EveryIndian — Free Weekly Investment Ready-Reckoner

⚠️ Disclaimer: All data is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Rates change frequently — always verify with the official institution before investing. Past returns are not indicative of future performance.

🏦 Fixed Deposit Rates

Updated Weekly

Major Bank FD Rates · June 2026 · Below ₹3 crore

Bank	1 Year	2–3 Years	5 Years	Best Rate	Senior Citizen (Max)
SBI	6.25%	6.40%	6.05%	6.45% (444-day Amrit Vrishti)	6.95%
HDFC Bank	6.25%	6.45–6.50%	6.40%	6.50% (3Y1D–4Y7M)	7.00%
ICICI Bank	6.25%	6.45–6.50%	6.50%	6.50% (3Y1D–5Y)	7.10%
Axis Bank	6.25%	6.45%	6.45%	6.45% (18M+)	7.20%
Kotak Mahindra	6.40%	6.40–6.50%	6.40%	6.50% (390 days)	7.00%
Bank of Baroda	6.25%	6.30–6.45%	6.40%	6.75% (555-day special)	7.25%
Post Office (5Y TD)	6.90%	7.10%	7.50%	7.50% (5 years)	7.50%

💡 RBI held the repo rate at 5.25% for the third consecutive meeting (Jun 5, 2026). FD rates are stable but softening. Post Office TDs are government-backed with no upper deposit limit. Bank of Baroda's 555-day special scheme at 6.75% leads the pack. FD interest is fully taxable. DICGC insures deposits up to ₹5 lakh per bank. Senior citizens can claim deduction up to ₹50,000 on FD interest under Section 80TTB.

✨ Gold & Silver

Updated Weekly

Retail Prices in India · 28 June 2026

Gold 24K / gram

₹14,395

₹1,43,950 per 10 grams · 99.9% purity

▼ Off April high of ₹15,529

Gold 22K / gram

₹13,195

Jewellery grade (916 hallmark)

Silver / gram

₹240

₹2,40,000 per kg

▼ Off April high of ₹275

Gold 18K / gram

₹10,796

75% purity · used in lightweight jewellery

Ways to Buy Gold

Physical Gold (Jewellery)Making charges apply
Gold Coins / BarsBIS hallmarked
Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB)2.5% p.a. + price gain
Gold ETF (NSE/BSE)No making charges
Gold Mutual FundsSIP possible, no demat needed

💡 SGBs are the most tax-efficient — zero capital gains tax on maturity (8 years). Gold has dropped ~7% from April Akshaya Tritiya highs, making this a potentially better entry point.

Silver — Key Facts

Silver per gram₹240
Silver per kg₹2,40,000
5-Year Avg Return~12% CAGR
LTCG (24 months+)12.5% (no indexation)
Silver ETFs availableYes — on NSE/BSE

Gold Import Rules

Basic Customs Duty6%
GST on purchase3%
TCS (purchases >₹2L)1%
Duty-free (resident men)₹50,000
Duty-free (resident women)₹1,00,000

📈 Mutual Funds & SIP

Updated Weekly

Indicative Category Returns (CAGR) · June 2026 · Direct Plans

Category	Representative Fund	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	Risk	Min. SIP
Large Cap	Mirae Asset Large Cap	~5%	~13%	~13%	Moderate	₹1,000
Mid Cap	HDFC Mid Cap Opportunities	~9%	~21%	~21%	Mod–High	₹1,000
Small Cap	Nippon India Small Cap	~4%	~19%	~22%	High	₹500
ELSS (Tax Saver)	Mirae Asset ELSS Tax Saver	~6%	~14%	~13%	Moderate	₹500
Nifty 50 Index	UTI Nifty 50 Index Fund	~−5%	~12%	~12%	Moderate	₹500
Debt (Short Term)	HDFC Short Term Debt	~7%	~7%	~7%	Low	₹1,000
Balanced Advantage	HDFC Balanced Advantage	~7%	~13%	~13%	Moderate	₹1,000

💡 Nifty 50 has declined ~9% from its January 2026 peak of 26,373 — its 1-year return is negative as the index was higher a year ago. The 3Y and 5Y CAGRs remain healthy. ELSS has a mandatory 3-year lock-in and qualifies for Section 80C deduction up to ₹1.5 lakh. Always prefer Direct Plans over Regular Plans to save 0.5–1% p.a. in expense ratio.

