Budget: Rs 2-Rs 2.5 croreBusiness Standard brings you a snapshot of average current rates and unit sizes in localities that offer property in a price range of Rs 2-2.5 crore. If you are looking at buying real estate and your budget falls within this range, an idea about prevailing rates would come in handy

Realty check

Business Standard

Nimesh Shah, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company, answers your questionsWhile choosing an equity fund scheme, what factors should one take note of?It is important to have a long-term investment horizon, as equities could be volatile in the short term but tend to outperform all asset classes over the longer term. Also, choose equity schemes according to your risk appetite. For instance, diversified equity funds are likely to be less volatile compared with sector funds. In the latter, the risk is skewed towards a particular sector, rather than being spread across the market.Look at the long-term performance record of the equity scheme. Also, past performance of these funds across market cycles is a good indicator, looking only at this is like looking at the rear view mirror to drive a car. Also, looking at only recent performance might also not be the right way to evaluate a fund. Further, it is of utmost importance to look at the re

Mutual Fund: Nimesh Shah

The Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) has given shape to a draft law - Indian Financial Code. Under the proposed legislation, a unified financial authority (UFA) will be constituted as a regulator. It proposes to set up a financial redress agency (FRA) for resolving consumer complaints.The proposed FRA will have its headquarters in Mumbai. It may also establish branch offices. The Board of Members of this agency will comprise of a maximum of seven persons, half of whom would be executive members appointed by various regulatory authorities in consultation with the central government. The others would be non-executive members, two of whom would be nominated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and UFA. The members would be experts in consumer issues. The FRA would be a body corporate, which could sue and be sued in legal proceedings.The FRA's role would be to redress the complaints of retail consumers of financial services. Its regulations would include stipulation of

Will financial redress agency help consumers?

Inflation and asset prices have eroded the value of money. A look at what Rs 1 cr meant 40 years ago and what it means now

40 years ago...And now: Can't retire with a crore any more

Rebalancing would imply booking some profits in equity. Or, one could consider balanced funds

Give preference to debt funds

Even those with a 2G connection can use the platform

Guide to mobile trading

NSEL is not the only one to be blamed for the Rs 5,600-crore payments scam. Brokers did no favours to their clients, whose gullibility or carelessness was also at fault

Is your broker misleading you?

Diversification and asset allocation can reduce uncertainty and improve portfolio outcomes

Lessons from market volatility

Be willing to learn from mistakes, stick to your stated position and don't blindly follow others

Investing lessons from Kejriwal's election success

Don't ignore schemes from small fund houses with an excellent record

Look beyond size to build MF portfolio

With the market on an upswing, mutual fund investors need to look at performance across market cycles

Dig deeper to pick a winner

Some good things from a long-term savings perspective, but these aren't likely to put substantial cash in your handsThe retail investor or consumer will be quite confused after the Union Budget 2015-16. While there are no apparent tax benefits, in terms of higher basic exemption limit, increasing tax slabs or even the 80C limit, the finance minister has told us that there are substantial benefits up to Rs 4.44 lakh. Let's look at some of these benefits and if they really work.The Budget allows an additional investment of Rs 50,000 in NPS. Should I invest in it?Tapati Ghose, tax partner, Deloitte, Haskins & Sells LLP, believes there is a case for New Pension System (NPS) because of embedded benefits like investment in equities. However, she believes that changing the taxation on NPS to exempt-exempt-exempt (EEE) regime would have helped matters substantially.So, the tax benefit of investing Rs 50,000 in NPS might not yield great benefits. Under the existing tax guidelines, NPS does

Does the Budget benefit you?

More details about the changed methodology of GDP calculation will give investors a clearer picture

Fuzzy numbers

But it has to be done without triggering political agitations or crises in banking and real estate

Policymakers must release land

With the new GDP series from late January, Budget likely to have factored in sub-par growth

Earnings and GDP data contradictory

Power, fertilisers and commercial vehicle manufacturing are sectors which could give high returns

What the Budget means for investors

If EPF and home loan do not exhaust the 80C limit, use ELSS and PPF

Snip that tax outgo

Use online facility to trace and recover money in inactive accounts from old jobs

How to withdraw money from dormant EPFO a/cs

People who are closing on their retirement would be more than a tad unhappy with the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) proposal to raise the age limit from 58 to 60 years for vesting of pension under the Employee's Pension Scheme (EPS-95).Under EPS, private sector employees get a pension once they retire and have completed at least 10 years of service. Of the contribution that an employer makes to the provident fund, part of the money goes towards this scheme.As per the rules, an employer needs to contribute 8.33 per cent of the basic salary or Rs 1,250 each month to EPS - the amount needs to be lower of the two. This means monthly contribution cannot exceed Rs 1,250.Unlike the Employee Provident Fund (EPF), this pension scheme does not receive interest. The component that can increase a subscriber's payout is the number of years of service. The formula to calculate monthly pension is: (pensionable salary * pensionable service) / 70.Here's how the calculation for a person

Pensioners to lose if EPFO hikes retirement age for EPS

What is the procedure to get a credit report and what is the cost?A credit report can be requested from any of the credit bureaus - Cibil, Experian or Equifax - by downloading the application form from the websites and submitting the completed application with know-your-customer (KYC) details in an online or offline mode, as applicable. All three credit bureaus charge a nominal fee for their service.Can individuals also approach debt restructuring cells of banks to manage excessive debt? What is the procedure?Normally, restructuring of debt is done only for companies. Banks don't encourage restructuring of personal loans of any kind. However, they might offer to restructure the loan once it goes into default and becomes a non-performing asset, based on the loan type, additional down payment that you might make, etc. If you have excessive debt, you may approach debt advisors who can provide you a better solution by considering more than one bank and their loan products.I am not regular

Debt Counselling: Sanjay Agarwal

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

Page 43 - Investment