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Despite being in existence since 2006, BNP Paribas Tax Advantage has seen a turnaround in performance only last year as it succeeded in protecting its capital much better than its peers. With a new management team, it may be worthwhile to track the scheme's progress

BNP Paribas Tax Advantage does not have a great performance history. It has vastly under-performed its benchmark index until 2010. It was only last yearthat it out-performed both, benchmark and peers. This it did by cushioning its decline amidst a volatile market. The portfolio reconstruction by the new management team through allocation of a higher percentage of investment to consumption-oriented sectors than industrial ones worked well. While a cautious decision to have only a limited exposure to industrials have cost the scheme some returns this year so far, the management is confident that it will make up for the loss given the portfolios focus on retail consumption theme. Investors need to track its performance as with the current portfolio orientation, one can expect it to perform decently in the coming months.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

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How to apply to REC Bonds?

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UTI Mutual Fund new income fund

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Posted: 06 Mar 2012 03:38 AM PST

UTI Mutual Fund has announced the launch of UTI Fixed Term Income Series XI V. The scheme will be open for subscription from March 5.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

Submit filled up application Collection canter near you

------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

Opt for Consider Mutual Fund growth option get compounding benefits

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Posted: 06 Mar 2012 02:52 AM PST

THERE are times when careful evaluation is required for investor to choose one option over the other. For investors, the question is whether to look at the dividend option present in the mutual funds, compared with the growth option. Many investors prefer the former, but this does not mean to be the best choice under all circumstances.

There are several benefits in using the growth option present for mutual funds, and hence, this will be a feature that has to be used properly. Here are a few conditions when this would be possible.

Long-term requirement: One situation when it is essential to use the growth option is when there is a long time-period present for the individual for their planning and investment.

This gives them the required amount of time for accumulating a large amount. This is possible using the growth option, wherein, they can invest the required amount in one or more instalments and then forget about it for the available time period.

This also ensures that the amount grows over a period of time without any interference, making the achievement of the objective easier. The best part of the entire exercise is that it can be completed with minimum effort.

Compounding: If the target of the investor is to ensure that there is a compounding of the invested amount without any access to the gains that are earned by the fund, then, they need to take a closer look at the growth option.

The route allows them to accumulate the gains on the investment, which keep adding over the years.

Over a period of time, the entire benefit of compounding is visible for the investor, and hence, there is a route, whereby, they are able to achieve some of their financial goals easily.

It is not possible to take the dividends and then reinvest them over a period of time, as this requires a lot of dedication and effort and it is possible that the amounts are diverted for other uses. With the growth option, all these factors are automatically taken care of.

Tax benefit: The growth option in the mutual fund is also beneficial or favourable when there is a tax benefit that can be obtained by the long-term investments. There are situations where the long term capital tax gains would be beneficial in terms of a lower rate or a zero rate, compared with some other mode of earning like a dividend.

When this is present, there is no specific gain of getting a payout and then starting the holding period right from zero for the new investment. So, in situations where the long-term tax benefit is larger, this route can be chosen, which will ensure that the tax benefit is utilised. This will ensure that the net impact is larger for the individual.

Uncertainty: There are times when there is great uncertainty on the regulatory front. This happens, as it is not very clear as to what will be the position when it comes to the question of the exact situation for different options. So, it would be better to ensure that the route with the least amount of risk is followed.

Under this situation, there is very little risk in adopting the growth option, where the amount will just keep on accumulating. The investor has some say here in terms of choosing the time of exit, and this can be done keeping several other factors in mind. This will help them to make a better choice and hence a better option to use.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

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How to apply to REC Bonds?

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Section 80DD for Medical Treatment of Handicapped Dependents

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Posted: 06 Mar 2012 02:05 AM PST

If you are incurring expenditure for the treatment of your handicapped dependent, you could claim a deduction under section 80DD.

