the quickest and the most economical option. However, if you are unable to do so, then there are many other alternatives before you go for a Personal loan or liquidating any of your assets...

14 Magical Moments from "The Magic of Thinking Big" by David J Schwartz

"The Magic Of Thinking Big" has sold over 6 million copies, guides readers to set their goals high and think positively to achieve them. David gives a step-by-step guide on how to achieve what one wants by changing their thought patterns and thought habits. This book is a classic motivational and self-help book, which is similar to another motivational book - The Power of Positive Thinking

I, hereby, list down 14 Magical Moments that I witnessed in this awesome book. I know that I need to keep practicing these learning - day in and day out. These learning are worded and appended in a way that makes it easier for most of us to understand and absorb.

If you are interested in reading about such learning from other all time best selling books, you may click here.

5 Reasons you should never attempt correcting anyone !

When someone misbehaves with you, acts strange, or does not come up to your expectations - be it from within your friends or family or even a stranger - we tend to get disturbed and irritated. We want to correct the person, genuinely help him, or at least wish he mends the ways. But remember that this is only your feeling. The other person does not even believe that he did anything that deserves a correction.
Here are 5 reasons you should never even make an attempt at correcting anyone ever...

12 Money Rules No One Taught You In School

No financial degrees, No certifications, No wealth inheritance, No lottery, No high paying jobs, No business - Nothing of this sort is going to help you get seriously wealthy. Various studies have proven time and again that all wealth, even if created by any such means, is mostly lost pretty quickly - unless of course, you happen to learn, understand, appreciate, absorb and implement the rules of money...

9 Amazing Lessons from "The Monk Who sold His Ferrari"

"The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" became a best seller with more than three million copies sold (as of 2013). The book has been translated into more than 70 languages and published in over 50 nations. This was one of the first books that made me a fan of Robin Sharma.

I, hereby, list down 9 Amazing Lessons that I learnt from this awesome book. I know that I need to keep practicing these learning day in and day out. These learning are worded and appended in a way that makes it easier for most of us to understand and absorb.

If you are interested in reading about such learning from other all time best selling books, you may click here.

4 Strong Reasons to Nudge Your Child Towards The Uncomfortable Path

A child may be sad just because he or she has been facing an uncomfortable situation at school. Child may even get stressed about it. But as parents and their best pals, we got to explain them why is it so important to face uncomfortable situations early in life...

Kalpana Saroj : A Dream On Story

Kalpana Saroj was born in a Dalit family. Even though her father allowed her to get an education, wider family pressures saw Kalpana become a bride at the age of 12 - yes 12 years - when our sons and daughters are getting educated in a convent school - perhaps in 7th or 8th standard - enjoying all possible comforts of life.
She moved to Mumbai to be with her husband who was 10 years older, but was shocked to find herself living in a slum. That she went on to be a Padma Shree awardee, turned around a debt laden company, produced films, has net worth more than $100 million - cannot be just a stroke of luck. It is her grit, determination and ability to consider every negative situation as an opportunity - that defines her destiny today.

Tax Exemption Vs Tax Deduction

If you’ve been foxed by the differences between some common financial terms, you’re not alone. For many years I was confused between the two terms "Tax Exemption" and "Tax Deduction". It all looked the same to me. Understanding the difference is critical to calculate your true tax liability as well as filing the right Income Tax Returns every year...Read on..

12 Ever-Lasting Lessons from "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch

"The Last Lecture" is a New York Times best-selling book by Randy Pausch. The book was born out of a lecture Pausch gave in September 2007 entitled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams". His hypothetical imagination was based on what wisdom would you try to impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?

I, hereby, list down the 12 Ever-Lasting Lessons that I learnt from this awesome book. I know that I need to keep practicing these learning day in and day out. These learning are worded and appended in a way that makes it easier for most of us to understand and absorb.

If you are interested in reading about such learning from other all time best selling books, you may click here.

Filing IT Returns after death of a Payee

Life can betray you, but not the Income Tax department. 

If any of your closed ones departed recently, remember that it is a legal responsibility of the spouse, legal heirs or family members to file the IT Return on behalf of the deceased for that year. And ignorance of law was never an excuse.

Relentless Faith can cut even your past Karmas

Our future destiny is a result of our past and current Karma. We may ruin the fact that we have done bad Karma in the past, and would now have to face the consequences. At the same time, we also feel the power that good Karma today can change our future destiny. This is what I used to feel until I met my Guru a few months back - and my perspective towards life is getting a complete makeover.

Understand the charges on Mutual Funds

As an investor, it is very important to know what are the charges involved in investing in mutual funds. When your money is handled by a team of experts - stocks are bought and sold on your behalf, periodical communication is sent on investments, charges are given to the intermediaries etc, it does not come for free. All these expenses come with a cost...Read on..

23 Winning Jewels from the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie

"How to Win Friends And Influence People" is one of the first best-selling self-help books ever published. Written by Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) and first published in 1936, it has sold over 30 million copies world-wide.

I, hereby, list down the 23 Winning Jewels that i learnt from this awesome book. I know that I need to keep practicing these learning day in and day out. These learning are worded and appended in a way that makes it easier for most of us to understand and absorb.

If you are interested in reading about such learning from other all time best selling books, you may click here.

18 Inspiring Quotes on Financial Freedom - Explained..

Some of our quotes on Financial Freedom have been hitting the popularity chart on the web. We thought of compiling our Top 18 quotes and sharing them with you..along with their meanings and other recommended articles. We hope it helps you understand and implement them more effectively in your life..Read on...

CPSE ETF

Government of India has announced the CPSE(Central Public Sector Enterprises) index fund. Managed by Reliance Mutual Fund, this will be the second CPSE ETF by the Government of India...Read on to find whether it is worth getting into it?

Detach the Duality - to experience bliss

We are not ONE. We are actually TWO entities - each of us.

If you can understand this fact, visualize it, absorb it, believe on it and practice it in your daily life, then you are assured of a blissful life ahead..Read on...

Now, 32 Human lives depend on us : 6 months of Kalpavriksha

It has been 6 months since we launched Kalpavriksha. Many of you donated for this cause - some financially, some by selfless service and some by their wonderful wishes and brilliant ideas ! At the least, it was on us to give you a report showing what difference your contributions could achieve in these 6 months, and how the road ahead looks like...Read on.