The RiaFin Doctrine

"Radical honesty in a world of financial lies."

The Constitution

  • 1. Fiduciary is the Only Standard: The industry is infested with "advisors" who are actually high-commission salespeople. RiaFin is the filter. We believe advice is only valid when it is conflict-free. While some professionals may have different fee structures, the Doctrine is your shield: If they can't disclose every rupee they earn from your money, they are a salesman, not an advisor.
  • 2. Debt is a Shackle: The goal is freedom, not leverage. We do not "manage" debt; we eliminate it. The advisors we vet help you break your shackles, not decorate them. Kill the debt first.
  • 3. Correctness over Comfort: We prefer a safe, boring plan over a high-risk gamble. We prioritize your financial survival over market-beating fantasies. The truth hurts; bankruptcy hurts more.
  • 4. Simplicity is Safety: Complexity is a red flag for fraud or mis-selling. If you can't explain the product to a 10-year-old, don't buy it. If an advisor makes it sound complicated, they're probably hiding something.
  • 5. Investor Mindset (Behavior > Math): Automated discipline beats market timing every time. We operate with the long-term perspective of a wealth owner, not a speculator. Consistent behavior is the only math that matters.
  • 6. Legacy is Mandatory: Dying without a Will or Nomination is financial negligence. Period. This is the non-negotiable foundation of any plan we advocate.

The 8 Steps (The Indian Baby Steps)

1

Step 1: The Shield (Defense First)

You cannot build a skyscraper on a swamp. Step 1 is about survival. You need an Emergency Fund consisting of exactly 6 months of expenses parked in a boring Savings Account or Liquid Fund.

The RIAFIN Reality: Relying on your employer's health insurance is a high-stakes gamble with your family's life. You need independent, massive Health and Term Insurance (Life Cover) before you even think about the stock market. If you have an LIC Endowment or ULIP, surrender it. They are not shields; they are leaks.

Doctrine: Simplicity is Safety
2

Step 2: The Detox (Kill the Cancer)

Cleanse your life of non-mortgage debt. Credit cards, Personal Loans, and the "status-symbol" Car EMI are financial cancer. You are currently working for the bank, not yourself.

The RIAFIN Reality: There is no such thing as "smart leverage" for a retail consumer. Paying 14% interest on a personal loan while hoping for 12% in a Mutual Fund is mathematical idiocy. Attack your smallest debt first with "gazelle intensity" until every shackle is broken.

Doctrine: Debt is a Shackle
3

Step 3: The Foundation (Paperwork is Planning)

In India, dying without a Will and proper Nominations is a legacy of litigation. Don't leave your family to fight the interminable delays of the Indian legal system.

The RIAFIN Reality: If you haven't checked the nominees on your EPF, bank accounts, and demat accounts this year, you are being negligent. A registered Will is the only way to ensure your wealth goes where you intended, not to the courts.

Doctrine: Legacy is Mandatory
4

Step 4: The Build (Automated Discipline)

Invest 15-20% of your household income for retirement. Use the simplest, most efficient instruments: Nifty 50 Index Funds, PPF, and EPF.

The RIAFIN Reality: Ignore the "Alpha" chasers, the crypto-gamblers, and the complex PMS schemes. Wealth is built by the boring repetition of SIPs over decades. If your plan requires you to check the market daily, it’s a bad plan.

Doctrine: Behavior > Math
5

Step 5: The Goal (Milestones without Debt)

Fund the big ones: Kid’s Higher Education and Marriage. This is about matching specific future costs with specific current investments.

The RIAFIN Reality: Do not take an "Education Loan" for your child if you can avoid it—it’s just passing the shackle to the next generation. Start early, use a simple equity/debt mix, and be realistic about what you can afford. Your retirement (Step 4) comes before their wedding (Step 5).

Doctrine: Correctness over Comfort
6

Step 6: The Freedom (Own the Roof)

Aggressive Mortgage Payoff. Once the previous steps are in motion, every extra Rupee goes to your home loan.

The RIAFIN Reality: A home is not an investment; it is a shelter. Owning it outright provides a psychological "wealth effect" that no spreadsheet can capture. The "tax benefits" of a home loan are a pittance compared to the freedom of zero debt.

Doctrine: Debt is a Shackle
7

Step 7: The Engine (Income Generation)

Work Hard and Smart. Generate extra income. Your primary career or business is your greatest wealth-building tool.

The RIAFIN Reality: Passive income is often a myth sold to the lazy. Real wealth comes from active income growth, side hustles, and relentless value creation. Don't just save; increase the size of the shovel.

Doctrine: Behavior > Math
8

Step 8: The Legacy (Train the Next Generation)

Wealth Transfer & Philanthropy. Now that you are bulletproof, give generously and ensure your heirs are trained to manage—not just consume—the wealth.

The RIAFIN Reality: Wealth is a tool for impact. If you die with a mountain of cash and children who don't understand the value of a Rupee, you have failed the final test of the Doctrine.

Doctrine: Legacy is Mandatory

The Doctrine is the Standard. RiaFin is the Bridge.

Stop letting commission-hungry salespeople "manage" your future. RiaFin is the only marketplace that connects you with the elite fiduciary advisors who actually believe in and enforce this 8-step framework.

Get Matched with a Fiduciary Advisor