Page 665 - Personal Finance

Are you buying the right tax-saving insurance product?

If the sum assured is less than 10 times premium, the proceeds will be taxed. Those above 45 need to be careful when buying traditional or single premium plans

Forex conversion charges can raise credit card bill

Multi-currency pre-paid cards are a good option while travelling abroad

Equity Mutual Fund folios surge by 2.7 million in Apr-Nov

Prior to 2014-15, the equity MF sector had seen a continuous closure of folios since March 2009, following the global financial crisis in late 2008

Moving in and out of thematic funds can be expensive

Tata Mutual Fund's 'own a piece of India' offering is suitable for informed investors. Retail investors can look at well-diversified equity schemes

Retail investors can avoid IPOs

Unless it is an issue which gives discounts, there is no real case for them to get into direct stocks

AIA group to raise stake in Tata AIA Life Insurance to 49%

Financial details not disclosed; completion of transaction subject to regulatory and govt approvals

Case study

Use your house as a tax haven

Whether buying, selling or renting, there are opportunities for saving tax. Make the most of these

Realty check: Budget - Rs 2- 2.5 crore

If you are looking at buying real estate and your budget falls within this range, an idea about prevailing rates would come handy

Planning a round-the-world trip?

Plan ahead, book early and travel over land as much as possible to save on costs

Govt orders quick issue of I-T refunds under Rs 50,000

According to government data, over Rs 5,400 crore is locked in pending refunds, which has become a major grievance for taxpayers

Readers' Corner: Mutual Funds

Will new base rate calculation help borrowers?

Gift an 'experience' this wedding season

There are websites offering activities you can pay for as gifts to family, friends or colleagues

Public sector banks will recover if there is economic growth

Government should also allow them to run business on commercial lines

Equity MFs see Rs 6,300 cr inflow in Nov; touch Rs 87K cr

In contrast, infusion in all of 2014 was Rs 49,000 cr and there was an outflow of Rs 8,700 cr the preceding year

Mistakes to avoid on receiving lump sum amount

Don't run up credit card bills or modify your goals. Before spending, calculate the tax you would need to pay on it

Govt will cut rates on small savings cautiously: Jaitley

Most small saving instruments pay an interest rate of 8.75%, compared to 7.5 per cent on deposits at SBI

Moving out of equities will hurt EPFO investors

Financial planners say since EPFO deposits are for the retirement kitty, long-term investment in equities is the way to go

Don't always go by proxy advisors' views

If there's a great business with management record, ignoring minor hiccups can benefit you in long run