Page 5 - Guide To Personal Finance

File tax return in mid-June, once all necessary information is available

Only taxpayers with single source of income or simple finances should file early

Sequence of returns' big impact on final corpus

Sequence of returns can dramatically affect the longevity of a retirement corpus, especially if retirees have to withdraw more during market downturns early in their retirement

Have some risk appetite? Invest in highly rated company fixed deposits

While they offer higher returns than bank FDs, they are not protected by deposit insurance

Beware of parcel fraud: Suspect a scam call? Disengage immediately

Verify the call's authenticity; resist pressure to pay up or share sensitive information

Choose Aadhaar-based KYC: Once done, you may invest across fund houses

Keep Aadhaar, registered mobile number and scanned documents handy before starting online procedure

Amid varied risk levels, review portfolio before choosing credit risk fund

Only investors with high risk appetite should opt for them; limit allocation to 5-10%

Making gold investment, setting up home bar: Top personal finance stories

This week we report about gold as a safe asset and the design needed to set up your own bar

Debt settlement offers immediate relief but damages your credit score

A debt settlement involves negotiating a single payment with the creditor that is lower than the amount owed

Insurance surrender value; voice as career: Top personal finance stories

This week learn about the implications for insurance policyholders as surrender values are revised; in a separate story we write about training your voice

15G/15H or Section 197 to avoid TDS? Choice depends on your income

Individuals with income below basic exemption limit should opt for the former, those exceeding this limit may go for the latter

Kisan Vikas Patra: Eligibility, benefits, other details you must know

Scheme was launched to enable farmers to save for the long term but now it is available for all

More dependants, increased liabilities should prompt hike in term cover

Boost health coverage periodically to cope with double-digit medical inflation & access premium healthcare facilities

Investors should sync tax savings with goals and cash flow needs

Even ELSS, being an equity fund, should be purchased with minimum seven-year horizon

Opted for old tax regime? Explore last-minute income tax saving options

Last-minute income tax saving options: ELSS funds, PPF, NPS, and fixed deposits are some of the popular options under section 80C. Don't forget health insurance

Manage trading capital efficiently with liquid exchange-traded fund

Switching between cash and equity and back becomes seamless

Investing in green deposits: How are they different; what do they do

Banks are allowed to offer overdraft facilities to customers against green deposits

Safe investment option: What is a fixed deposit; how does it work

An amount deposited with a bank or financial institution must not be withdrawn prematurely

Keep records, communicate: Dealing with unclaimed insurance policies

In numerous instances, members are unaware of the policy's existence, let alone its details

Arbitrage funds: Returns likely to be healthy in rising or volatile markets

Excess funds chasing arbitrage opportunities may, however, reduce potential returns

Unclaimed insurance, first market investment: Top personal finance stories

Our top stories this week explain why you should keep a record of your insurance policies and how to start with mutual fund investments