Available Deduction - Rs 50000, or actual expenditure incurred, whichever is lesser. For severe handicap conditions Rs. 1,00,000 is the deduction limit.

Scope of Deduction - Deduction can be claimed for dependent parents, spouse, children and siblings. Dependents must not have claimed any deduction for their disability.

Deductions are permissible in either of the following cases.

a) Costs incurred for medical treatment, training or rehabilitation of a disabled dependent, including amount spent for nursing.

b) Amount paid towards an insurance scheme for the maintenance of your disabled dependent in case of your untimely death.

Meaning of Disability- Disability means a person suffering from 40% or more of any of the below disabilities. A severe disability condition is 80% or more of the disabilities.

a) Blindness and Vision problems

b) Leprosy-cured

c) Hearing impairment

d) Locomotor disability

e) Mental retardation or illness

Key factors

a) Individuals would need to produce a copy of the disability certificate as issued by the central or state government medical board to claim deduction.

b) Insurance policy obtained must be in your name and should be a policy for life. It could pay either an annuity or a lump sum amount for the benefit of the dependent on your death.

c) If the disabled dependent predeceases you, the policy amount is returned to you, and treated as income for the year in which you receive it, thus fully taxable in your hands.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

Submit filled up application Collection canter near you

------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

Morgan Stanley Growth Fund - Change in Fund Manager

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Posted: 06 Mar 2012 12:30 AM PST

Morgan Stanley Mutual Fund has announced a change in the fund manager of Morgan Stanley Growth Fund with immediate effect. Now, Mr. Swanand Kelkar will be the Portfolio Manager of the scheme along with Mr.Amay Hattangadi.

While Mr. Sridhar Sivaram, who earlier co-managed the Growth fund with Mr. Hattangadi, will continue to be the key personnel of the AMC.

Additionally, Mr. Dhaval Shah has been appointed as the dedicated portfolio manager for investments in Foreign Securities.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

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------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

DSP Blackrock Dual Advantage Fund - Series 2

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Posted: 05 Mar 2012 10:58 PM PST

This is a hybrid product, where the Risk of capital loss is minimized by investing a major proportion of the portfolio in a diversified debt portfolio. This part of the portfolio grows in value to ensure that the investor's capital is preserved at maturity. The debt portfolio is in to high credit quality papers to minimize credit risk & Low interest rate risk.

This allocation is managed like a Fixed Maturity Plan (FMP). The equity allocation of the portfolio is invested in long-dated equity index options, the expiry of which is matched to the maturity of the Scheme. This ensures that the investor is not exposed to any risks arising from active trading of options Advantages Over Investor-level Strategy. An investor can construct a portfolio similar to this Scheme by allocating equity monies to stocks or options and debt monies to FMPs.

However, investment in this Scheme has advantages over such an approach. Investment and risk management processes are followed with a focus towards capital preservation, Multiplier effect of investing in equity index call options compared to investing in stocks. Access to long-dated equity options due to the institutional bandwidth; similar options cannot be accessed by individual investors due to lack of sufficient liquidity and volume. No active trading of options and associated risks with such a strategy are not involved as the expiry of options is matched with the maturity of the Scheme. An investor Level strategy would require active management of the option exposures.

DSP BlackRock Dual Advantage Fund - Series 2 - 36M

Date of Opening - March 12, 2012 (Monday)

Date of Closing - March 20, 2012 (Tuesday)– All switches needed to submitted before 3:00 p.m. on the closing date– All applications need to be submitted before 4.00 p.m. on the closing date

Options - Growth (Default option) and Div Payout

Min Application - Rs.5,000/- and multiples of Rs.1/-thereafter

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

Submit filled up application Collection canter near you

------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

UTI MF New fund - UTI Fixed Term Income Series

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Posted: 05 Mar 2012 10:12 PM PST

UTI Mutual Fund has announced new fund offer (NFO) of UTI Fixed Term Income Series XI IV. The scheme will be open for subscription from March 2 to March 6.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

Submit filled up application Collection canter near you

------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

BNP Paribas Mutual Fund Merges Multiple Applications under one PAN

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Posted: 05 Mar 2012 08:51 PM PST

BNP Paribas Mutual Fund has changed its policy regarding accepting multiple investment application through different folio numbers under one PAN for aggregate amount equal to more than Rs.1 Crore, with effect from February 23, 2012.

