Is your money really independent?

Last month, I met a retired school principal. On paper, she was secure—a healthy bank balance, a handful of mutual funds, some insurance, even gold tucked away “for emergencies.” But five minutes in, it was clear: she wasn’t financially free. She didn’t know which funds were helping and which were dead weight. Equity or debt? She had no clue. Some investments came from her daughter, some from a bank manager, a few from “my friend did it.” The result? A portfolio

This article was originally published on August 18, 2025.