Page 668 - Personal Finance

Realty check: Budget - RS 1 crore to 1.5 crore

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

Readers' Corner: General Insurance

Rakesh Jain, Chief Executive Officer of Reliance General Insurance, answers your questions

Take a home loan from an NBFC only if banks refuse

There are valid arguments for this, including the high upfront costs that lenders incur while giving the loan, which can only be recovered over the longer tenure of the loan

All that glitters is paper gold

Both the gold monetisation and bond schemes are good. But, there are also hitches that will take time to resolve

The way the system should work

Predicting the course of currencies' relative value is tough; volatility seems the only certainty

How to understand Diwali offers

In most cards, you have to make a minimum expense. Seek cash discounts where you can

Schemes only for the savvy investor

Since you are betting only on a few stocks, the risks are high. However, the returns can be spectacular as well

Income tax reforms that will make life less taxing

Soon replying to notices, getting responses to queries and refunds will become simpler

Fewer schemes good for investors

Despite pruning of schemes, the number continues to be large, confusing investors

NPS useful only if NRI settles in India after retirement

The additional tax exemption is useful for those who have taxable income in India

Comply with the new KYC norms, soon

Else, mutual funds will no longer process purchase or transfer request

Investing across fund houses made simpler

With a common account number, you can use the MF Utilities platform to invest in any fund house's scheme

A diamond in your budget

Opting for slightly lower scale in clarity, colour and carat weight can bring down the cost substantially

Good time to buy platinum

Prices are at par with gold but it's unclear how these are calculated

Case study

Are debt funds getting riskier?

Within the same category, there are schemes involving distinctly different strategies; investors need to be careful

Debt Counselling: Sanjay Agarwal

Proposed infrastructure will boost connectivity

Service provider liable if employee embezzles money

Easy ways to manage sudden medical expenses

Hospital packages, specialised medical loans and financing schemes for medical devices can help