As global trade tensions reshape the economic landscape, Monika unpacks what India’s recent wave of trade agreements really means. Triggered in part by sharp tariff actions and the growing use of trade as a geopolitical weapon, India has moved quickly to diversify its export markets and reduce dependence on any single partner. This episode explains, in simple terms, how tariffs, free trade agreements, and shifting supply chains affect growth, jobs, and markets — and why these deals matter far beyond headline diplomacy.

Monika walks through the major agreements signed with the UK, EU, EFTA nations, Oman, New Zealand, and the United States, and explains how they could boost exports, attract investment, and create jobs in sectors such as textiles, manufacturing, technology, and services. She also discusses the broader macro impact — from strengthening India’s negotiating position globally to supporting long-term GDP growth and market sentiment — while reminding investors that short-term market reactions often miss the bigger structural story.

In listener questions, Avinash Mundhra asks about moving beyond basic index investing into strategy-based indices and whether ULIPs linked to such indices make sense; Venkatesh Kumaran from Spain seeks guidance on balancing loan repayment with saving for future goals and on investing in Indian mutual funds as an NRI planning to return; and Gaurav Madan writes about whether model-driven advisory approaches to mutual fund selection are superior to simple, transparent investing methods.

Chapters:

(00:00 – 00:00) Why India Is Signing Trade Deals After the Tariff Shock

(00:00 – 00:00) How New FTAs Could Boost Exports, Jobs and GDP

(00:00 – 00:00) Mid- and Small-Cap Index Funds, Multicap Funds and the ULIP Debate

(00:00 – 00:00) Paying Off Loans vs Investing and NRI Mutual Fund Considerations

(00:00 – 00:00) Choosing Equity Mutual Funds and the Risks of Model-Based Advisory

If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠

Monika’s book on basic money management

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s book on mutual funds

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Calculators

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan.

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Production House: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Production Assistant:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠⁠⁠⁠

As Budget 2026 unfolds, Monika frames it as a continuation budget - a work-in-progress focused less on headline reforms and more on keeping the economic machinery running smoothly. With pressure on the fiscal deficit after last year’s tax relief and GST cuts, the big concern was whether the numbers would hold. Despite weak nominal growth and a low GDP deflator, higher corporate taxes, indirect taxes, and dividends have helped contain the fiscal deficit at 4.4%, with only a marginal dip projected next year. For markets, this signals fiscal discipline at a time of global uncertainty.

Monika breaks down the key priorities shaping this budget - a sharp rise in defence spending, sustained capital expenditure, and a clear push to align India with strategic technologies such as semiconductors, rare earths, cloud infrastructure, and domestic IP creation. Running through the speech is a stated intent to simplify rules, ease compliance, and reduce friction between the state, businesses, and citizens, even as execution risks remain. On the personal finance front, there are no fresh income-tax changes, relief comes via lower TCS on overseas spending, and clarity emerges on sovereign gold bond taxation, while higher STT on derivatives sends a strong signal against excessive speculation.

In listener questions, the focus turns to what this budget really means for everyday investors - how changes to SGB taxation affect gold allocations, why the STT hike matters mainly for F&O traders and not long-term investors, and why market reactions immediately after the budget may not reflect India’s underlying growth story. The takeaway remains consistent: budgets will come and go, markets will react and recover, but maintaining the right asset allocation matters far more than chasing short-term noise.

Chapters:

(00:00 – 00:00) Budget 2026 as a Work-in-Progress Framework

(00:00 – 00:00) Fiscal Deficit, Defence Spending and Growth Priorities

(00:00 – 00:00) Sovereign Gold Bonds and Capital Gains Tax Changes

(00:00 – 00:00) TCS Relief and Easier Property Transactions

(00:00 – 00:00) STT Hike, Market Reaction and What Investors Should Do

If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠

Monika’s book on basic money management

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s book on mutual funds

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Calculators

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan.

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠

Production House: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Production Assistant:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠⁠⁠

As the podcast reaches Episode 100, Monika reflects on how what began as a small experiment has grown into a steady, non-hysterical space for building real financial stability. Over two years, 100 episodes, and hundreds of listener questions, clear patterns have emerged - money decisions are rarely just about numbers. This milestone episode distils the journey into ten core lessons, drawn from real stories and recurring struggles, that show how deeply money is intertwined with relationships, childhood conditioning, fear, social pressure, and the habit of delaying action in search of perfection.

Monika walks through these lessons with honesty and clarity - from why “perfect” is the enemy of “good”, to why getting started matters more than getting it right, and why simple systems often outperform complex strategies. She explains how small, consistent actions compound over time, why automation is the secret sauce of long-term money management, and why there is no single lottery-ticket investment waiting in the future. The episode reinforces a central theme that has run through all 100 conversations: money is not the goal, but an enabler, best managed quietly through systems, discipline, and self-awareness.