Past returns are not indicative of future performance. Returns are approximate category averages. Verify current returns on amfiindia.com or valueresearchonline.com.

🏛️ PPF, SCSS & Small Savings

Q1 FY 2026–27 Rates

Q1 FY 2026–27 (April–June 2026) rates announced by Ministry of Finance · Rates unchanged for 8th straight quarter

EEE · Tax-Free

7.1%

PPF — Public Provident Fund

15-year lock-in · Max ₹1.5L/year · Section 80C eligible · Compounded annually · Partial withdrawal from 7th year · Loan facility

Section 80C + 80TTB

8.2%

SCSS — Senior Citizen Savings Scheme

For 60+ years · Max ₹30L · Quarterly payout · 5-year tenure (ext. by 3 yrs) · Section 80C + 80TTB benefits

Section 80C

7.7%

NSC — National Savings Certificate

5-year lock-in · No upper limit · Interest compounded annually but taxable · Eligible for 80C

EEE · For Girl Child

8.2%

SSY — Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana

Girl child up to 10 yrs · Max ₹1.5L/year · Matures at 21 yrs · Section 80C eligible · Highest among small savings

Doubles in 115 months

7.5%

KVP — Kisan Vikas Patra

No maximum limit · Matures in ~9 yrs 7 months · Transferable · Premature exit allowed after 2.5 years

Taxable Interest

7.4%

MIS — Post Office Monthly Income

Max ₹9L (single) / ₹15L (joint) · Monthly interest payout · 5-year tenure · Safe, guaranteed income

EPF — Employee Provident Fund 8.25% p.a.

Current Interest Rate (FY 2025–26)8.25% p.a.
Employee Contribution12% of Basic + DA
Employer Contribution (EPF)3.67% of Basic + DA
Tax StatusEEE (up to ₹2.5L/yr limit)
EDLI Free Life CoverUp to ₹7 lakh
WithdrawalFull after 5 years service

💡 EPF at 8.25% beats PPF (7.1%) and all major bank FDs (6.25–6.75%) — best risk-free return for salaried employees. Track on epfindia.gov.in using UAN.

VPF — Voluntary Provident Fund 8.25% p.a.

Rate (same as EPF)8.25% p.a.
Max Additional ContributionUp to 100% of Basic+DA
Section 80C benefitYes (within ₹1.5L limit)
RiskGovernment-backed · Zero
Withdrawal restrictionSame as EPF

💡 VPF offers the same high EPF rate with zero risk. If you haven't maxed your safe fixed income allocations, consider VPF before bank FDs — higher return, same security.

🔒 NPS — National Pension System

Updated Weekly

Market-linked returns · Tier I · Not guaranteed · Best as long-term retirement vehicle

📊 Scheme E — Equity (High Risk / High Return)

1 Year~10–22%

3 Year CAGR~12–14%

5 Year CAGR~15–17%

Max 75% equity (up to age 50). DSP Pension Fund leads with 22.58% 1Y return (Jan 2026).

🏢 Scheme C — Corporate Bonds (Moderate)

1 Year~7–8%

3 Year CAGR~8–8.5%

5 Year CAGR~8–9%

Invests in AA+ and above rated corporate bonds. Steady, moderate-risk fixed income.

🏛️ Scheme G — Govt. Securities (Low Risk)

1 Year~7–8%

3 Year CAGR~8–9%

5 Year CAGR~8–9%

Central government securities only. LIC PF and UTI PF lead in this category.

Deduction u/s 80CUp to ₹1.5L
Additional deduction u/s 80CCD(1B)Extra ₹50,000 (above 80C limit)
Total NPS tax benefitUp to ₹2,00,000
At retirement (age 60)60% lump-sum tax-free · 40% mandatory annuity
Open account atnpscra.nsdl.co.in or eNPS portal

💡 The ₹50,000 deduction u/s 80CCD(1B) is over and above the ₹1.5L Section 80C limit — NPS is the only instrument that gives this extra benefit. Available in both old and new tax regimes.

