# Money Guides for India: Tax, Credit, Saving (2026)

> Plain-language guides to Indian personal finance for FY 2026-27: tax regimes, HRA, credit cards, emergency funds, SIPs, insurance and retirement.

Source: https://trykosh.com/learn

Guides

# Money guides, written for India.

25 guides that explain the rules behind your money: which tax regime to pick, how card interest really works, how big an emergency fund should be. Each links to free tools that do the maths.

## Kosh

[**What is an AI CFO, and do you need one?**A company's CFO watches every rupee, plans ahead and warns before trouble. An AI CFO does the same job for one person or household, using your own statements instead of a finance team. Here's what that means in practice, and where its limits are.](/learn/what-is-an-ai-cfo)

## Income tax

[**Old vs new tax regime for FY 2026-27: how to pick the right one**The new regime is the default and, for most salaried people, the cheaper one. The old regime still wins when your deductions are large enough. This guide shows how large, with real numbers, and how to make the choice without guessing.](/learn/old-vs-new-tax-regime-fy-2026-27)[**Income tax slabs for FY 2026-27, explained**Budget 2026 kept both regimes' slab rates as they were, so FY 2026-27 (tax year 2026-27) uses the same tables as last year. Here they are, with what the rebate, surcharge and cess do to them, and the actual tax at common incomes.](/learn/income-tax-slabs-fy-2026-27)[**How to claim HRA exemption, step by step**House rent allowance is part of most salaries, but only part of it is tax-free, and only if you pay rent and choose the old regime. Here is how the exempt amount is worked out, what to give your employer, and the cases that trip people up.](/learn/how-to-claim-hra-exemption)[**Section 80C deductions: the full list and how to use it**80C lets you cut up to INR 1.5 lakh from your taxable income in the old regime. Much of it is often used up already by EPF and insurance. Here's everything that counts, what each option really costs you, and how to fill the gap sensibly.](/learn/section-80c-deductions-guide)[**How to save tax on salary in FY 2026-27**Most advice on saving tax lists every deduction in the book. The useful question is narrower: which of them still work for you, given the regime you'll end up in? Here is a plan in the order that actually moves the number.](/learn/how-to-save-tax-on-salary)[**How to file your ITR as a salaried person**Filing your own return on the income-tax portal takes an hour or two if your documents are in order. This guide walks through it in the order you'll meet it, and flags the mismatches that cause notices.](/learn/how-to-file-itr-salaried)[**Advance tax: who pays, when, and how much**Income tax is meant to be paid as you earn. For salary, your employer handles it through TDS. For interest, rent, freelance income or capital gains, you may have to pay part of the year's tax in advance, in four instalments. Here's how to tell, and what it costs to skip.](/learn/advance-tax-guide)

## Salary

[**CTC vs in-hand salary: where the money goes**A INR 12 lakh offer doesn't mean INR 1 lakh a month in your account. CTC is what you cost your employer, not what you're paid. Here is every gap between the two, with real numbers, and what to ask before you sign.](/learn/ctc-vs-in-hand-salary)

## Freelancers

[**Freelancer tax in India: a complete guide for FY 2026-27**Freelancers in India can be taxed on half of what they bill, without keeping full books, if they qualify for the presumptive scheme. Here is who qualifies, how the numbers work, what to do about TDS and advance tax, and when the scheme isn't the right choice.](/learn/freelancer-tax-guide-india)

## GST

[**GST for freelancers: when to register and how it works**GST worries freelancers more than it should. Below INR 20 lakh a year you usually needn't register, exports carry no GST, and Indian business clients can claim back what you charge. Here are the rules that matter and the routine once you're registered.](/learn/gst-for-freelancers)

## Investing

[**Capital gains tax on shares and mutual funds**Selling shares or fund units at a profit creates a capital gain, and the tax depends on what you sold and how long you held it. Here are the current rules, worked examples, and the legal ways to keep the tax down.](/learn/capital-gains-tax-on-shares-and-mutual-funds)[**SIP vs lump sum: which is better?**Most SIP vs lump sum comparisons answer the wrong question. There are really two decisions, and the right answer differs for each. Here's the maths, then the judgement.](/learn/sip-vs-lumpsum)[**PPF vs ELSS vs NPS: which one, and when?**All three are sold as tax savers, but they're very different products: a government-backed deposit, an equity fund with a short lock-in, and a pension account you can't fully touch until 60. Here's how they compare in FY 2026-27.](/learn/ppf-vs-elss-vs-nps)

## NRIs

[**NRI income tax in India: what's taxed and how to file**If you live abroad, India taxes only your Indian income, but the rules on who counts as non-resident, which accounts are tax-free and how much TDS is cut are easy to get wrong. This guide sets out the general position; for cross-border complications, a CA who handles NRI cases is worth the fee.](/learn/nri-income-tax-india)

## Saving

[**How much emergency fund do you need?**Three to six months of expenses is the usual answer, and for many Indian households it's wrong in both directions. Here's how to work out your own number, where to park it, and how to build it without stalling everything else.](/learn/how-much-emergency-fund-do-i-need)

## Credit cards

[**How to read a credit card statement**A card statement packs a month of spending, two deadlines and several kinds of charges onto one page. Read it the right way and the card costs you nothing. Read it wrong and it can cost around 40% a year.](/learn/how-to-read-a-credit-card-statement)[**The credit card minimum due trap**The minimum amount due is designed to feel manageable, and it is. That's the problem. Here's what paying only the minimum really costs, why the debt barely moves, and how to get out.](/learn/credit-card-minimum-due-trap)[**How to get out of credit card debt**Credit card debt grows at around 50% a year once interest compounds and GST is added. The way out is the same for almost everyone: stop it growing, lower the rate, and pay in a fixed order. Here's the plan, with numbers.](/learn/how-to-get-out-of-credit-card-debt)

## Budgeting

[**How to build a monthly budget that actually works**Most budgets fail in the second month, because they're built on guesses and ignore the bills that arrive once a year. This one starts from what you really spend, and takes about an hour to set up.](/learn/how-to-build-a-monthly-budget)[**How to track expenses from your bank statements**Expense apps miss cash, SMS parsing misses cards, and manual logging stops by week three. Your statements already hold a complete record of where the money went. Here's how to turn them into a clear monthly picture.](/learn/how-to-track-expenses-from-bank-statements)

## Loans

[**Should you prepay your home loan or invest?**Prepaying a home loan earns exactly your loan's interest rate, with no risk. Investing might earn more, or less. The answer depends on that gap, on tax, and on what else your money needs to do first.](/learn/home-loan-prepay-or-invest)

## Insurance

[**How much term insurance do you need?**Term insurance has one job: if you die, your family should be able to live roughly as they would have, clear the loans and still fund the big goals. Here's how to put a number on that, step by step.](/learn/how-much-term-insurance-do-i-need)[**How much health insurance cover do you need?**A single hospital stay in a metro can cost more than most families' emergency funds. The right cover depends on where you'd be treated, how old the eldest member is and how many people share the policy. Here's how to size it.](/learn/how-much-health-insurance-do-i-need)

## Retirement

[**How much money do you need to retire in India?**The honest answer is a range, not a number, because it rests on assumptions about inflation, returns and how long you'll live. But the method is simple, and once you see which assumptions matter, you can plan with confidence.](/learn/how-much-money-to-retire-in-india)