In listener messages, Chrisann Jason Pereira writes about how small, steady mutual fund investments over a decade transformed her financial life and helped her family build security; Mukesh Shukla reflects on how these ideas should be foundational education for young adults; Finance ka ABCD highlights the quiet, life-changing impact of financial literacy done right; and Sagar Patil shares how Let’s Talk Money helped him gain confidence, structure his savings, and plan for the long term.

Chapters:

(00:00 – 00:00) Money Is Always About Relationships

(00:00 – 00:00) Your Money Story Begins in Childhood

(00:00 – 00:00) The Core Fears Around Money Are Universal

(00:00 – 00:00) Perfect Is the Enemy of Getting Started

(00:00 – 00:00) Starting Late Is Better Than Not Starting

(00:00 – 00:00) Simple Investing Beats Clever Complexity

(00:00 – 00:00) There Is No Big Lottery Waiting

(00:00 – 00:00) Small Atomic Moves Create Big Outcomes

(00:00 – 00:00) Automation Is the Secret to a Calm Money Life

(00:00 – 00:00) Social Pressure Is the Most Dangerous Risk

(00:00 – 00:00) Listener Messages

If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠

Monika’s book on basic money management

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s book on mutual funds

⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Calculators

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan.

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠

Production House: ⁠⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠⁠

Production Assistant:⁠⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠⁠

As Episode 99 approaches a milestone, Monika reflects on how small, steady savings can quietly turn powerful when inflation works in the saver’s favour. Beginning with an interaction at an SBI event for NRI clients - and a reminder of how deeply connected the podcast community has become - she introduces the idea of real return: what investors actually earn after inflation. This episode explains why nominal returns can be misleading, especially in fixed-income products, and why inflation is the most underestimated cost in personal finance.

Monika breaks down why the current environment is unusually favourable for conservative savers. With retail inflation falling well below the RBI’s target, several government-backed small savings schemes are now delivering positive and meaningful real returns. She walks through how products like PPF, SCSS, SSY, NSC, MIS, and KVP - all guaranteed and easily accessible - can form the core of a low-risk debt portfolio, particularly for retirees and risk-averse families. This is a rare phase, she notes, where safety and real wealth creation coexist, making it a sensible time to lock in long-term rates.

In listener queries, Deepak Mittal, nearing retirement, asks where to reinvest maturing bond proceeds and whether a multi-asset fund makes sense at his age; Rohit Pal seeks clarity on behavioural economics concepts and risk-measurement metrics, along with reading recommendations; and Shubhojit Roy, a 32-year-old investor, asks how to rethink PPF contributions under the new tax regime, rebalance towards mutual funds, and realistically work towards a ₹4-5 crore goal over the next 15 years.

Chapters:

(00:00 – 00:00) When Nominal Returns Become Real Returns

(00:00 – 00:00) Small Savings Schemes Offering Guaranteed Real Growth

(00:00 – 00:00) Reinvesting Bond Maturities as You Approach Retirement

(00:00 – 00:00) Understanding Behavioural Biases and Investment Risk Measures

(00:00 – 00:00) Balancing PPF and Equity to Reach Long-Term Wealth Goals

If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠

Monika’s book on basic money management

⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s book on mutual funds

⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠

Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life

⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠

Calculators

⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠

You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan.

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠

Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠

Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠

Production House: ⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠

Production Assistant:⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠

As the new year unfolds, Monika turns her attention to a deeper structural problem in India’s retail finance ecosystem — a market where households are still expected to fend for themselves against complex, opaque, and often mis-sold products. Drawing from her interaction at a pre-Budget discussion with the Prime Minister and insights from the RBI’s Financial Stability Report 2025, she lays out why rising commissions, mis-selling in insurance, and weak accountability have made “buyer beware” dangerously outdated. This episode argues that retail finance, unlike everyday goods, fails consumers because products are invisible, payoffs are delayed, disclosures are unreadable, regulation is fragmented, and financial innovation consistently outpaces literacy.

Monika makes the case for a radical but necessary shift to a “seller-beware” framework — one that prioritises suitability, long-term outcomes, and harm prevention over commissions and sales targets. She explains how fixing incentives and enforcing suitability checks can transform finance from a product-pushing industry into a genuine problem-solving service. Using mutual funds as a case study, she shows how better-aligned incentives and simpler products unlocked massive household participation, and warns that as millions of new investors enter the system, India cannot afford to flood them with toxic financial products. Finance, she stresses, must solve for lives — not bonuses.

In listener queries, Brig Vikas Gupta, a retired Army officer, asks how to exit underperforming mutual fund schemes without taking a heavy tax hit; Dinesh Kumar from Unjuani, Tamil Nadu, seeks validation of his conservative portfolio while grappling with FOMO, lifestyle balance, and risky temptations like crypto; and an anonymous listener from Bengaluru shares his journey to financial stability and asks whether it makes sense to transition into a fee-only financial planning career later in life.

