Hybrid mutual fund (MF) offers, expected to drive higher investor interest after the change in debt fund taxation, are set to end 2023 with the slowest account growth in the past three years. Investment accounts in hybrid funds are up 5.7 per cent so far in 2023 compared with 7.6 per cent in 2022 and 20 per cent in 2021, shows the data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi). In 2020, the count had dipped 2.4 per cent.
Ask rediffGURU and PF and MF expert Janak Patel your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Not just unclaimed bank deposits, there are thousands of crores of rupees locked in unclaimed shares and insurance policies lying with many institutions across India.
'Clients deemed higher-risk are required to update their KYC more frequently.'
Implications for capital gains, wealth taxes, and investment strategies require careful consideration, notes Anil Rego, founder and CEO, RightHorizons.
SIP top-ups are especially beneficial for young investors, who may start with a small SIP installment and grow it over their working careers, says Dwaipayan Bose.
'Investing abroad helps mitigate currency risk for foreign-currency denominated goals, such as children's higher education and international travel.'
All employees should supplement the employer-sponsored health cover with a personal cover.
'Young investors with limited funds should ensure that investing in NPS does not crowd out their other, more liquid, investments.'
Let's Make Savings As Exciting As Spending. This World Savings Day, rediffGURUS Nitin Narkhede, Milind Vadjikar and Ramalingam Kalirajan are all set to answer your queries on savings and investments.
Borrowing from a fraudulent loan app subjects the borrower to a variety of risks.
Meet the game-changer in mutual fund investments, explains Anamika Pareek.
Buying or selling securities based on rumours about expected changes in tax rates or sectoral sops can backfire, advises Sarbajeet K Sen.
Invest in liquid funds if you have a horizon of three months, ultra-short-term for six months, and low-duration funds for one year.
Since infrastructure projects have long gestation periods, investors need to enter them with a long horizon of at least 10 years.
Over 87 per cent of active large-cap schemes failed to outperform the benchmark S&P BSE 100 (total return) in the 2022 calendar year (CY), significantly higher than the 2021 figure of 50 per cent, shows a report by S&P Dow Jones Indices. During the three-year period (CY 2020, '21, '22), the percentage of schemes underperforming the index was even higher at 97 per cent. While active large-cap schemes generally find it tough to outperform due to a rising efficiency in the market, 2022 proved to be even more challenging as mid-cap and small-cap stocks (where they have some allocation) performed poorly vis-a-vis the large-caps.
Tactical investors should have an investment horizon of around six months to one year, long-term investors should stick around for 10 years or more.
The self-employed should invest in the National Pension System, a government-backed, low-cost retirement avenue where they can choose the mix of debt and equity that is right for them.
The three year lock-in period enables ELSS fund managers to invest in high conviction stocks for a long period of time because of relatively less redemption pressure, says Dwaipayan Bose
Stick to low-cost ULIPs launched in the past few years. Go with an insurer with a good investment team and solid track record of long-term returns, suggests Sanjay Kumar Singh.
Treat silver as part of the procyclical or growth assets in your portfolio, advises Sanjay Kumar Singh.
Fund managers often find themselves selling bonds at prices below their fair value to meet redemption demands. Investors are the ultimate losers in this. CDMDF aims to remedy this by stepping in and purchasing securities at their fair value in such times.
While the purchases of celebrity investors become public knowledge, what is not known is the price point at which they bought them.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
We all need an expert whose advice you can trust, who will not start pushing products at you and rather help you understand why your wealth is not growing as it should, says Erik Hon.
Maintain a proper record of documents that can act as proof of the cost of acquisition of the property, cost of improvements made to the property, expenses related to transfer of the property (like brokerage and registration charges). These will come in handy in case of a dispute with the taxman.
All that you must know about the pros and cons of gift deeds, tax implications, essentials, documents required, conditions, etc...
Ask rediffGURU and PF and MF expert Janak Patel your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Is the latest mobile or car or a house the goal? If so, the savings and investments should be aimed at catering to it. The amount needed has to be worked out, and money needs to be saved, accordingly, suggests Sarbajeet K Sen.
Dwaipayan Bose explains what momentum investing is, how it works, why it generates higher returns and has higher wealth creation potential.
'Comparing the rates of interest with PSU banks, the three- and five-year time deposit rates of the post office are more favourable.'
A term plan's premium is lower than that of a wholelife plan.
Gripped with fear as an investor following a 12 per cent market fall? Here's Radhika Gupta's advice to investors.
Instead of being guided only by returns, investors should also factor in the risks of lending on these platforms.
Before you buy an apartment within a project meant for senior citizens, ensure that the services are of a high standard. Senior citizens should not sell their current home before they are completely sure about moving into a senior citizens' project.
Before you invest, check the fund manager's track record in managing such a strategy, asserts Sarbajeet K Sen.
At a time when investors are preferring higher-risk investment products like thematic and small-cap mutual fund (MF) schemes, some fund houses are exploring the possibility of going further down the market-capitalisation (m-cap) ladder to unearth newer investment opportunities. HDFC MF had filed papers with the capital markets regulator - the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) - earlier this year for an active micro-cap scheme. Some more fund houses are keen on launching such schemes, say industry observers.
It is advisable to avoid a fund until it develops a track record.
Many retail investors, who are experiencing their first bear market, are shocked at the erosion in the value of their mutual fund (MF) portfolios. The pain is especially acute for those who had taken excessive exposure to sector/thematic and small-cap funds. Even international diversification has failed to stanch the bleed in this downturn.
Stopping SIPs during a downturn undermines the benefit of rupee-cost averaging.
