Karthik Jerome

Using MTF? Keep sufficient cash for margin calls, avoid forced selling

Investors should restrict margin trading facility use to liquid stocks, maintain adequate cash buffers for margin calls, and avoid excessive leverage during periods of market stress

Reforms@35: From UTI monopoly and assured returns to SIP investment boom

How the continuing reforms in the MF space have created an over ₹82 trillion powerhouse

Build layered health cover to shield finances from critical illnesses

Combine a robust base health plan with a super top-up, critical illness cover and a dedicated medical corpus to protect household finances from soaring treatment costs

How safe is it to accept finfluencers' investment recommendations?

If you wish to stay safe, stick to the minority that has a Sebi-registered investment adviser or research analyst licence

Motor insurance: Prioritise 'engine protect' rider this monsoon season

Standard motor insurance covers many monsoon-related losses, but add-ons such as engine protect and zero-depreciation can significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenses

Compare forex cards on total costs and complete transparency in charges

A card with zero cross-currency conversion charge will allow you to load US dollars and then spend in any currency without incurring further charges

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