In medical emergencies, prioritize liquidity and safety. Invest in liquid funds (debt mutual funds with very short maturity) or ultra-short-term debt funds. These funds are with minimal risk and important for urgent healthcare needs.
Maintain a separate medical emergency fund at a bank that offers convenient withdrawals.
Zerodha is one of the most transparent brokers I have seen till now. They do mention the payment gateway charges. Dhan, Zerodha, and Groww offer zero brokerage on equity delivery. For intraday/F&O, it's typically ₹20 per executed order.
Zerodha has ₹300/year as a Demat AMC (Annual Maintenance Charge). Dhan and Groww don't have any Demat AMC. Account opening/maintenance fees differ for different platforms. Yes, there are some taxes like STT, GST, and stamp duty, which depend on the transaction.
For NPS retirement, invest in equity funds early for growth, then switch to debt funds in your late 40s for safety. PPF's 80C benefit is gone in the new tax regime. Your best option depends on your goals and risk appetite.
Diversifying your money is a good option, as it reduces the risk. So apart from mutual funds:
You can invest in Nippon India ETF Nifty BeES or ICICI Prudential Nifty Next 50 ETF. Sovereign Gold Bonds are again a good option. PPF or NPS are also long-term, tax-efficient saving options. Consider investing in real estate through REITs or InvITs.
Groww, Zerodha Coin, ET Money and INDmoney are some great apps that you can use. They have user-friendly interfaces, and these support weekly and monthly SIPs. No Demat account is required.
CRED, BharatPe, and PhonePe are some apps that allow you to manage multiple bank accounts. All these apps follow RBI regulations and are user-friendly.
Contact HDFC Bank customer care, and explain this issue with them.
Yes, Bitcoin can be a beneficial option for a faster and potentially cheaper international transfer to India, and it can bypass the traditional banks and Western Union.
The Indian government still does not regulate Bitcoin because of its volatility and uncertainty in this market. So for now it's still not possible to fully replace the banks' system.
FD offers tax benefits under Section 80C, which allows deductions of up to ₹1.5 lakh. SBI and HDFC banks offer a 5-year lock-in facility. The current interest rate is 5.5% to 7.7%.
So in your case, the interest earned annually on ₹50,000 is fully taxable according to your income tax slab.
You can either use the MakeMyTrip or Skyscanner platforms so that you can compare the flight prices. I would suggest booking the tickets in advance to get the best offers for your trip.
SBI PRIME offers lounge access, Amazon ICICI has cashback on travel bookings, and HDFC Infinia offers low forex markup and lounge benefits.
This plan offers a unique "two-generation" coverage (you and your child under one policy). It provides you with tax benefits, a premium return option at maturity, and long-term coverage.
Kotak Gen2Gen Term Plan might be pricier than other term plans. While it covers two generations, the coverage for the child usually ends around their retirement age (e.g., 60).
For your business, a business loan is ideal; however, a personal loan can also be an option, although it may have a potentially higher interest rate.
The online EMI calculator is used to calculate the manageable EMIs. Try to choose the EMI that doesn't exceed 45-55% of your income.
Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) is a financial company that offers banking services that provide different types of loans (personal , education, business, and more) in India. They work as banks but are not actual banks. They are regulated by RBI.
The best NBFC depends on individuals' business needs (loan amount, tenure, type of business, creditworthiness, etc.). So, here are the top 10 NBFCs.:
Bajaj Finance Ltd.: Provides personal, consumer durable, and business loans.
Highlights: fast processing, wide product range.
Tata Capital Financial Services: Provides personal, home, business, and education loans.
Highlights: Flexible tenures and minimal documentation are required.
HDB Finance Services: Good for personal, business, and gold loans.
Highlights: Backed by HDFC Bank, so it's suitable for salaried & self-employed.
Muthoot Finance: Best for gold loans, but also provides loans for businesses.
Highlights: This is the largest gold loan provider, so you can easily rely on this.
Mahindra & Mahindra: Mainly famous for vehicle financing but also offers business loans. Highlights: Good for rural and semi-urban areas.
Shriram Finance Ltd.: Provides finances for commercial vehicles and small businesses.
Highlights: Good for small business.
L&T Finance: Provides financial solutions for small and medium enterprises, homes, and personal loans.
Highlights: Reliable brand name, faster approvals, and less paperwork.
Poonawalla Fincorp: Provides business loans, personal loans, and loans against property.
Highlights: Flexible Repayment Tenure, No Hidden Charges, Quick Approval.
Aditya Birla Finance: Provides diverse financial services, personal, SME, and loans against property.
Highlights: Decent interest rates, quick processing, and excellent customer service.
Sammaan Capital Ltd: It mainly focuses on house loans but also offers business and mortgage loans.
Highlights: Quick approval of your loans.
There are some government-sponsored schemes available. Central Sector Scheme for Interest Subsidy (if you fulfill the requirements), then there is the Vidya Lakshmi scheme; under this, you can apply for the educational loans. Non-banking financial companies can also give educational loans, but they have their criteria.
Finology30 primarily focuses on long-term stock recommendations, bolstered by extensive research. Finology30 meticulously curates a portfolio of 30 stocks after conducting a thorough analysis. Because of its ease of use for beginners and the superior quality of the stock analysis, users consistently provide positive reviews.
FinShiksha is an educational platform that provides financial education and skill development. It offers courses on financial analysis, valuation, and investment banking. It is less focused on stock tips. This platform aids users in building a strong foundation in finance. The platform's offerings are more educational than advisory.
Vidfin presents itself as a video-based platform for stock and IPO analysis and financial learning. With the limited public information, users give mixed reviews on its reliability.
In conclusion, I recommend Finology30 as a good choice for long-term stock recommendations because of its balanced approach.
It has a nominal annual fee (around ₹220 + taxes). For international transactions, you can expect 3.5% charges. Generally domestic usage is free.
Perks include loyalty points on spending and potential discounts at partner merchants and basic insurance, but travel-specific benefits are limited for international use.
It's a safe investment that is backed by the government, making it worthwhile for long-term, low-risk savings. It offers a 7.5% interest rate per annum, compounded yearly, and your investment doubles in approximately 115 months. There are no specific advantages under Section 80C for KVP investment, and the interest earned is fully taxable.
SBI, HDFC, ICICI, and IDFC FIRST Bank all offer auto-sweep facilities. The interest is calculated on the fixed deposit rates created by the sweep. Minimum balances may vary for different banks. But IDFC offers more flexible options with lower thresholds.
Yes, you can switch to ICICI Lombard just by submitting the porting request to ICICI Lombard before 45 days before the renewal of the Star Health policy ends. Fill out the form and submit the mandatory documents.
Your no-claim history helps retain continuity benefits, including waiting period credits.
ICICI Lombard will calculate your new premium based on your age, health, and the plans you have chosen.
Yes, in some cases banks can freeze the bank account linked to crypto trading, like suspicious transactions, violation of policies, not following the income tax law in the case of crypto exchange, and many more.
So to avoid all these problems completely, do the KYC, use the well-known crypto exchanges, and avoid large and frequent transactions.
For converting crypto to cash, there is a fees and 1% TDS changes. Also Besides 30% tax, 1% TDS also applies.