Page 746 - Personal Finance

Getaways for this monsoon

Packages for this season are 30-40% cheaper than peak season and are for value-conscious travellers

General Insurance: Bhargav Dasgupta

Faridabad: Most affordable in the NCR region

Even 'safe' instruments can give good returns

Consumer courts aren't so consumer-friendly

Complicated processes, costs and the long time taken to resolve cases are defeating the aim of establishing these forums

Nimble traders will get ample opportunities

Volatility centred on energy prices is very likely due to crisis in several parts of the world

Soon, you won't need smartphone for mobile money transfers

FM might next month launch mobile banking services for people not using smartphones, the move aims at pushing financial inclusion in India

MF investors wait for compensation

In front-running case, some fund houses have settled with Sebi and paid the amount lost to trustees

More cover for a top-up loan?

Taking a term plan equal to earlier loan ensures that the requirement of additional insurance isn't high

No case for contra calls

With market seeing a secular rally, it is better to stick to large- or mid-cap funds and wait for correction

Are retail-investing proposals inspiring?

Sebi's suggestions are good but investors should not become overconfident

How to raise the downpayment for a house

If you haven't saved enough, there are some interesting options, cheaper than personal loans, if you can avoid some mistakes

I-T laws that complicate your life

Many direct taxation rules lack clarity and the rulings on these also differ from case to case

Case study

Realty check

General Insurance: Rakesh Jain

Time your travel to and from India

Hold on to Ulips for 1-2 years to maximise returns

Markets are expected to rise another 20% in the next couple of years and, thus, waiting could make sense

EPFO likely to provide 9% interest for 2014-15

Expectations of higher returns after the formation of a new govt at Centre

Real opportunities in real estate?

Even though the stock market is up, the property market is yet to feel the impact. A few strategies for potential buyers