Page 8 - Himali Patel

Align tax-saving investments with financial goals and asset allocation

Making a start now will give you time to choose instruments prudently and avoid mis-selling

Rupee's weakness: Achieve dollar goals with US funds and gold in portfolio

The primary cause of the rupee's fall against the US dollar is the latter's broad-based strengthening against major global currencies

Beating insurance mis-selling by banks: Use e-banking, reduce branch visits

Echoing her views, Debasish Panda, chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), also underscored growing concerns regarding banks mis-selling insurance products

Gold loans: Select repayment plan that perfectly matches your cash flows

Gold loan borrowers have a range of repayment plans they can choose from

Sector and thematic funds: Stay invested if you can assess prospects

Sector and thematic funds allocate at least 80% of their portfolios to stocks within a specific sector or theme

Equity-heavy portfolio will build corpus for child's education abroad

Parents must not compromise on retirement security to fund their children's higher education

Arbitrage funds: Tax-friendly debt alternative, but expect minor dips

Arbitrage funds capitalise on price differences between the spot and futures markets

Improve score, opt for secured credit card to tackle squeeze in issuances

If you are finding it hard to get a personal loan, try to get a collateral-based one

With benchmarks becoming harder to beat, avoid very high-cost funds

Portfolio construction begins with asset allocation, which depends on risk appetite and investment horizon

Dynamic bond funds: Outsource duration investment bets to fund managers

Some dynamic bond funds could take on higher credit risk to boost returns as there is no regulatory curb on them in this regard

Buying a cardiac plan? Check waiting periods and co-payment requirements

Customers should also watch out for sub-limits on room rent and specific treatments

After recent silver rally, limit exposure to 5%, enter with 7-year horizon

A weaker US dollar and lower Treasury yields have enhanced the appeal of precious metals

Diwali bonus: Splurge, but also repay costly debt, replenish emergency fund

Those without high-cost debt can invest the money to achieve financial goals

Make your investment portfolio more resilient by adding a quality fund

Investors are shifting from growth and speculative stocks towards quality stocks, which offer predictable earnings and tend to perform well in challenging market conditions

Festival offers on home loans: Avoid teaser rates that reset after months

Compare offers from various lenders on criteria like interest rates, processing charges, tenure, discounts, repayment flexibility

Term insurance for self-employed: Get 10-15X cover, add premium waiver

Self-employed individuals often face hurdles in buying term insurance due to financial documentation that doesn't fully reflect their earnings. This complicates underwriting

Travel tip: Use prepaid forex card when abroad, avoid currency fluctuations

Avoid dynamic currency conversion by paying in the local currency instead of Indian rupees

Festive car loan offers: Compare lender cost; higher rates may offset perks

Besides negotiating a good deal on the car, buyers must secure a favourable loan offer

Love bungee jumping? Take accident cover before your next adventure trip

A medical cover may handle medical expenses but does not provide for the temporary or permanent loss of income during the recovery period and after, and expenditures such as travel costs

Festival spending: Maximise rewards with right cards, stick to planned buys

While credit cards have become the preferred payment option for many, this has also raised concerns about overleveraged, particularly during the festive season