Chapters:

(00:00 – 00:00) From Buyer Beware to Seller Beware in Retail Finance

(00:00 – 00:00) Why India Needs a Suitability-Based Financial System

(00:00 – 00:00) Switching Underperforming Mutual Funds Without Letting Tax Hold You Back

(00:00 – 00:00) Balancing Saving, Spending, and Risk for a Young Family

(00:00 – 00:00) Building a Second Career as a Fee-Only Financial Planner

If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠

Monika’s book on basic money management

⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s book on mutual funds

⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠

Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life

⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠

Calculators

⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠

You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan.

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠

Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠

Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠

Production House: ⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠

Production Assistant:⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠

As 2026 begins, Monika reflects on how our relationship with money changes over a lifetime, moving beyond year-end numbers, market levels, or growth forecasts. This episode takes a philosophical turn, using the idea of life’s ashrams to frame our money journey — from learning and earning to harvesting and eventual detachment. Monika explores the paradox of money: when we are young, desires are endless and resources limited; later, resources grow but the hunger for more steadily fades.

Monika urges listeners, especially those approaching or living in the “vanaprastha” phase, to simplify and consolidate. She talks about defining what is “enough,” reducing complexity by selling scattered assets, shifting away from stressful real estate management, putting estate plans and wills in place, and freeing time and energy from financial clutter. Giving — of money, time, or skills - becomes central in this stage, as does staying mentally and physically active while consumption naturally slows. For younger listeners still deep in careers and responsibilities, she reminds them that money is a byproduct of disciplined effort, not the goal itself, and that patience, skill-building, and sensible investing remain non-negotiable.

In listener queries, Longekumar, a widowed government school teacher, writes about rebuilding financial security after loss and asks where to safely invest a lump sum; Anand Kumar Bansal from Bengaluru seeks advice on whether to take more risk despite being financially independent; and Vikas Sachdeva asks whether recent changes in NPS alter its role compared to EPF in retirement planning.

Chapters:

(00:00 – 00:00) Your Money in 2026: A Changing Relationship With Wealth

(00:00 – 00:00) Vanaprastha Today: Consolidating Assets, Simplifying Life, and Giving Back

(00:00 – 00:00) Rebuilding Financial Security After Loss and Starting From Scratch

(00:00 – 00:00) Should You Take More Risk When You Are Already Financially Secure?

(00:00 – 00:00) NPS vs EPF: How to Think About Retirement Products After Recent Changes

If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠

Monika’s book on basic money management

⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠

Monika’s book on mutual funds

⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠

Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life

⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠

Calculators

⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠

You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan.

Twitter ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠

Instagram ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠

Facebook ⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠

LinkedIn ⁠@MonikaHalan⁠

Production House: ⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠

Production Assistant:⁠ Anshika Gogoi

As 2025 draws to a close, Monika invites listeners to pause and take stock of their financial lives with a simple but powerful money report card. Using a series of clear yes-or-no questions, this episode walks through the absolute basics of money management — cash-flow systems, emergency funds, insurance, debt control, savings discipline, asset allocation, retirement planning, and the importance of reviewing nominees and wills. The aim is to help listeners check whether their financial foundations are truly in place as they head into a new year. Monika explains why these non-negotiables matter far more than chasing returns or reacting to headlines. From separating bank accounts for income, spending, and investing, to keeping high-interest debt under control, building long-term equity exposure, diversifying across asset classes, and planning well ahead for retirement, this episode serves as a practical year-end audit. Financial freedom, she reminds listeners, is built through systems, consistency, and periodic review — not shortcuts or noise. In listener queries, an anonymous NRI working in the merchant navy asks about portfolio diversification, marriage, and building a second income stream; an anonymous retiree from Pune seeks guidance on government-backed investment options and monthly income after returning from the Gulf; and Reshma from Bengaluru writes about navigating divorce, career transition, retirement planning, and securing her daughter’s future.

Chapters:

(00:00 – 00:00) Your 2025 Money Report Card: Are the Basics in Place?

(00:00 – 00:00) Scoring Yourself on Savings, Debt, Insurance, and Retirement

(00:00 – 00:00) Building Wealth and Passive Income as a Young NRI

(00:00 – 00:00) Safe Government Investment Options for Retired Couples

(00:00 – 00:00) Planning Finances After Divorce and Protecting Dignity in Retirement

If you have financial questions that you’d like answers for, please email us at ⁠mailme@monikahalan.com⁠

Monika’s book on basic money management

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-money-english/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s book on mutual funds

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-mutual-funds/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Monika’s workbook on recording your financial life

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.monikahalan.com/lets-talk-legacy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Calculators

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://investor.sebi.gov.in/calculators/index.html⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can find Monika on her social media @monikahalan.

Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠@MonikaHalan⁠⁠⁠⁠

Production House: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.inoutcreatives.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Production Assistant:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Anshika Gogoi⁠⁠⁠