🏠 Real Estate & Home Loans

Updated Weekly

Indicative Mid-Segment Residential Prices · June 2026

Metro

Mumbai

₹18,000–32,000

per sq ft (residential)

Metro

Delhi NCR

₹9,000–22,000

per sq ft (residential)

Metro

Bengaluru

₹8,000–16,000

per sq ft (residential)

Metro

Hyderabad

₹7,000–14,000

per sq ft (residential)

Metro

Chennai

₹6,500–12,000

per sq ft (residential)

Tier-2

Pune

₹7,500–14,000

per sq ft (residential)

Tier-2

Ahmedabad

₹4,500–9,000

per sq ft (residential)

Tier-2

Kolkata

₹4,500–9,000

per sq ft (residential)

Home Loan Rates (Floating · June 2026)

Lender	Starting Rate	Linked To	Max Tenure	Processing Fee
HDFC Bank	From 7.20% p.a.	Repo Rate (RLLR)	30 years	Up to 0.5%
Bank of Baroda	From 7.20% p.a.	Repo Rate (RLLR)	30 years	0.25%
SBI	From 7.25% p.a.	Repo Rate (RLLR)	30 years	0.35%
ICICI Bank	From 7.50% p.a.	Repo Rate (RLLR)	30 years	0.5%
Kotak Mahindra	From 7.60% p.a.	Repo Rate (RLLR)	30 years	0.5%
Axis Bank	From 8.00% p.a.	Repo Rate (RLLR)	30 years	Up to 1%

💡 With repo rate at 5.25% (held for 3rd consecutive time), floating-rate EMIs are stable. RBI has cut rates by 125 bps since February 2025 — floating-rate borrowers have already benefited. LTCG on residential property: 12.5% (no indexation, from Budget 2024). Section 24(b): deduction up to ₹2L on home loan interest. EMI thumb rule: monthly EMI should not exceed 40% of take-home pay.

Rates for borrowers with CIBIL score 750+. Source: Paisabazaar / Bank websites, Jun 2026. Prices are indicative; verify before investing.

🛡️ Life Insurance

Fixed Reference

Term Insurance (Pure Protection) — Recommended ✅

Cover Rule of Thumb: 10–15× your annual income. ₹1 crore minimum recommended for most working adults. Increase cover if you have large loans or many dependants.

LIC Tech Term (online)~₹8,000–12,000/yr
HDFC Life Click 2 Protect~₹8,000–11,000/yr
Max Life Smart Secure Plus~₹7,500–10,500/yr
ICICI Pru iProtect Smart~₹7,800–11,000/yr

Indicative premiums for ₹1 crore cover, 30-year-old non-smoker male, 30-year term. Buy online to save 15–20% vs offline. Premium qualifies for Section 80C deduction.

Cover needed (age 20–30)20× Annual Income
Cover needed (age 30–40)15× Annual Income
Cover needed (age 40–50)10× Annual Income
Cover needed (age 50+)5× Annual Income
Add: outstanding loansFull loan amount

❌ What to Avoid

Endowment / Money-Back policies — Combine insurance + savings with poor returns (4–5% p.a.) and inadequate cover. Surrender early = heavy loss.

ULIP (Unit Linked Insurance Plan) — High charges eat returns in early years. Better to buy term insurance + invest separately in mutual funds.

Rule #1: Invest and insure separately. Term plan for protection, mutual funds for wealth creation.

🏥 Health Insurance

Fixed Reference

Mediclaim / Health insurance is non-negotiable. One hospitalisation can cost ₹5–20 lakh. Medical inflation runs at 10–12% p.a. Minimum recommended: ₹10L individual / ₹20–25L family floater.

Indicative Premiums (FY 2026) — Reference Only

Star Health (₹5L, 30 yr)~₹7,000–9,000/yr
Niva Bupa (₹5L, 30 yr)~₹8,000–10,000/yr
HDFC ERGO (₹5L, 30 yr)~₹7,500–9,500/yr
Family Floater (₹15L)~₹20,000–35,000/yr
Senior Citizen (₹5L, 65 yr)~₹40,000–70,000/yr

Buy early — premiums rise steeply with age. Pre-existing conditions: 2–4 year waiting period. Portability allowed. Always opt for cashless network hospitals.

