Financial Planning

Are your bank FD safe with PSU banks?

Are-your-PSU-banks-FD-safe

The recent news of Bank scams and huge losses incurred by banks are making the common man jittery over the safety of one’s hard earned savings. Bank FD is the most natural option used by salaried class to park their savings to provide for the future needs. One, because the nationalised banks are owned by the government and its was indirectly a guarantee that your funds are in safe hands. Whenever there has been a doubt about the viability of a Bank, RBI has stepped in and ensured safety of investor deposit by merging of weaker banks with the stronger ones. Let’s have a look at the regulatory provisions to know how safe your deposits are.

Bank deposits in value terms are insured by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (DICGC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI. The deposit insurance covers all commercial banks, local area banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks. You should be aware that only Rs 1 lakh of your savings is insured. This limit has not been revised since long. As an investor you should also know the worst-case scenario in case something untoward happens.

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Merchant Navy – Life at Sea, wealth at home, really?

merchant-navy-investment-plans

Quote from a merchant navy sailor: *
“If one has a bucket list, sailing on a merchant ship should be on it. It gives you the perspective of what is it like to witness the spectacular grandeur of 3/4th of our planet in a ship’s setting. The experience is very humbling.”

Sounds exciting… but other than missing the family life, there is a big-gap in terms of financial planning, investments& execution. More so with the fact that, half a year (or more) they are sailing, without having any access to the advisors, markets or simply, how to manage their finances?

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Financial Planning for Woman

financial planning for women

We have always seen our mothers on the front-foot, towards managing the house, family, husband, kids, or virtually everything in the house. Also referred as a “Tiger-mom” towards handling kid’s education, other activities, with a selfless motive, to ensure that kids just excel. And the story continues,with our dear spouse as well (wife). 😉

But when it comes to finance or investments, they just give it up, either it’s the father, or the dear husband, who becomes the driver on managing investments.

But I still recall, whenever one need handy cash or some contingency funds, pop comes the money, mostly as cash or some unknown Bank FD/ deposit.

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Why Doctors Should have a Financial Plan?

financial planning for doctors

A right financial planner is the doctor of doctors!

Doctor’s duty is to understand the patient’s problems, diagnose it and then provide the right medication or solution to them. But when it comes to their own financial planning, do doctors go to a financial planner or a financial doctor? I randomly spoke to my doctors & their friends, outcome was startling… as none of them have a financial planner.

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The Right Advisor

right-advisor

After reading an article by Carl Richard, “The Behaviour Gap” … Investing is not about skill, but about behaviour.

From his article, Quote … “Even by owning an average mutual fund, investors who behave correctly can outperform 99% of their neighbours. Alternatively, for investors who spend their whole lives searching for the best investment, an entire lifetime’s return can be wiped out by one single behavioural mistake.” Unquote.

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Mistakes Customer Make – as per Financial Advisors survey

financial mistakes
  1. Mixing Insurance, Tax plan & Investments
  2. Being Under insured
  3. Excessive or expensive Loans
  4. Excessive property & physical investments
  5. Lure of IPO’s
  6. No estate planning

Recently I found this survey in one of the leading newspapers (Mint), where financial advisors were asked to list down investment mistakes, they found with their customers. I thought of writing, not on these mistakes, but on specific asset class and how one should look at.

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Do It Yourself (DIY) accounts – a success or a myth?

Do it Yourself

Do it yourself (DIY) is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things, without the direct aid of experts or professionals. (as per Wikipedia)

Well, it’s the latest buzzword in town, where everyone wants to use services on their own. And as a matter of fact, service providers are offering accounts & services, with DIY embedded in that.

But how far is this true or successful?

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My Dream & What I Do

dreams

Well, it’s not my story, but “OUR” story, as I am no different than any one of you, with regards to how we all think or “DREAM” & how we act.

In this blog, I want to highlight interesting insights, on what most of us dream about, when we save our hard-earned money, and finally what we end up doing or our decisions on same. We conducted a small survey and asked basic questions on savings & purpose.

On Savings, it’s interesting, as well as surprising to know that, young one’s (below 30) are thinking on higher savings compared to seniors. Wow!

And, in terms of Purpose, brands which play important role in our daily life, comes later, compared to future savings like retirement & kid’s education. Excellent!

We score 100 out of 100, on our Dreams.

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Financial Planning Report – too complicated!

report

We are living in a world where “complicated” sounds great than “simplicity”. As “complicated” contains big data, fancy graphs, unheard terms & jargons, multiple pages and finally a confused look on our face. What do I do now? On the other hand, when we have “simplicity”, usual remark… I can do it myself. 😉

I am referring to a customer’s “Financial Planning Report” or a “Wealth Management Report”.

Whether you have seen one or someone trying to show you one (sell)… believe me, it’s like reading a multi-page research report and finally you asking this question again, what do I do now?

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Women’s day – Let’s Stop “Girls Can’t Do” Stories

happy-international-womens-day

International Women’s Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is celebrated on March 8 every year. In different region’s the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women for their economic, political and social achievements. (as per Wikipedia)

Benetton, known for its wacky campaigns, has come out with a thought provoking campaign again, why ask or cry for equality with men, just go and grab it yourself lady. Similar stories are now emerging on age old fairy tales, where princess is waiting for a prince for upliftment or change, and our little girl is asking, why she has to wait? & why she cannot do it on its own?

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