Page 6 - Himali Patel

Don't lose rupee cost averaging by stopping SIPs; stay focused on goals

Experts attribute the surge primarily to heightened equity market volatility since September 2024

Maternity coverage a crucial part of health insurance for younger women

With each delivery costing Rs 50,000 - Rs 2.5 lakh, maternity coverage is key in such plans, besides reproductive health issues, menopause, and women-specific diseases

Total market index funds: Ideal for simple, hands-off, long-term investing

Currently, three existing funds in this segment are offered by Mirae Asset Investment Managers (India), Bandhan AMC, and Groww AMC

Purchasing term insurance: Choose a policy that balances coverage and price

CSR represents the percentage of claims settled by an insurer within a financial year

Got AFA alert for fraud transaction? Block, report and replace card

Currently, users receive notifications before auto-debits. Under the new system, the process may change slightly

Value funds: Invest for style diversification, with 7-year horizon

The price of a stock often fluctuates and goes below its intrinsic value due to multiple factors

Invest in ELSS if you have risk appetite with investment horizon of 7 years

Consult a tax professional to determine which regime is beneficial for you after this year's changes to tax slabs and rates

Budget 2025: Spend some, use rest to retire debt and secure long-term goals

A few instruments, which offer tax deduction, remain relevant even for taxpayers in the new regime

Ulips post-Budget: Assess suitability, examine costs before investing

Investors prioritising liquidity and flexibility should stick to a term plan-MF combo

Budget 2025: Tax-free income limit under new regime rises to Rs 12 lakh

Old tax system remains unchanged

Understanding Budget documents: Identify changes relevant to your finances

The July 2024 Budget changed little for taxpayers, heightening expectations for relief this year

UPI credit cards: Track spending as frequent small txn can strain budget

Security-related precautions for UPI-enabled credit cards are similar to those for standard UPI payments

Yellow metal: Maintain allocation; tariff battles may sustain bull run

"Central banks usually purchase about 400 tonnes of gold annually. However, in 2022 and 2023, they bought over 1,000 tonnes each year," says Vikram Dhawan

Taking a loan to study abroad? Be prepared to pay margin money of 10-25%

Those getting admitted to non-STEM courses and lower-grades institutes must be prepared for stringent checks, higher interest rates, and more collateral requirement

Short-duration funds: Ideal for low-risk investors with goals 1-3 yrs away

Short-duration debt funds have gained popularity among investors for their ability to provide accrual income and their moderate sensitivity to interest rate changes

Choosing right hybrid fund: Risk appetite, horizon should guide your choice

Hybrid funds provide a structured way to handle market fluctuations

Fire insurance: Declare correct property value to ensure adequate payout

Fire insurance, also called as fire and allied perils policy (and often part of a home insurance policy), covers a range of risks

Bet on quality funds amid slowing economic growth, market turbulence

Quality indices, such as the Nifty 500 Quality 50 Index, are built by filtering stocks from the parent index based on their quality score

Investors must tilt portfolio towards quality amid market volatility

Novice investors must understand that volatility is an inherent part of equity markets and learn to navigate through such phases

Health insurance claim denial: Check reasons against policy terms first

Health insurance claims are often denied due to exclusions in policy terms. Buyers frequently overlook the fine print or misinterpret clauses