Page 61 - Investment

Filing tax return is important, but it is not the final step

The tax office will verify your form and ensure if all transactions have been reported and taxes paid

How to select stocks for investing

There is no sure-shot formula to succeed in the stock market. Here are some factors that may help you take investment decisions

Before you buy your dream home...

Analyse your financial situation before deciding on amount; compare tenure, interest rate and penalty before finalising the lender

Gold price more likely to soften than harden

If you buy gold at current prices, set a loss limit and sell if there is a further decline

Reinvesting capital gains for tax breaks

Hyderabad Tax Tribunal has given important pointers for treatment of proceeds from sale of assets

Currency volatility could hurt FII interest

A fair valuation range for the Indian market could be the average plus/minus the standard deviation

No excuses for not investing

One person in the family needs to take the ownership for financial planning

Some mutual fund scheme are only portfolio diversifiers

There are many interesting concepts that one can buy without any investment advisor

Senior citizen policies need to be pushed

Lower commissions by state-run insurers could become a disincentive for agents

Cheaper ways to cover your loan

When one applies for a loan, he/she is almost immediately offered an insurance policy to cover it. These are called Mortgage Redemption Schemes or Loan Protection Covers

New Fund Offers. Should you invest or not?  

Even if the scheme passes all tests, it is best to be prudent

Timeshare is cheap, yet restrictive

Such packages are meant for those who plan things well in advance. Otherwise, one would keep on paying the annual charges but would not be able to use the facilities profitably

Technology edge for traders

Stripped of the technological changes, investing is and always will be a zero-sum game

What have you inherited?

Consult a registered valuer or go through a bidding process to informally value the property

Things improving for real estate

If there is a fall in interest rates, both borrowers and builders would be in a sweet spot

Lessons from the gold meltdown

While the relief rally in the yellow metal means that things aren't so bad, overexposure to a single instrument makes life difficult

Taxation woes for open offers

Only short-term investors in the 10% income bracket will get comparable returns by tendering their stocks in the HUL open offer

Use MIPs for higher returns

In a falling interest rate regime, monthly income plans will score over post office schemes due to equity exposure

Avoid exposure to power stocks

Corrective actions are required in the sector but it will only happen if things get really desperate

Looking to retire early? Plan your time well

If you plan to take up social work or teaching after retirement, try it out for some time before taking the plunge