M. Pattabiraman's Blog, page 4

How should I invest Rs. 10 lakhs in equity mutual funds?

A reader asks, “I have a sum of Rs. 10 lakhs to invest for the long term. How should I invest this in equity mutual funds?” Please ask yourself these questions first. 1: Will this amount be associated with a single goal or multiple goals? If it is the latter, for each goal what is...

The post How should I invest Rs. 10 lakhs in equity mutual funds? appeared first on freefincal.

You don’t need a SIP, SWP or STP to invest in mutual funds!

A SIP, SWP or STP is an investment mode, not an instrument. Many still ask, “Which SIP can I invest in?”. You do not invest in a SIP. You invest via a SIP. We explain why SIP, SWP or STPs are not necessary to invest in mutual funds. 1 A SIP is an automated way...

The post You don’t need a SIP, SWP or STP to invest in mutual funds! appeared first on freefincal.

Equity Mutual Fund Screener Aug 2025: Shortlist consistent performers

The latest freefincal Equity Mutual Fund Performance Screener is now available. Use it to screen for consistently performing equity mutual funds. You can screen based on fund category & benchmark to identify mutual funds that offer higher returns than the benchmark while maintaining lower risk. Inside, you get discounted links to our robo advisory tool...

The post Equity Mutual Fund Screener Aug 2025: Shortlist consistent performers appeared first on freefincal.

How do I combine base and super top-up health insurance policies?

A reader suggested we write an article about combining base and super top-up health insurance policies — a discussion. First, let us point out some helpful resources for those looking to understand more about health insurance and how to buy one: Select the right health insurance policy with these free resources FAQ: Super Top up...

The post How do I combine base and super top-up health insurance policies? appeared first on freefincal.

How to use PPF as a portfolio de-risking tool

Investors typically focus on the tax-free, risk-free, and tax-saving benefits of PPF. Even those who cannot afford it often scrounge for Rs. 1.5 lakh for PPF investment within the first five days of the financial year. See: Investing Rs. 1.5 lakhs in PPF before April 5th may not be healthy for your portfolio! An under-appreciated...

The post How to use PPF as a portfolio de-risking tool appeared first on freefincal.

National Pension Scheme Fund Screener Aug 2025: Shortlist consistent performers

This is a National Pension Scheme Fund Screener to shortlist consistently performing NPS schemes. You can also spot NPS schemes with a higher return than a benchmark at a lower risk. This is similar in design to the freefincal Equity Mutual Fund Performance Screener. Inside, you get discounted links to our robo advisory tool and...

The post National Pension Scheme Fund Screener Aug 2025: Shortlist consistent performers appeared first on freefincal.

Stop worrying about market conditions and focus on goal-based risk management

Investors, especially those who have just started to invest, spend a lot of time and energy worrying about current market conditions and trends in the near term. Instead, they can easily reduce portfolio risk with these simple steps we refer to as goal-based risk management – a combination of passive, systematic investing and active risk...

The post Stop worrying about market conditions and focus on goal-based risk management appeared first on freefincal.

What is the most common mistake made by new MF investors?

I was recently asked in an interview, “What is the most common mistake made by new mutual fund investors?” The short answer is not understanding the nature of the stock market. Even experienced mutual fund investors are also guilty of this. Many mutual fund investors expect excellent performance every year. So when they see a fund...

The post What is the most common mistake made by new MF investors? appeared first on freefincal.

Despite personal challenges, we are on track to achieve FIRE in seven years

In Aug 2024, we published a reader story about a young earner’s journey to one crore and plans to build further wealth: Crossing the Million Mark: Our Journey to the First Crore. This is an update. About this series: I am grateful to readers for sharing intimate details about their financial lives, which benefits us all. Some...

The post Despite personal challenges, we are on track to achieve FIRE in seven years appeared first on freefincal.

Stocks with low volatility and momentum for Aug 2025

We publish a list of stocks with low volatility and momentum each month. We provide data for BSE 500 and BSE 100 stocks. There are now three different screener files available. (1) Stocks with low volatility and momentum from the BSE 100 large cap universe are available as a separate file (2) Stocks with low...

The post Stocks with low volatility and momentum for Aug 2025 appeared first on freefincal.