Gold Investment Calculator

Sovereign Gold Bond (SGB) is the best option for long-term (8 years). Zero making charges + 2.5% annual interest + completely tax-free on maturity. For short-term (1-3 years), Digital Gold or Gold ETF is better due to higher liquidity. Physical gold jewellery is the worst investment due to 8-25% making charges.

Making charges range from 8% (plain bangles/chains) to 25% (designer/studded jewellery). Average is 12-18%. This means ₹1 lakh of jewellery contains only ₹82-88K worth of gold. When you sell, jewellers deduct another 5-10%. Effective loss: 15-30% on physical gold jewellery.

Yes, if held till maturity (8 years). Capital gains on SGB at maturity are 100% tax-free. You also earn 2.5% annual interest (taxable at slab rate). If sold before maturity (after 5 years on exchange), LTCG tax of 20% with indexation applies. SGB is the most tax-efficient gold investment.

Financial advisors recommend 5-10% of your portfolio in gold as a hedge against inflation and market crashes. Conservative investors: 10%. Aggressive investors: 5%. Gold is not for growth — it's for protection. Don't invest more than 15% in gold.