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Business Standard analyses one family's finances and suggests a way forwardStatus & GoalsManish works as a software engineer with an information technology company. His wife, Vrinda, works in the accounts department of a non-banking finance company. They have been diligent and handled their finances well. They want to plan for their children's education, followed by marriage, and their own retirement.

Case study

Business Standard

Realty check: Budget - Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore

If you are looking at buying real estate and your budget falls within this range, an idea about prevailing rates would come handy

Readers' Corner: Mutual Fund

If I switch from my existing equity mutual fund (MF) scheme, which I have held for three years and move to another scheme in the same fund, will I have to pay tax?

The company contested the case, contending the claim was not payable as Surinder Singh did not hold a valid driving licence

Genuine renewal of fake licence doesn't make it valid

Image via Shutterstock

Scrips in metal, mining, power and some others in this category have been under the hammer for a long time. Is it time to see value in these?

Time to look at cyclical stocks?

Every long-term investor has to learn how to cope with sharp drops

Steep fall: Add to commitments

Back to the present

These make good festive choices, with basic models available at reasonable prices and easily bought online as well

Try gifting personal electronic gadgets

Festival loans cheaper than credit card EMIs

Are you planning to buy the latest iPhone 6s Plus this festive season but cannot afford to shell out the entire Rs 92,000 at one go? While financial prudence suggests that you should not go for it but given the liberal use of credit cards by consumers these, many will be tempted to swipe it. Another option is a festival loan, that is, another form of a personal loan. During the festive season, banks come out with specialised consumer durable loans or reduce processing charges on their existing unsecured personal loans. Non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) also tie up with retail chains or e-commerce websites to offer discounts or zero per cent loans. Is this a better option than buying on credit card and converting into EMIs?Among the nationalised banks, SBI is charging 15.5 per cent for its Festival Loan and Andhra Bank is charging-15.75 -16 for consumer durable loans. SBI has no margin, but the upper limit is only Rs 50,000. Andhra Bank has a margin of 15 per cent of the product pri

Soon, your smartphone to double up as a debit, credit card

Soon, you won't need to carry your cards debit or credit card around for shopping. Payment solutions company Visa, has launched a service that lets individuals link their cards to their banks' app and make payments by scanning the Quick Response (QR) code merchant provides in its electronic draft capture machine (EDCM).if you order for a service or food to be delivered home, you can scan the OR code in the delivery boy's mobile and pay for it using your debit or credit card. Same can be done at a petrol pump or at a retail outlet.At present, ICICI Bank has started pilot testing of the service, called as mVisa, in Bengaluru. Others, including Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, and State Bank, too will start soon, according to Visa. If you are an ICICI Bank customer, you will need to download its wallet app Pockets and sign up. Once you log in, select mVisa icon to link debit card to the mVisa account and you are good to go. When you want to make a payment, the merchant will produce the EDCM. As soon

Business Standard analyses one family's finances and suggests a way forward

Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & chief executive officer at HDFC Life, answers your questionsI have misplaced my life insurance policy document. How do I get a duplicate?You must immediately inform your insurance company . You are entitled to a duplicate policy document, for which you have to give a written request and an indemnity. You will also have to pay a fee for the duplicate copy.I am covered under a group life insurance policy in my company. If I leave this company, can I pay the premium on my own and continue the cover? Or will it lapse automatically?Ideally, group life policies are one-year renewable ones. Therefore, the employer might allow you to continue till the end of the year, after which it will depend on the group policy schemes. In most cases, the cover is discontinued.I pay my life insurance policy premium on a monthly basis. Can this be changed to annual payments? What is the procedure?Yes, most life insurance policies have such a provision. You could call or write to th

Readers' Corner: Life Insurance

Following the political uncertainty in Hyderabad, which led to the formation of Telangana state and the arrival of a new, government

Manikonda, Hyderabad: Easily accessible from airport, railway station

A carrier is presumed to be negligent for loss or damage to goods entrusted for transport and delivery. A consignor would be entitled to recover the loss from the transporter

Commercial goods don't come under Consumer Act

Check your restaurant bill before you pay

Service tax should be correctly calculated

These are low-cost services, offering consistent and transparent advice, irrespective of the portfolio size

Robo advisors best for small investors

As supply adjusts to demand, even share prices across the petroleum value-chain would also swing a lot

Volatility in energy prices likely

Market regulator, central bank move SC on Aadhaar

Supreme Court allows more instruments to use the biometric card

It's time to get an Aadhaar card

ICICI Bank launches mortgage guarantee-backed home loan

Opt for fixed rate loan for shorter tenure

Ensure that you are comfortable with EMIs and can make part pre-payments

National Stock Exchange

Aggressive investors could use the ETF or direct investment route, as it concentrates on IT and bank stocks

Seeking value by investing in NSE's NV20 index?

Business Standard brings you a snapshot of average current rates and unit sizes in localities that offer property in a price range of Rs 30-50 lakh. If you are looking at buying real estate and your budget falls within this range, an idea about prevailing rates would come in handy

Page 30 - Investment