Page 30 - Financial Investment

Only your prudence can keep scamsters at bay

The PACL scam highlights the need for investors to do their homework before giving their money to any entities

Prenuptial agreements likely to be mandatory

It could make divorces amicable and help reduce court cases, experts say

A married woman can also become karta

Recent Delhi HC ruling lets the eldest woman in HUF to be its karta, giving her custodial powers over its finances

SBI's FlexiPay suitable for those with secure jobs

Could be risky if borrowers' salary does not keep pace with rising EMI

Realty check: Budget - Rs 2-2.5 crore

Readers' Corner: Life Insurance

Case study

Survey report binding unless there's contrary evidence

Top funds beat benchmarks in a bear market

If you have laggards, stop allocating fresh money to them and watch their performance for three quarters

A golden ticket to citizenship

A number of countries allow you to become citizens by investing in government-approved projects or real estate or by buying bonds

Health policy: More disclosures, flexibility

You can look forward to discounts on premium for healthy behaviour and innovative products, if the health insurance proposals are passed

What will RBI do?

A surprise rate cut will bring positive sentiment around the Budget. A rate hike will be a shocker

Understanding numbers in claim settlement

While LIC has a better settlement ratio than that of private players, it is not the only parameter to go by

Putting infra back on a firm footing

This should be one of the thrust areas in the Budget

Don't bet on value funds in a rising market

In a growth market, these funds should not form more than 10-15% of your portfolio. Invest with a horizon of at least 5 years

Buy good stocks, not sectors

Large-cap scrips are still trading at a discount to mid-caps. While this gap is expected to narrow, investors should take a stock-specific approach in the current market

Case study

Direct plans a better choice

While KYC checks could be cumbersome, there are platforms offering single KYC and online investment in direct mutual fund plans

Debt counselling: Sanjay Agarwal

Wallet frauds on the rise

This can happen due to a malicious app, a weak password or loopholes in the system