Tax Benefits & Smart Tips — Section 80D

Self, spouse, childrenDeduction: ₹25,000
Parents below 60Deduction: ₹25,000
Parents above 60Deduction: ₹50,000
Max total deduction possible₹75,000
Preventive health check-up₹5,000 (within limit)

💡 Top-up Plans: Add a super top-up plan over your base ₹5L policy. ₹20L super top-up (₹5L deductible) costs only ~₹3,000–5,000/yr — excellent value.

🧮 Retirement Planning Calculator

Calculator

Estimate Your Retirement Corpus Requirement

Your Current Age

Retirement Age

Life Expectancy

Monthly Expenses Now (₹)

Expected Inflation (% p.a.)

Post-Retirement Return (% p.a.)

Corpus Needed at Retirement

—

Monthly Expense at Retirement

—

Retirement Years

—

Monthly SIP Needed (12% return)

—

Calculator is indicative. Consult a SEBI-registered financial adviser. Does not account for EPF/PPF/NPS accumulations you may already have.

💡 Quick rule (4% rule): Corpus = 25× your annual expenses at retirement. For India's higher inflation, 28–30× is safer. Start a SIP today — ₹5,000/month at 12% from age 25 becomes ₹3.2 Cr by 60. Starting at 35 gives only ₹1 Cr.

📋 Taxation — Quick Reference

Changes with Budget

FY 2025–26 (AY 2026–27) · Budget 2025 slabs · Always verify with a CA for your situation.

New Tax Regime (Default) — Budget 2025

Income Slab	Tax Rate
Up to ₹4,00,000	Nil
₹4L – ₹8L	5%
₹8L – ₹12L	10%
₹12L – ₹16L	15%
₹16L – ₹20L	20%
₹20L – ₹24L	25%
Above ₹24L	30%

✅ No tax up to ₹12L income (87A rebate). Standard deduction ₹75,000. No deductions (80C, HRA etc.) available in new regime. Better for most salaried up to ₹15L without large deductions.

Old Tax Regime — FY 2025–26

Income Slab	Tax Rate
Up to ₹2,50,000	Nil
₹2.5L – ₹5L	5%
₹5L – ₹10L	20%
Above ₹10L	30%

⚖️ 87A rebate up to ₹5L. Standard deduction ₹50,000. Deductions (80C, HRA, home loan, NPS) available. Old Regime wins if you max 80C + 80D + HRA + home loan interest.

Capital Gains Tax — Budget 2024 Rates

Equity STCG (<1 yr)20%
Equity LTCG (≥1 yr, >₹1.25L)12.5%
Debt MF (any holding)Slab rate
Real Estate LTCG (≥24 months)12.5% (no indexation)
Gold / Silver LTCG (≥24 months)12.5% (no indexation)
SGB held to maturity (8 yrs)Zero capital gains tax

First ₹1.25 lakh of equity LTCG per year is exempt. SGB early exit via exchange: LTCG applies. Budget 2024: STCG raised 15%→20%; indexation removed on real estate & gold.

TDS Quick Reference

FD Interest (>₹40K; ₹50K senior)10% TDS
FD interest (no PAN)20% TDS
Dividend from equity MF10% TDS (>₹5,000)
Rent (>₹50K/month)2% TDS
Professional fees (>₹30K)10% TDS

💡 Submit Form 15G (below 60) or Form 15H (above 60) to your bank if total income is below the taxable limit — avoids TDS deduction on FD interest. File by the start of each financial year.

⚠️ Top 10 Mistakes Indians Make

Fixed Reference

From "What Every Indian Should Know Before Investing" by Vinod Pottayil

No Emergency Fund

Investing without a 6-month cash reserve forces panic selling during emergencies — wiping out long-term gains.

Mixing Insurance & Investment

Endowment plans and ULIPs give poor returns (4–5%) AND inadequate cover. Buy term insurance + invest separately.

Inadequate Life Insurance

Depending on employer cover or a small policy for a joint-income family. You need 10–15× your annual income in pure term cover.

No Health Insurance

One hospitalisation can cost ₹5–20 lakh. Relying only on employer cover that lapses on job change is a major risk.

Investing Without Goals

Buying products without knowing if they're for retirement, child's education, or home purchase leads to mismatched tenures and exits.

Panic-Selling in Market Falls

Redeeming equity investments during crashes locks in losses. Markets recover — staying invested is the single most valuable discipline.

