Tax Planning Traps to Avoid
The tax-planning season is on and unscrupulous agents are having a field day. ET looks at how distributors entrap unsuspecting investors and tells you what they actually mean.
The tax-planning season is on and unscrupulous agents are having a field day. ET looks at how distributors entrap unsuspecting investors and tells you what they actually mean.
While equity mutual funds are expected to beat other class of funds in the long term, short-term volatility is unbearable for some investors. For them, balanced funds are a better option because their equity exposure is usually restricted to 65-75%, and the debt portion of 25- 35% lends stability to the fund. “Though the returns from balanced funds will be lower than that of equity funds in the long term, their volatility will also be lower. So, on a risk-adjusted basis, it should give better return on a 5-7 year holding period,” says Vikram Dalal, Managing Director, Synergee Capital Services.
Both equity and debt are expected to do well in the coming years, because the expected decline in interest rate will be good for both asset classes. “Balanced funds make immense sense in periods like this, when both equity and debt are expected to do well,” says Nikhil Kothari, Director and Chief Financial Planner, Etica Wealth Management.
Some recent schemes launched by the government may not be of much relevance to you but for a minuscule amount, you can ensure a comfortable financial future of those who make your life easier.
A young married couple walks into the local branch of a private bank on a cloudy, cold weekday of January. Both of them are getting late for office, but have enough time to start a tax-saving fixed deposit (FD).
The bank executive, instead, sells them a ‘better’ product, whose gains are non-taxable, unlike FDs.
The product that he offers is a tax-saving plan that also gives them life cover, guaranteed returns and bonus. And guess what, they can withdraw the money after five years, when they will receive the premium along with added bonus. They think it’s a good deal and write the cheque.
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While people are realising the need to save for sunset years, they are still investing in fixed income plans, says the recent RMF-IMRB retirement survey. Here are some other findings.
October 18, 2015 Financial Planning, Infographics 0 Read more >
When considering investment opportunities, the first challenge that almost every investor faces is a plethora of options. From stocks, bonds, shares, money market securities, to the right combination of two or more of these, however, every option presents its own set of challenges and benefits.
So why should investors consider mutual funds over others to achieve their investment goals?
Not having enough money to pay the bills is an issue we may face from time to time. Life is full of financial ups-and-downs, and after all, we’re all human.
Don’t beat yourself about the situation or get discouraged. Vow to take action. If you don’t make changes, things will stay the same. If you’re in a tough financial spot, here’s what to do when you can’t pay your bills on time, and tips on how to best handle the situation.
1. Don’t Hide From the Facts
Do you know why you can’t pay your bills? Did you overspend, have to make up for an emergency, or was it just human error? Don’t hide from the facts, but instead embrace them head-on. Not dealing with this financial mess can lead to more late fees, higher interest rates, additional interest charges, and even damage your credit report.