Karthik Jerome

Equal-weight funds: Pick broader universe if risk appetite, horizon permit

Beware that funds with higher exposure to mid- and smallcaps are likely to be more volatile

Credit cards & Gen Z: Spending should not exceed 20-30% of take-home income

Credit utilisation ratio should remain below 30%

Old health cover may leave you underinsured as medical costs rise

Review the sum insured at every renewal, upgrade while healthy, and use a super top-up to raise cover affordably

What is new about the EPF 2026 Scheme and what it means for subscribers

While subscribers get greater flexibility in making partial withdrawals, they should exercise this freedom judiciously so that they don't deplete their retirement corpus drastically

Avoid a costly early exit: Steps before surrendering an insurance policy

Assess the policy's returns, risks and liquidity restrictions, and ensure that you can sustain the premiums throughout its term

Aggressive hybrid funds offer equity exposure with lower volatility

Check both equity and debt portfolios before investing

Verify hospital's cashless status before admission to avoid claim hassles

If reimbursement becomes unavoidable, submit a complete file at the earliest

Verify hospital's cashless status before admission to avoid claim delays

If reimbursement becomes unavoidable, submit a complete file at the earliest

Use slowdown in housing sales to negotiate a better property deal

Compare nearby projects, negotiate the overall deal and not just the base price, and choose developers with strong delivery records to secure better value

Multi-year health insurance: Lock in premiums, but check exit rules first

Multi-year health insurance plans offer premium stability and upfront discounts, but buyers should weigh flexibility, portability and future healthcare needs

What Sebi's new framework for securities transfer means for heirs

Succession-related issues can add to the difficulty. Legal heirs often need multiple documents. Coordinating several heirs can be difficult

Don't let dark patterns quietly inflate your online shopping bills

Check the final payable amount, remove pre-ticked add-ons, and preserve screenshots if you need to complain

Equity savings funds: A sound option for stability-seeking investors

Equity savings funds usually suffer much lower drawdowns than pure equity funds

Planning to use algo trading? Key checks retail investors must make

Check back-test and live-trading data, drawdowns, and net-of-cost returns before you adopt an algo

Outflows from gold ETFs signal caution; how should investors respond?

Existing investors should book partial profits if overweight; new ones should build exposure in a staggered manner

BaaS lowers entry cost of EV ownership, but may not always be cheaper

Battery as a Service reduces the upfront cost of buying an electric vehicle, but recurring payments, contract terms and resale concerns mean it works best for users with moderate distance driving

Started retirement planning at 40? Here's how to catch up in time

Step up savings rate, build equity-heavy portfolio, and automate investments

Forty and behind on retirement savings? Here's a catch-up plan

Step up savings rate, build equity-heavy portfolio, and automate investments

Understand risks and liquidity constraints before investing in an SME IPO

Understand why listing day gains are harder to book than might appear

How to prevent rejection of EV insurance claim: Key precautions to take

As EV adoption rises, insurers warn that improper charging, unauthorised modifications, and delayed reporting can lead to claim rejection