My neighbour&rsquo;s son asked his dad a simple question, &ldquo;Are we rich or poor?&rdquo; The hassled dad told me that although they lived quite well, he still dithered over a weekly brunch at a five-star hotel. He could not help looking at the right-hand column of the menu card. The conflicting signals about their relative state of prosperity were being picked up by sensitive children.

Capital Account: Uma Shashikant

Business Standard

State-owned Indian Bank on Friday raised the lending rate for its existing customers by 25 basis points to 13.75 per cent in line with other banks. The bank has revised its benchmark prime lending rate from the existing 13.5 per cent to 13.75 per cent, Indian Bank informed the Bombay Stock Exchange in a filing. This will make all kind of existing loans, including housing and auto loans, expensive by at least 25 basis points.

Indian Bank raises lending rate

Press Trust of India

Choose the right investment vehicles and stick to a particular asset allocation to create a stable corpus.

Micro-manage your financial plan

Buying stocks on dips or continuing SIPs helps in reducing average cost.

When markets are falling, have faith

Investors often face this dilemma &ndash; should they invest in equity directly or should they opt for the mutual fund (MF) route. One of the ways to decide is looking at the cost involved in both the avenues.

When do you need expert advice?

Avoid the trap of getting influenced by past experiences while managing your money.

Don't get emotional about it

The fund invests in fundamentally sound companies with a dividend yield at least twice that of Sensex. Dividend paying companies usually have healthy free cash flows, steady earnings growth and a strong balance sheet. This results in steady stock returns over the long-term, while providing relatively better downside protection in times of market correction.

Worthy long-term bets

I have read about the new Reliance Gold Savings Fund.

Opt for SIP, not lumpsum

Lessons from some retail investors-cum-traders who are trying to take advantage of the high volatility in the stock market.

Betting on market unpredictability

Last November, I sold off my wife&rsquo;s ancestral property in Gujarat for Rs 35 lakh. The property was bought in 1935, but we don&rsquo;t know the purchase price.

Taxation: Homi Mistry

There is more to tax planning than just Section 80C and infrastructure bonds.

Claim more tax deductions

General Insurance: Ajay Bimbhet

Siddhi Mishra&rsquo;s credit card limit has been enhanced for the third time in the last two years. And, each raise has left this spendthrift quite elated.

Adding power to your credit

Many banks raised their lending rates last month.

Banking: Prashant Joshi

While inflation is the main concern, taxpayers have many other demands from the finance minister.

On the Budget wish list

Nowadays, listed companies are tracked by almost everyone. There are whole lot of sources eager to share any and every piece of &lsquo;information&rsquo; about themselves and their product(s). It is fashionable to issue daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual updates about products, dividends paid and benefits being given.

Information isn't knowledge

Pushkar Mehta, 60, is looking forward to a stress-free retired life. His three children are well settled and there are no loans left to be repaid. The only problem is that his retirement kitty has been reduced to provident funds (including Public Provident Fund), gratuity and a few pension plans purchased in the last few years.

Income from your home

The present year has been a roller coaster ride for investors. Equity markets are turning more volatile each day. Within the first two months, the Sensex has moved between 17,200 and 20,500. There seems to be no respite from this, as oil prices are moving up due to unrest in the Arab world. They recently touched $120 a barrel, a 30-month high.

Simple measures in difficult times

Contacts for medical services, appointments with doctors, sending a nurse, an ambulance all covered

Medical concierge to your rescue

Every Monday, Business Standard analyses one familyâ€™s financesand suggests a suitable way forward

Case study

Does one have to pay tax on switching between two equity funds?Yes, one has to pay a capital gains tax of 15 per cent if the switch happens in less than a year. This is also applicable if the switch is between two schemes of the same fund house. A switch from one scheme to the other is deemed a withdrawal.Will this switch attract exit load as well?Yes, exit load is applicable on switching. However, most firms don't impose any, if you switch from one plan to the other of the same fund house, even if the switch is happening within the exit load applicability period (example, switch from a dividend plan to a dividend reinvestment plan).

Tipping point

Personal Finance: Read about the smart strategies for Personal Finance Planning, Investing, Insurance, banking, budgeting, loans Tax Planning, retirement and insurance. Browse Business Standard to learn more on Personal Finance.

Personal Finance: Investing, Planning, Retirement, Loans, & Insurance | Business Standard

Read about the smart strategies for Personal Finance Planning, Investing, Insurance, banking, budgeting, loans Tax Planning, retirement and insurance. Browse Business Standard to learn more on Personal Finance.

Page 851 - Personal Finance