To get the current day's NAV, some investors split their investment amount of more than Rs.1 Crore into less than Rs. 1 Crore and then invest into the schemes through different folios.

Now, BNP Paribas MF will consolidate all the multiple applications under one Permanent Account Number.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

---------------------------------------------

Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

Submit filled up application Collection canter near you

------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

Submit the filled up form to Collection canter near you

Index funds, ETFs

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 07:13 PM PST

THERE is often a lot of frustration for mutual fund investors as they find that their investments are not showing any significant results. Often, there are long time periods when there is not much change in the investments value and this could be a time when the investors would get a bit restless. This is true in areas like equity, where, there is no uniform way in which the situation develops. So, there could be long periods when there are no positive results to talk about, while a short period might see a sharp run up in prices. In such a situation, there is an alternative option that is present for the individual that they can use effectively.

Nature of actively managed funds: These actively managed funds are a big draw for investors who want to ensure that they are beating the market. The lure of a good return gets them to invest in these funds, and when the markets are rising, there are many examples where these funds actually provide outperformance for their investors.

However, there are other times when the position is different as far as these actively managed equity funds are concerned.

When the equity markets are not doing much and are moving within a narrow range, there are chances that these end up disappointing the investors.

Time period: If this listlessness happens for a year or so, then the investors are not very concerned because this is a part and parcel of the equity investment scenario. However, when the situation continues for a longer time period, the investors start getting edgy and start looking for different options that will provide them with the required relief from this situation.

This is the time when they want to ensure that there is something happening with their investments rather than just the recovery of the invested amounts, if and when, a rally actually takes place in the equity markets.

Index-based funds: It is at this time that funds like index funds and exchange traded funds based on indices come on the radar of the investors. Here, they would want to ensure that there is not much additional risk and that they will at least be assured of the performance of the market when the index rises.

There is also another risk when it comes to the actively managed funds. If the fund manager has a high exposure to cash, they would end up missing a rally. This would lead to more disappointment when the fund does not rise with the change in the market direction.

Impact: There will be an impact of this kind of situation on the way in which the investments are handled. One theory is that over the long run as the markets mature, it is better to be able to just ensure that the investor earns the returns of the market by selecting passively managed funds.

However, when it comes to these schemes, there is something else that has to be taken into consideration, otherwise the planning will not yield the required results. One point here is that there is a fund should not have a large tracking error, which is the difference between the index and the performance of the fund. If this rises, the benefit of choosing the index fund or the ETF will be lost.

There is also the benefit of the lower cost that will be present, as this will reduce the cost that the investor will pay over their investment lifetime. If all these things are taken care of, it could lead to lesser disappointments over a period of time.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

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Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

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------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

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Concentrated Funds - ICICI Prudential Focused Bluechip Equity Fund, DSP Blackrock Focus 25

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Posted: 05 Mar 2012 08:26 AM PST

Experts always tell investors to invest in a diversified portfolio. Still, some prefer to commit their money to a handful of bets. Sure, owning a concentrated portfolio has its own benefits. If you are bang on target, the returns could be stupendous. There are some mutual fund schemes such as DSP Blackrock Focus 25, ICICI Prudential Focused Bluechip Equity Fund (IPFBE) and so on — which offer investors a chance to invest in a concentrated portfolio, consisting typically around 25 stocks. Some of them have been around for more than three years and they collectively manage around . 4,000 crore. Though ICICI Prudential Focused Bluechip Equity Fund (IPFBE) among them has delivered superior returns in the last three years, as a category these funds are a mixed bag. That means you have to be really careful about them. Some of the funds could not align their portfolios with the extremely volatile markets over the last four years and underperformed the broad markets. But funds such as IPFBE that stick to quality blue chip stocks should continue offering superior returns in the long term.