Ignoring Inflation

Parking all savings in FDs that return 6.5% when inflation is 6% = real return of just ~0.5%. Equity is needed to beat inflation long-term.

Not Filing Income Tax Returns

Failing to file ITR affects loan eligibility, VISA approvals, and means losing refunds. File by July 31 every year.

No Nominations on Accounts

Bank accounts, FDs, MF folios, insurance without nomination create legal nightmares for heirs. Update all nominations today.

Waiting for the "Right Time"

Timing the market is impossible. Time in the market beats timing the market. Start a SIP today — even ₹500 a month.

📞 Regulator Helplines

Fixed — Never Changes

Official helplines for Indian financial regulators. All numbers are toll-free unless stated.

🏦 Banking & RBI

RBI Ombudsman

14448

9:30am–5:15pm · 9 languages

cms.rbi.org.in

File complaints against banks for deficient services (online or by call). Covers banks, NBFCs, UPI, cards.

RBI General Enquiry

1800 425 2310

Toll-free

rbi.org.in

General queries on RBI policies, circulars, and consumer protection.

PM Jan Dhan Yojana

1800 11 0001

Toll-free

Queries related to PMJDY bank accounts, RuPay cards, and basic banking services.

📈 SEBI / Mutual Funds / Markets

SEBI Helpline

1800 266 7575

9am–6pm · 8 languages

scores.sebi.gov.in

Alternate: 1800 22 7575. Investor complaints and queries related to stock markets, brokers, mutual funds.

AMFI (Mutual Funds)

1800 572 6592

Toll-free

contact@amfiindia.com

Queries about mutual funds, AMCs, KYC, and distributors.

NSE Investor Services

ignse@nse.co.in

Email helpdesk

Complaints against NSE-registered brokers and trading members.

BSE Investor Services

is@bseindia.com

Email helpdesk

Complaints against BSE-registered brokers and listed company issues.

🛡️ Insurance, NPS & Others

IRDAI Bima Bharosa

155255

All insurance complaints

bimabharosa.irdai.gov.in

complaints@irdai.gov.in · Life, health, motor, and general insurance grievances.

PFRDA (NPS / APY)

1800 110 708

Toll-free

cra@pfrda.org.in

National Pension System and Atal Pension Yojana queries and complaints.

EPFO (Provident Fund)

1800 118 005

Toll-free

epfindia.gov.in

EPF withdrawal, KYC updates, passbook queries, employer compliance issues.

CPGRAMS (Govt. Grievances)

pgportal.gov.in

Online portal

Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System for all government services.

Cyber Fraud Helpline

1930

National Cybercrime Helpline · 24×7

cybercrime.gov.in

Report online financial fraud, UPI scams, investment scams immediately. Speed is critical.

📋 How to Escalate Complaints — Step by Step

Lodge Internally First: Always complain to the company first (bank, insurer, broker, fund house). Note the complaint reference number and date. Give them 30 days to resolve.
Regulator's Complaint Portal: If unresolved, escalate — SEBI SCORES, RBI CMS, or IRDAI Bima Bharosa. You need the company's complaint reference number.
Ombudsman: For banking complaints, approach the RBI Integrated Ombudsman (14448 or cms.rbi.org.in). For insurance, contact the Insurance Ombudsman (ask IRDAI for your region's office).
CPGRAMS: For government scheme issues (EPF, NPS, India Post), raise on pgportal.gov.in. Tracked at the highest level.
Consumer Forum: File at the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (consumerhelpline.gov.in) for disputes up to ₹1 crore.
Cyber Fraud: If you've lost money to an online scam, call 1930 immediately. Early reporting can lead to a freeze and recovery of funds.

All these services are completely free of charge. You do not need to pay any agent or middleman to file a complaint.

🏦 Fixed Deposit Rates

✨ Gold & Silver

📈 Mutual Funds & SIP

🏛️ PPF, SCSS & Small Savings

🔒 NPS — National Pension System

🏠 Real Estate & Home Loans

🛡️ Life Insurance

❌ What to Avoid

🏥 Health Insurance

🧮 Retirement Planning Calculator

Estimate Your Retirement Corpus Requirement

📋 Taxation — Quick Reference

⚠️ Top 10 Mistakes Indians Make

🔗 Official Reference Sites

📞 Regulator Helplines

📋 How to Escalate Complaints — Step by Step