Guides
A growing collection of how-to guides and reference notes.
- How to build a vacation fund using mutual funds
Step-by-step playbook for saving for a vacation via mutual funds over a 1-3 year horizon. Covers corpus sizing, fund selection for short horizons, and the tax-aware redemption.
- How to build a tax-saving ELSS portfolio (Section 80C)
Step-by-step playbook for building an ELSS portfolio that maximises Section 80C tax savings while delivering long-term equity returns. Covers scheme selection, SIP design, lock-in management, and old vs new tax regime.
- How to build a retirement corpus using mutual funds
Step-by-step playbook for building a retirement corpus using mutual funds. Covers corpus sizing, asset allocation by age, fund selection, glide path, and the rebalancing protocol.
- How to build a car purchase fund using mutual funds
Step-by-step playbook for saving for car purchase via mutual funds over a 2-4 year horizon. Covers corpus sizing, allocation for medium-short horizons, and loan vs cash trade-off.
- How to build a business startup fund using mutual funds
Step-by-step playbook for accumulating seed capital for a business launch via mutual funds. Covers corpus sizing for business needs, allocation, glide path, and tax structuring.
- How to build a balanced mutual fund portfolio
Step-by-step playbook for assembling a balanced 4-5 fund portfolio across equity and debt mutual funds. Covers allocation rules, fund selection, rebalancing, and the avoid-over-diversification discipline.
- How to become a SEBI Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) for MF
Step-by-step procedure for becoming a SEBI Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) for mutual fund advisory. Covers NISM certification, net worth requirements, SEBI registration, and the fiduciary obligations.
- How to become a mutual fund distributor (ARN)
Step-by-step procedure for becoming a mutual fund distributor by obtaining AMFI ARN. Covers NISM certification, AMFI registration, KYD compliance, and the ongoing CPE requirement.
- How to backtest a strategy on Kite charts
Step-by-step procedure for backtesting a trading strategy on Kite charts using the Replay feature. Covers TradingView replay mode, ChartIQ replay, and the limits vs dedicated platforms (Streak).
- How to apply the grandfathering rule for LTCG on pre-2018 mutual fund holdings
Step-by-step procedure for applying the grandfathering rule for long-term capital gains on mutual fund units acquired before 31 January 2018. Covers the FMV-as-on-31-Jan-2018 substitution, cost computation, and tax savings illustration.
- How to add indicators to a chart in Zerodha Kite
Step-by-step procedure for adding technical indicators (moving average, RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, Supertrend, and others) to a chart in Zerodha Kite, including parameter configuration and the comparison between Kite web and mobile.
- How to add indicators on Kite charts
Step-by-step procedure for adding technical indicators on Zerodha Kite charts. Covers TradingView and ChartIQ workflows, parameter customisation, and removal.
- How to add an old mutual fund folio to a platform / aggregator
Step-by-step procedure for adding an old mutual fund folio to a platform / aggregator (Coin, Groww, Kuvera, MF Central, MFU). Covers folio number entry, PAN-driven auto-detection, and the reconciliation.
- How to add an additional SIP to an existing mutual fund folio
Step-by-step procedure for adding an additional SIP to an existing mutual fund folio. Covers same-scheme multi-SIP setup, different schemes within same folio, mandate reuse, and folio consolidation logic.
- How to add a joint holder to a mutual fund folio
Step-by-step procedure for adding a joint holder to an existing mutual fund folio. Covers KYC requirements, operating mode selection, AMC form, and the implications for transmission.
- How to access NSE MFSS (Mutual Fund Service System) for MF transactions
Step-by-step procedure for accessing NSE MFSS for mutual fund transactions through a member broker. Covers the broker prerequisite, the order placement flow, the demat-mode units, and the comparison with BSE StAR MF.
- How to access BSE StAR MF for mutual fund transactions
Step-by-step procedure for accessing the BSE StAR MF platform for mutual fund transactions through a member broker. Covers the broker prerequisite, the order placement flow, the demat-mode units, and the regulatory framework.
- How STT is handled on mutual fund redemption
Step-by-step explanation of how Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is applied on mutual fund redemption. Covers equity-MF STT rate, the impact on NAV-based redemption proceeds, and the comparison with stocks.
- History of mutual funds in India
The Indian mutual fund industry began in 1963 with the establishment of Unit Trust of India (UTI) by Parliament. Covers the major eras: UTI monopoly (1963-87), public-sector bank entrants (1987-93), private-sector liberalisation (1993 onwards), the 2003 UTI Act dismantling, the post-2010s growth phase, and the recent post-2020 consolidation and fintech wave.
- Historical-candle values change after refresh (Kite)
Reference explanation of why historical candle values on Zerodha Kite can change after a chart refresh. Covers corporate action adjustment, data correction, and the exchange-feed update mechanism.
- Historical data for expired F&O on Kite
Reference explanation of historical data availability for expired F&O contracts on Zerodha Kite. Covers contract-level history, continuous-chart access, and the data-retention policy.
- HDFC MF online direct portal
HDFC MF Online is HDFC AMC's investor portal at hdfcfund.com for direct-plan purchases, SIPs, redemptions, and folio changes. How to use it and the TER benefit.
- HDFC International Opportunities Fund
Stub article on the HDFC fund offering international equity exposure. A full encyclopedic entry is pending.
- GST on mutual fund management fees
GST at 18% applies to mutual fund management fees paid by the AMC to itself as part of the Total Expense Ratio. The GST is embedded within the disclosed TER and is borne ultimately by the investor. Covers the framework, the input tax credit mechanics for AMCs, the post-2017 GST regime transition, and the comparison with pre-GST service tax.
- Groww Mutual Funds platform
Groww Mutual Funds is the mutual fund distribution arm of Groww, one of India's largest direct-investment platforms by user count. Covers the direct-plan-only model, the operational mechanics, the relationship between Groww as a distributor and Groww Mutual Fund as an AMC, the FAQ section integration, and the broader place of the platform in Indian retail mutual fund investing.
- Grievance redressal in mutual funds
Stub article on the mutual fund grievance redressal framework in India. A full encyclopedic entry is pending.
- Gold and Silver ETF tax (India)
Gold ETFs, Silver ETFs, and their Fund-of-Funds wrappers are taxed in India per the post-2023 debt-MF framework: all gains at the investor's slab rate, with no LTCG indexation benefit. Covers the tax classification, the loss of pre-2023 indexation advantage, the comparison with Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) and physical gold, and the strategy implications.
- Gilt fund with 10-year constant duration
A Gilt fund with 10-year constant duration is a SEBI-defined debt mutual fund category that invests in Government securities maintaining a portfolio Macaulay duration close to 10 years. Covers the SEBI definition, the duration-targeting mechanics, the interest-rate sensitivity, the comparison with general gilt funds, and the role in long-duration debt allocation.
- Fund of Funds: gold
A gold Fund of Funds (FoF) is an Indian mutual fund scheme that invests in units of gold ETFs rather than holding physical gold directly. Covers the structure, the comparison with direct gold ETF investing, the SIP-based gold accumulation use case, the tax treatment under post-2023 rules, and the leading schemes.
- Fund of Funds: domestic equity
A domestic equity Fund of Funds (FoF) is an Indian mutual fund scheme that invests in units of other domestic equity mutual fund schemes rather than holding stocks directly. Covers the structure, the rationale (multi-manager diversification, simplified single-investment access to multiple schemes), the TER structure, and the tax treatment of domestic equity FoFs.