How They Work ?

These are large cap-oriented schemes and are benchmarked against either the Nifty or the Sensex. Fund managers handpick stocks from the universe of stocks allotted to them. Most funds use fundamental analysis to choose stocks whereas Religare Agile Fund employs a mathematical model to select stocks. Put simply, each fund runs a portfolio of 'high conviction stocks' that aims to earn returns over and above the market returns. Most of these schemes hold less than 25 stocks, half that of Nifty, compared to typical 40 to 100 stocks owned by their diversified counterparts.

Why Concentration ?

The primary aim of diversification is to bring down the risk. But too much of diversification can backfire. While diversification is needed to reduce risk, after a certain point, adding more stocks to the portfolio does not reduce risk by a great extent but may end up diminishing returns. Though there is no unanimity on what is an ideal diversification, many investment experts believe that a diversified portfolio should comprise 25 to 30 stocks. Anything more than that could be a case of over-diversification. Diversification across asset classes is a must for investors, but in an asset class one can invest in select opportunities. Equity mutual funds with mandate to run concentrated portfolios aim to do just that.

Risk & Returns

A common perception towards concentrated equity portfolio is that 'it must be rather risky'. But the reality is different. Most of these funds have managed to contain volatility, measured by standard deviation, well below the volatility in Nifty. Some funds in this category, such as those from ICICI Prudential and DSP BlackRock, have a decent sectoral diversification, albeit it is lower than other diversified equity funds. The best among the lot — IPFBEF delivered 30.99% against Nifty returns of 23.79% over three years

Should You Invest ?

Though these schemes have shown lower volatility in the past, the risk involved is higher than the diversified equity funds because of the limited number of stocks in portfolios. Investors willing to take more risk than that associated with diversified equity funds to generate superior returns in long term can invest in these funds. Simply put, these schemes are not suited for you if you are risk-averse or a neophyte in the stock market. Such investors should stick to a well-established diversified scheme. This is because a scheme with concentrated portfolio may underperform even if one of the bets goes wrong.

How To Choose ?

Choose a fund that sticks to a clearly defined mandate and has risk mitigation techniques in place. A clear mandate ensures that the fund manager does not venture into undesired bets. If the fund house does not tell you the stock selection process of the fund, just do not invest.

Risk mitigation techniques such as cap on sectoral exposure, strict adherence to the stock selection process, adherence to large-cap liquid stocks are much more important when it comes to these funds. A well defined risk management policy surely helps. Funds with clear investment objective and efficient risk management processes should deliver returns for investors in the long run.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

---------------------------------------------

Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

Submit filled up application Collection canter near you

------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

Submit the filled up form to Collection canter near you

HDFC Equity

Posted: 05 Mar 2012 07:42 AM PST

Though one of the sturdiest players around, it does have its moments where investors are confounded. Take 2011. Despite holding up pretty well during the 2008 downturn, its fall this time was higher than that of the average. The comparatively lower exposure to FMCG could be the culprit. This comes after a great run in 2009 and 2010. Going back in time, the returns were pretty muted during the heady days of 2006 and 2007 after an impressive 2005.

Yet, the inherent character of the fund enables it to make a strong comeback. The fund manager focuses on quality companies that are reasonably valued with a growth bias. Richly valued investments are not necessarily pursued even if the short-term returns are lucrative. He follows his conviction and focuses on value, not the direction of price movement. That is why the portfolio does not necessarily have momentum stocks or cyclicals. So when the latter are on a run, the fund manager gets punished for his stance.

Being almost fully invested during the doom and gloom period of the first quarter of 2009 paid off handsomely. The market began its upward journey in March and the fund capitalized on this move and thrashed the competition with a 106 per cent return (category average: 83%). In 2010 again it was third best fund in its category.

