Page 4 - Your Money

H-1B visa fee hike hits IT funds; investors urged to stay long-term

Fee hike could accelerate offshore delivery, improve competitiveness; AI adoption, re-skilling initiatives expected to provide medium-term growth opportunities

Tax notice? Joint owners must save documents showing who funded asset buy

At the time of purchase, both sides ought to make a formal declaration of beneficial interest and financial contribution

Direct equity inflows decline: Focus on key fundamentals, not panic

Replace underperformers with quality, well-researched stocks

Money mkt funds can yield better returns than liquid funds in 6-12 months

Before investing, check the proportion of A1+ holdings and their composition

Midcap funds: Invest amid valuation comfort, strong earnings growth outlook

Enter with 10-year horizon; exposure can range from 20-40 per cent of portfolio, depending on risk appetite

Margin trading: Track trades, set stop-losses, focus on quality stocks

Be on the alert for margin calls, have liquidity for top-ups, especially in volatile markets

Loan against insurance: Compare with FD, gold, and top-up loans

Remember, if surrender value falls below dues, the policy is foreclosed, leading to loss of coverage

Buyers investing in agricultural land must adhere to state-specific rules

Some states allow only agriculturists to buy, while others require outsiders to secure approval prior to purchase

Buying home: Choose based on urgency, risk appetite, and financial capacity

Go for ready home if you need to move in instantly and can pay full EMI; under-construction if you prefer phased payments and can tolerate construction risk

Switching health policy? Seniors must secure written assurance on benefits

On receiving the policy document, check fine print to ensure the commitment has been fulfilled

Silver outlook: Book profit and rebalance if allocation exceeds 5-7%

New investors should enter in a staggered manner with an over five-year horizon

Secure and cared for: The rise of senior living communities in India

Market is rapidly expanding but moving to these premium communities requires careful financial and emotional consideration

Credit risk funds: Opt if net yield premium over safer funds is substantial

Investors with high risk-bearing capacity may allocate 5-10% of their fixed-income portfolio

GST exemption on life, health policies: Lock in lower term premiums now

Enhance sum insured on base health policy, buy add-on cover

Dividend yield funds seen as stable option for sound risk-adjusted returns

These funds may underperform growth funds and lag during bull runs

Hold-to-maturity investors may choose G-Secs with matching horizon

Those who may need liquidity before end of tenor should avoid them

Expensively priced IPOs: Valuations must be justified by growth visibility

If the company has strong fundamentals but is valued expensively, invest for long term or reconsider after six months

UPS to NPS: Opt for NPS if service tenure is long and volatility manageable

Those who have a low risk appetite, prefer predictability, or are approaching retirement should stick to UPS

Invest to boost portfolio resilience amid current bout of uncertainty

These funds could, however, underperform during bull runs when the crowd chases speculative bets

Investing in microcaps: Limit exposure to 5-10%, enter with 5-7-yr horizon

High volatility, low liquidity, and corporate governance are risks investors need to be prepared for