Page 12 - Personal Finance

Two strategies to avoid a debt trap during job loss and dwindling income

The avalanche will save you money, but the snowball approach is easier to stick to

Time for women to play a proactive role in managing their family's finances

March 8 will be celebrated as International Women's Day. On this occasion, we've got three highly accomplished women from the corporate world to offer advice to their younger counterparts

Policies covering pre-existing diseases from day 1 reduce anxiety

Watch out for limited sum insured in such covers

83% Indians trust robots more than humans to manage their finances

In India, 106 per cent of business leaders saw an increase in financial anxiety and stress, and their sadness grew by 47 per cent due to coronavirus pandemic

Interest on employee's PF contributions over Rs 2.5 lakh to be taxed

One per cent of EPF contributors to be affected

Interest earned on PF contributions above Rs 2.5 lakh to be taxable: Budget

Employers who delay the deposit of workers' share of social security contributions like employees' provident fund will not be able to claim the amount as deduction from their income

Watch out for changes in style, mandate if a new fund manager takes over

Sebi's rule of one fund per category can trigger merger and reclassification of schemes after a takeover

One must retrieve unclaimed dividend of MFs or shares at the earliest

Mutual fund investors stop getting the benefit of any appreciation after three years

Looking for a go-anywhere fund? Opt for the new flexi-cap category

The requirement that debt funds must allocate 10 per cent of their portfolio to liquid assets will improve their risk profile

Retirement-savings match explained: Key investment plan you must not ignore

According to a survey, 89 per cent Indians do not have an alternative source of income, and barely 1 in 5 factors in inflation while planning for superannuation

Is that to-die-for real estate deal being offered on inflated prices?

Before rushing into these schemes, find out the benchmark price of similar properties in the area

Covid, income fears see shift to single-premium plans. How good are they?

Those buying these plans should bear in mind that gains at maturity may not be tax-free

Weigh your options before going passive on mid- and small-cap equity funds

The majority of active funds still outperform their benchmarks and passive funds don't have a long track record in these two segments

Irdai to start colour coding of individual health plans based on complexity

The regulator has sought comments from all stakeholders on the matter by October 15

Loan restructuring: Who can avail the scheme? All you should know

Loan restructuring scheme is a process used by companies and individuals facing financial distress or on the brink of insolvency to lower/renegotiate their debts

Make most of rupee-cost-averaging in NPS as well, with introduction of SIP

While this will help investors become more disciplined in saving for their retirement, the transaction charge could be a concern for those investing small amounts

Huge relief for home loan borrowers if govt bears part of compound interest

The increase in EMI or tenure will be lesser if the government pays the compound interest

How rolling over credit card balance can jeopardise your financial health

Instead, make use of EMIs and personal loans to repay credit card bills. If your dues are very high, go for secured loans

If your multi-cap fund becomes much riskier after new Sebi rules, exit it

Wait until your fund house communicates a change of mandate before you decide on your course of action

Family matters: Be clear if your employer's group health plan covers them

With a pandemic raging, you must buy your own personal health cover for your family to supplement the group cover