How big should a founder's emergency fund be, and where should I park it?

A common rule of thumb is several months of essential expenses, and founders often lean toward the higher end, say closer to a year, precisely because your income and your net worth already ride on the same risky company. The point of this money is availability, not growth, so it should be somewhere safe and quick to reach, like a savings account, a sweep fixed deposit, or a low-risk liquid fund, not locked into your startup or a volatile asset. Keep it strictly separate from the business so it is there on your worst day. Zerodha Varsity's personal finance module and Freefincal cover how to size and park it, and ClearTax explains how debt funds work and are taxed. Note that fund taxation and interest rates change, so confirm the current treatment with a CA or a qualified advisor. This is general education, not advice, so adjust the buffer to your own life.