“*Shatayushi Bhava” – A blessing or a curse. A few years back I had written an article on the increasing life spans of Indians and whether we should consider this as a blessing or a curse. Blessing because we get to live longer than our ancestors but at the same time it could be a curse if that increased life span is spent in ill health and financially weak. *Shatayushi- One who lives for 100 years. Gerontologists (Scientists who study life spans) all over the world have writ

An emergency fund is an essential buffer to tide over in unforeseen circumstances. You need a safety net when life throws those harsh bouncers at you. Most financial advisors advocate an emergency fund equivalent to 6 months living expenses. Living expenses here include only the necessary costs such as grocery, utility bills, EMIs, insurance premiums, children’s school/tuition fees, etc. While 6 months is taken as a rule of thumb, it cannot be a blanket solution as personal s

Friends and loved ones are our true treasures, with whom we have a sense of belonging, who value us for what we are. But even with our near and dear ones, there could be moments of awkwardness, especially when it comes to money. It usually is a sticky situation when friends/relatives ask for money. It could be even someone in your business community. You might hesitate to offer financial help to a dear one fearing relations could get sour in the future. At the same time, you

As the year 2017 draws to an end and you look forward to a new year, making new resolutions must be weighing on your mind. Everyone likes new beginnings and people look for special occasions to make a new start. They are naturally motivated, just like a child is excited to have neat handwriting in a new notebook at the beginning of an academic term. Observe the parks or the gyms in your vicinity on January 1 of every year. You will see they would be comparatively more crowded

Our careers fill about 30-35 years of our working life. That is a huge time frame to make big money. Just like every area of our life including personal finance requires planning, so does our career. There has to be a strategy, a vision which can provide the right direction to our professional life. While it is important to take the right steps for a successful career, it is equally important to not make mistakes. We all make a few typical mistakes in our profession. From som

Love what you do, follow your passion. We have seen this mantra in movies, read about it on the internet & in books. It might have crossed your mind many times to quit your dreary 9-5 job and find a way to make money by doing what you love. There are many start-up stories to inspire which may induce you to emulate many millionaire entrepreneurs. The thing about being your own boss is very fascinating. However, the grass is not always greener on the other side, once you are on

As is usual, at the beginning of another new year, I got a call from a reporter of a financial portal asking what resolutions I have made...