M. Pattabiraman's Blog, page 19

What you need to know about gold before investing in it

Every time gold prices spike, everyone becomes an expert on the commodity. There is a lot of “I told you so,” “why gold is always the safest asset,” and “why its value never comes down.” If you are interested in investing in gold for its “return, ” there is a lot to consider before diving...

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Why should I diversify my investment portfolio?

Sometimes, an idea, phrase, or action becomes so commonly used that we take them for granted and don’t stop to think about why they are used. So, can we pause momentarily and ask, “Why should I diversify my investment portfolio?” When we push ourselves into a corner and force ourselves to answer, we will probably...

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Why Owning Property is Safer than Renting in Old Age: A Real-Life Story

In this edition of the reader story, we have a response to our recent article – Is it better for a young family to rent than to buy a home? My father retired in 2008 from a PSU in Hyderabad. The company is not part of any govt pension scheme, so all he had was a...

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Debt and hybrid mutual fund screener (May 2025) for selection, tracking, learning

This is a debt mutual fund screener for portfolio selection, tracking, and learning. It also includes hybrid funds that invest in bonds. It will satisfy investors who wish to invest in money market funds, banking PSU funds, etc. The credit quality of the bonds in the portfolio and the bond maturity profile can be tracked....

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How to Safeguard Your Early Retirement Plan from Costly Mistakes

We discuss some mistakes to avoid while planning for early retirement. Whether or not early retirement is a wise choice is a highly debatable topic. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to be clear about why they wish to retire early and what they intend to do afterwards. We shall get into this debate...

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Why are you recommending small equity exposure even to early retirees?

A common criticism from those who read our robo advisor-based illustrations is,  “Why are you recommending small equity exposure even to early retirees?” We shall try to explain in this article. If you have not read these illustrations, see: Retirement plan review: Am I on track to retire by 50? I am 30 and wish...

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Can I set up these financial safeguards for my child?

A reader says, “I am an Army Officer and have been a DIY investor for some time now, thanks to the invaluable lessons from you and many other knowledgeable teachers on YouTube. My investment approach has been quite sufficient for my requirements, and being in a pensionable service (by the grace of the Almighty!), I...

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Index fund tracking error screener May 2025

This index fund screener is based on tracking error and returns difference wrt benchmarks (aka tracking difference). It will help users evaluate how efficiently an index fund has tracked its underlying benchmark. It will also help them understand how tracking a midcap index or the Nifty 100 or 500 differs from tracking the Sensex or...

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Should a retired couple rent or buy a flat after selling their home?

A reader asks, “Leaving aside the emotional component, is it “better” for a retired couple to live in a rented flat rather than buy a flat with the sale proceeds of their home?” This is a tough one as there are many factors to consider. Assuming they lived in an old independent house, the usual...

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How a Random Call Changed My Financial Life

In this edition of the reader story, “I’m 42 years old and currently working as a Product Manager in the healthcare sector. My spouse, aged 49, previously worked in the IT industry but chose to step away for personal reasons. We have two children—my son is in the 7th standard and my daughter is in...

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