Knowledge Center

Personal finance, explained in plain English - no jargon, no fluff. Every guide is dated so you know it's current, and every one ends with a way to ask Laalaji about your own numbers.

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All Pillars Money Basics & Budgeting Investing & Markets Indian Taxation Banking & Digital Payments Credit, Loans & EMIs Insurance Government Schemes & Social Security Retirement Planning Fraud Protection & Financial Safety Regulators & Consumer Rights

EPF (Employees' Provident Fund) EPF is the default, largely automatic retirement savings scheme for salaried employees at eligible organisations, funded by both employee and employer contributions through payroll. Government Schemes & Social Security
EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) EPFO is the government body that administers EPF, EPS (pension), and related schemes - the organization behind the UAN system, online withdrawal claims, and passbook access. Government Schemes & Social Security
Gratuity Gratuity is a lump-sum benefit an employer pays after 5+ years of continuous service, calculated from basic salary and tenure - tax-free up to a lifetime cap of ₹20 lakh for most private-sector employees. Government Schemes & Social Security
NPS (National Pension System) NPS is a voluntary, market-linked retirement account open to any Indian citizen aged 18-70, not just government employees, with its own dedicated tax deductions beyond standard 80C. Government Schemes & Social Security
PF Withdrawal Rules PF withdrawal follows staged rules depending on whether you're still employed, recently unemployed, or retiring - it isn't a simple, unrestricted lump sum available on demand. Government Schemes & Social Security
PM Awas Yojana (PMAY) PMAY is the government's affordable housing scheme, now in its PMAY-Urban 2.0 phase with a new Interest Subsidy Scheme replacing the older, now-discontinued CLSS interest subsidy. Government Schemes & Social Security
PM Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) PMVVY is a government-backed pension scheme specifically for senior citizens, offering a guaranteed regular pension in exchange for a lump-sum purchase - administered through LIC. Government Schemes & Social Security
PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi PM-Kisan gives eligible small and marginal farmer families ₹6,000 a year, paid in three installments of ₹2,000 every four months, directly to their bank account. Government Schemes & Social Security
UAN (Universal Account Number) UAN is a single, permanent number linking all of an employee's EPF accounts across different employers over their career - it stays the same even when you change jobs, only the linked member ID changes. Government Schemes & Social Security
VPF (Voluntary Provident Fund) VPF lets an employee voluntarily contribute more than the standard mandatory EPF percentage, earning the same interest rate as EPF - a way to boost retirement savings through an already-familiar, government-backed channel. Government Schemes & Social Security