Mutual Funds & Investing
Mutual Funds & Investing
SIP vs lumpsum, index vs active, tax-efficient investing – the decisions that compound the most.
About mutual funds & investing
Mutual funds are how most Indian households own equity, and the decisions that matter are made once and then largely left alone: which category, direct or regular, and whether you keep going when the market falls.
Those choices compound. A regular plan costs roughly 1% of assets a year more than the identical direct plan – invisible on a statement, material across twenty years. These guides cover the decisions that carry the most weight: SIP against lumpsum tested on real Nifty windows, index against active in Indian conditions, and how each fund category is taxed after the 2024 Budget changes.
CAGR Full Form: What It Means and How to Read It
The CAGR full form is Compound Annual Growth Rate: the single yearly rate an investment grew at. What it measures, the formula, and why SIPs need XIRR.
What is NAV in Mutual Funds?
NAV, or Net Asset Value, is a mutual fund's per-unit price. What NAV means, how it's calculated, and why a low NAV does not make a fund cheaper or better value.
Types of Mutual Funds in India, Explained
The types of mutual funds in India, explained without jargon: how SEBI's equity, debt, hybrid and solution-oriented categories map to one simple risk ladder.
What is an STP (Systematic Transfer Plan)?
What an STP is, how a Systematic Transfer Plan moves a lump sum from a low-risk fund into equity in slices, the tax catch, and who it suits.
What is ELSS? Tax-Saving Mutual Funds Explained
ELSS is the only equity mutual fund that saves tax under Section 80C. Here's how the deduction works, why the 3-year lock-in is the shortest of any 80C option, and who it suits.
Direct vs Regular Mutual Funds: The Fee Difference
What direct and regular mutual fund plans are, why the regular plan costs more each year, and how that fee difference compounds over time.
What is an NFO (New Fund Offer)? What the ₹10 Price Means
A plain-English guide to New Fund Offers: what an NFO is, why the ₹10 unit price isn't a discount, and what to actually check before you subscribe.
What is a Debt Fund?
A plain-English guide to debt funds in India, what they invest in, the two risks that actually move returns, how they're taxed, and where they fit.
What is an SWP (Systematic Withdrawal Plan)?
What is an SWP, or Systematic Withdrawal Plan: how it turns a mutual fund into a monthly income, why it is the reverse of an SIP, and how its tax treatment works.
What Is Exit Load in Mutual Funds?
A plain-English guide to exit load in mutual funds – what it is, why funds charge it, how much it usually costs, and how to check the load period before you sell.
Large Cap, Mid Cap, Small Cap: The Difference
A plain-English guide to large cap, mid cap and small cap funds in India – how SEBI defines each by company rank, and what that means for risk.
What is a SIP? How Systematic Investment Plans Work
A SIP, or Systematic Investment Plan, auto-invests a fixed amount in a mutual fund on a fixed date. How SIPs work, rupee-cost averaging, and what they don't promise.
What is a Demat Account, and Do You Need One for Mutual Funds?
A demat account holds shares and ETFs electronically. Here's what it is, how it works, and why you don't actually need one to invest in regular mutual funds.
What is XIRR, and Why It Beats CAGR for SIPs
XIRR, or Extended Internal Rate of Return, is the true annualised return on irregular cashflows like SIPs. What XIRR means, how to calculate it, and why CAGR falls short.
What is a Fund of Funds (FoF)?
A plain-English guide to fund of funds in India. How an FoF works, the types, why people use them for gold and global stocks, and the cost to watch.
Rupee Cost Averaging: Why SIPs Actually Work
What rupee cost averaging is, how investing a fixed amount each month lowers your average cost per unit, and the honest limit of the idea.
What Is a Step-Up SIP?
A step-up SIP raises your monthly investment by a set percentage every year. Here's how it works, and how much more it can build than a flat SIP.
What is a Liquid Fund? Where Idle Cash Belongs
What is a liquid fund, and why it is where your idle cash belongs – how it works, how fast you can withdraw, and how it compares with a savings account and an FD.
Taxation of Mutual Funds in India (FY 2025-26): Every Category, One Playbook
Equity, debt, hybrid, ELSS, arbitrage, international, gold, index, ETFs, FoFs: the complete FY 2025-26 tax treatment for every mutual fund category in India, with rates, holding periods, and worked examples.
SIP vs Lumpsum: Which Actually Wins in Indian Markets?
SIP vs lumpsum, backtested across rising, flat, and falling 20-year windows on the Nifty 50. When SIP wins, when lumpsum wins, and the middle path most investors miss.
Index vs Active Funds: The 2026 Indian Reality
SPIVA India numbers, expense ratio drag, where active still wins, and the core-satellite approach that most NYVO clients use.
Run the numbers
Calculators that pair with these guides.
SIP
Estimate the future value of a monthly mutual-fund SIP in India. Enter your amount, expected return and horizon to see the corpus and gain split.
CalculateStep-up SIP
Project a SIP that grows with your income. A 10% annual step-up can roughly double the 20-year corpus versus a flat SIP. Built for Indian equity returns.
CalculateMF Returns
Project combined returns from a mutual-fund SIP, lumpsum and top-ups in one place. Built for Indian equity, debt, hybrid and ELSS funds.
CalculateLTCG
Long-term capital gains tax on equity, debt, gold and property in India, with the 2024 Budget changes built in: 12.5% on equity beyond ₹1.25L.
Calculate