Page 743 - Personal Finance

Relief for taxpayers: There's more in your hands now

Increase in investment limit under 80C, basic exemption limit, PPF and home loan interest payment are good news

Debt funds will take a hit as tax doubles, tenure trebles

Fixed maturity plans will be worst hit, dividend payout will decrease marginally, arbitrage funds should benefit

It's easy for NRIs to invest in India but not repatriate

The run in equities, coupled with high interest rates, makes both the debt and stock markets attractive

Govt to raise long-term capital gains tax on debt MF to 20%

The raise will bring parity with banks and other debt instruments

Mop-ups of MFs and IPOs drop

Equity fund-raising has been Rs 13,900 crore in the three months since the data in the survey, more than the Rs 13,269 crore in the whole of the previous year

Use arbitrage funds to park short-term money

But these only provide a hedge against volatility and are not beneficial for wealth building

We will offer 8% interest per annum, if claims are not settled within 8 days: Vighnesh Shahane

Interview with CEO and wholetime director, IDBI Federal Life Insurance

Don't panic if markets fall after the Budget

Use the opportunity to increase equity exposure because these are short-term blips

Ministry drops health rider for 49% FDI in insurance

Proposal caps voting rights at 26% and insists on local CEO and majority Indian directors

Govt approves Rs 1,000 minimum monthly pension under Employees' Provident Fund

This would immediately benefit 2.8 million out of the total 4.4 million pensioners covered under the EPS-95 scheme

Need a tax litigation settlement scheme?

Taxpayers tend to appeal in higher courts to avoid penalty on outstanding demands. If allowed and properly incentivised they would pay up

Budget 2014-15: Don't expect too much

If the Finance Minister can adjust a few deductions with the inflation rate, the consuming class should be reasonably happy

Case study

Realty check

Banking: Mohan Jayaraman

Readers' Corner

Betting too high on Budget

Even if the Budget delivers, there are chances that the market may fall

Health policy claim can't be rejected for delay in lodging

The stipulation to lodge a claim within 30 days of discharge is not mandatory but to facilitate expeditious settlement

E-voting will democratise shareholder participation

Voting on companies' resolutions will no longer be restricted to a handful of investors or promoters

Tips to trim your telephone bill

With telecom companies raising their data cost, a little diligence will help restrict bills

I-T dept to set up 70 more Aaykar Sampark Kendras this fiscal

CBDT has decided that these centres should preferably be set up in relatively bigger stations where senior I-T officers are posted