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[ long-form guides on the math behind the calculators ]These articles cite the IT Act, run actual numbers through the engine, and end on a specific point. Written for adults — no hedging, no padding, no SEO fluff. New pieces land alongside each new calculator.
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Education loan and Section 80E — the full-interest deduction nobody talks about
Section 80E deducts every rupee of education loan interest for 8 years, uncapped. A ₹15L loan at 11% saves a 30%-slab borrower ₹2.38L in tax. The new regime kills it.
8 min read · May 2026
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ELSS vs PPF vs the new regime — is tax-saving investing still worth it?
New regime kills 80C. For most working professionals, the real question isn't ELSS vs PPF — it's whether the old regime still beats just picking a flexible equity fund.
10 min read · May 2026
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Floating vs fixed rate home loans in 2026 — what banks are really offering
Most Indian "fixed-rate" home loans are fixed for three years, then float. Pure 20-year fixed loans cost ₹7.7 lakh more than floating. You're buying rate-rise insurance.
9 min read · May 2026
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How a SIP actually works — the math behind the magic
A SIP isn't just "investing regularly." The math underneath — geometric compounding, rupee-cost averaging, annuity due — explains why early installments do most of the work.
9 min read · May 2026
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Mutual fund taxation in India — LTCG, STCG, and the FIFO rule nobody explains
Each SIP installment is its own tax lot, sorted FIFO. LTCG vs STCG depends on holding period. Debt funds since 2023 lost the LTCG benefit entirely. The mechanics, line by line.
12 min read · May 2026
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Step-up SIP — the simplest way to double your corpus
A 10% annual step-up SIP roughly doubles a 20-year corpus over a flat baseline. Most working professionals already get the income growth to do it. Most don't.
8 min read · May 2026
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Why your SIP calculator is lying to you
Every Indian SIP calculator shows you a number you'll never see. Wrong compounding, no inflation, no tax. The gap between the marketing number and the real one is ~3.8×.
11 min read · May 2026
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Home loan tax benefits — Section 24, 80C, 80EE, 80EEA, and the new regime gotcha
A ₹50 lakh home loan saves a 30%-slab borrower ₹19.74 lakh in tax over 20 years — but only under the old regime. The new regime disallows all of it. Here's the line-by-line math.
11 min read · May 2026
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Prepayment strategy — should you reduce your EMI or reduce your tenure?
Reduce-tenure saves more interest. Reduce-EMI gives cash-flow relief. The honest answer depends on your income — and as of 2026, the RBI killed the prepayment penalty.
10 min read · May 2026
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How EMI is actually calculated — the formula, the schedule, why year 1 feels like a scam
The EMI formula in plain English, why ₹35,417 of your first ₹43,391 EMI is interest, and what amortization actually does to your balance over 20 years.
9 min read · May 2026
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How CTC works in India — the complete breakdown
Your CTC says ₹15 lakh, your bank statement says ₹1 lakh a month. Here's where the ₹3 lakh gap goes — basic, HRA, employer PF, gratuity, tax — line by line.
9 min read · May 2026
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HRA exemption explained — the min-of-three rule, with worked examples
HRA exemption is the MINIMUM of three numbers, not the largest. Section 10(13A) math with worked examples for metro and non-metro — and exactly what counts as metro under Rule 2A.
8 min read · May 2026
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New Labour Code impact on your take-home salary — the 50% basic rule, explained
India's four Labour Codes took effect November 21, 2025. Basic must be at least 50% of CTC. What that does to your take-home, PF, and gratuity — with engine-computed math.
9 min read · May 2026
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NPS 80CCD(2) — the tax benefit most salaried Indians miss
Section 80CCD(2) is the only deduction that survives the new regime. At ₹15L CTC with 14% employer NPS, your annual tax drops to ₹0. The math, and the lock-in trade-off.
7 min read · May 2026
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Old vs new tax regime FY 2025-26 — which one to choose
The Finance Act 2025 made ₹12L taxable income tax-free under the new regime. When the new regime wins, when the old still saves you more, and the exact math on both.
10 min read · May 2026