From 1996 right till 2008, HDFC Equity fell into the 'Equity: Large & Mid Cap' category. It was only from 2009 onwards it got categorized into the 'Equity: Multi Cap' category. More recently it has been increasing its large-cap allocation.

There's no denying the impressive track record. In its history of 16 years, the fund has underperformed its category just twice. Not surprisingly, its assets have surged to make it the biggest fund in the category and the second largest open-ended equity fund (December 2011).

This has resulted in a much more diversified portfolio from what it was in 2008 though the allocation to the top five holdings hovers around 27 per cent and is line with the category average. The rising asset base has resulted in the expenses being among the lowest in the category, currently at 1.78 per cent.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs

These Application Forms can be used for buying regular mutual funds also

Some of the best Tax Saving Mutual Funds available ( ELSS Mutual Funds )

HDFC TaxSaver
ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96
Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund
SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993
Sundaram Tax Saver

---------------------------------------------

Application form for Tax Saving Infrastructure Bond and more information

Submit filled up application Collection canter near you

------------------------------------------------
How to apply to REC Bonds?

Apply for REC Tax Free Bonds forms below

How much Life Insurance Cover to have?

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Posted: 05 Mar 2012 07:15 AM PST

EVERY company is looking toward meeting the needs of the customer and, hence, they are coming out with different ways of doing business that leads towards this end. This is changing the entire landscape of how financial services are sold and various services related to these areas are provided. In such a situation, it is important to remember that each of these efforts has their base in a common position where the individual is able to understand the benefit and make the best use of them.

Insurance: The areas that the insurance policies cover includes a pure term cover, as well as other savings and investment products where there is some savings element present in the policy.

This leads to a situation where there are different needs of the investor that are being met and, hence, this requires some attention at the time of the sale of the policies.

For a long period of time, there have been complaints that the insurance policies are not being sold with some proper analysis, but these are just being pushed to increase the sales of the various products. Often the customer is given these policies in their portfolio even when there is no need for such policies. There are now changes that are blowing through this area also, as the attention focuses on the need of the insured individuals.

Need analysis: The insurance regulatory authority has issued draft guidelines for moving to need based selling process from April 1. This means there will have to be a need analysis before the sale of an insurance policy. This will require that the insurance company provide a detailed need-analysis cum-proposal form to the investor where questions related to the investors age, financial position, annual income, risk appetite and financial goals will be asked.

In theory, this is a very good thing as there is a proper way in which the entire analysis is being made and, hence, there will be a better way in which the entire sale process will take place.

When this is actually implemented, it has to be seen that there is some use that is actually made of the provision. The risk is that this will be considered as just another procedure to be completed and, hence, will not be done seriously. This needs to be avoided so that the new provisions will have some impact.

Requirement important: No matter what is the name given to several of these exercise, investor has to ensure that there is way in which the exact requirements are brought to the forefront. This is important because the entire financial planning activity starts with the needs and goals that are set for the individual.

Once the efforts are taken forward, then the individual is able to proceed towards achievement of the final targets.

This will ensure that the actual need is taken into consideration so that the desired result is actually witnessed.

Going around it: There are lots of examples where there are good rules that are made for the purpose of completing a specific task in a specific manner.

However, when it comes to the actual implementation, the situation is different because of the fact that there are efforts made to go around the entire situation.

This will mean something like a position where the need analysis is not done properly or that the details are just filled up for the sake of filling up and, hence, there is no relevance left for the entire effort. This needs to be avoided if there are some results that have to be witnessed for the entire effort.

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Invest in Tax Saving Mutual Funds ( ELSS Mutual Funds ) to upto Rs 1 lakh and Save tax under Section 80C.

Invest Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

These links can be used to Purchase Mutual Funds Online that are regular also (Investment, non-tax saving)

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Application Forms from all AMCs