Monday, May 27, 2013

Prajna Capital

Prajna Capital


ICICI Bank I Wish - Recurring Deposit (RD)

Posted: 27 May 2013 01:55 AM PDT

Invest In Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

 

ICICI bank I wish is a very interesting recurring deposit product of ICICI bank available for its saving bank account customers who use internet banking. The interesting part of this product is you can create and manage your short and long term goals (in terms of money you want to accumulate) with these savings and also can share it with your friends and family on Facebook. By sharing it with others you can also ask for their contribution in this deposit to help you achieve your goal or fulfil your wish faster.

The uniqueness of this recurring deposit product is in the feature of flexibility. Unlike regular recurring deposits , in this flexible product there is no compulsion on the part of depositor to make a month on month contribution into it. You can also make multiple deposits in a particular month. This product can only be invested through internet banking. In this article I will be covering the basic details of "icici bank i wish" and try to figure out the pros and cons of this.

Basic Features of ICICI bank I Wish

This is a recurring deposit product with a feature of flexibility in deposit. To bring excitement in your savings, it has option of Creating and Naming a goal. For e.g. you may want to buy a camera costing Rs 30000/- after a year. You can name your goal as "Camera", tenure as 12 months and after adjusting to the interest rates, portal will calculate how much you need to save per month towards that goal. The flexible feature of ICICI I wish recurring deposit allows you either to put a standing instruction for regular deposits or transfer the funds as and when you have towards this goal. You may also share your Goal/Wish on your Facebook account and ask for contribution into this to your friends and family. Other features are as below:

Should you invest in ICICI Bank I Wish?

Well, structure wise it's definitely a unique product. It is a fact that when you map your savings towards a goal, you become very much disciplined in your approach. And nothing can match the excitement of achieving the goal. The flexible aspect of this recurring deposit is also very attractive. But the major drawback of ICICI I wish is that this is a recurring deposit product which by its basic nature is taxable. Whatever you earn out of this saving will be added in your income and taxed as per your slab. I mean if the intention is to save for a short term goal, why not to use alternate options like liquid/short term mutual funds. For short term goals these mutual funds may not be comparable on taxation aspect (due to changes announced in budet 2013) but these funds will definitely provide you with better returns than recurring deposits

Secondly, the penalty charges on pre closure of the account are also a negative factor. This issue can also be answered by investing in liquid/ultra short term mutual funds as there are no penal charges of withdrawing the amount.

ICICI bank I wish can be a perfect product to inculcate discipline of savings among your Kids especially major kids (Above 18 years of age). They can be encouraged to save part of the pocket money for their goals (of going on vacation or buying costly gadgets) from their own pocket money and once that benchmark is achieved you can supplement that savings with your contribution. This way you can teach them the advantage of savings by allocating it to a particular goal and also it will not burden you with more of tax payments. As whatever earnings made on the savings will be treated as your Child income only, also the gift made by you to him/her will not attract any gift tax

Happy Investing!!

We can help. Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

Leave your comment with mail ID and we will answer them

OR

You can write back to us at PrajnaCapital [at] Gmail [dot] Com

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

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

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

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Applications

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

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

  1. ICICI Prudential Tax Plan Invest Online
  2. HDFC TaxSaver Invest Online
  3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund Invest Online
  4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund Invest Online
  5. Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96 Invest Online
  6. IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund Invest Online
  7. SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993 Invest Online
  8. Sundaram Tax Saver Invest Online
  9. Edelweiss ELSS Invest Online

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

Best Performing Mutual Funds

    1. Largecap Funds Invest Online
      1. DSP BlackRock Top 100 Fund
      2. ICICI Prudential Focused Blue Chip Fund
      3. Birla Sun Life Front Line Equity Fund
    2. Large and Midcap Funds Invest Online
      1. ICICI Prudential Dynamic Plan
      2. HDFC Top 200 Fund
      3. UTI Dividend Yield Fund
    1. Mid and SmallCap Funds Invest Online
      1. Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund
      2. DSP BlackRock Small & Midcap Fund
      3. Sundaram Select Midcap
      4. IDFC Premier Equity Fund
    1. Small and MicroCap Funds Invest Online
      1. DSP BlackRock MicroCap Fund
    1. Sector Funds Invest Online
      1. Reliance Banking Fund
      2. Reliance Banking Fund
    1. Tax Saver MutualFunds Invest Online
      1. ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
      2. HDFC Taxsaver
      3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
      4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
    2. Gold Mutual Funds Invest Online
      1. Relaince Gold Savings Fund
      2. ICICI Prudential Regular Gold Savings Fund
      3. HDFC Gold Fund

Company FDs With High Rates May not be Your Best Investment Option

Posted: 27 May 2013 12:40 AM PDT

Invest In Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

 


Several companies such as Jaiprakash Associates, Allied Digital Services, Plethico Pharmaceuticals are offering 12-12.5% interest per annum for three year fixed deposits, a good 3.25-3.75% more than what is offered by banks like State Bank of India (SBI) or ICICI Bank. Despite the higher rates, many financial advisors are asking investors to be extremely selective and choosy while investing in company fixed deposits, as there have been many instances where companies have just not repaid the money or delayed payments. For example, Ankur Drugs, Asian Electronics and Birla Power have delayed repayments in the recent past. Ankur Drugs' capacity expansion plans got delayed due to funding issues, while labour problems crippled production at one of Birla Power's manufacturing facilities.


Since company fixed deposits are unsecured instruments, investors should be extremely careful before investing in them. As a benchmark, any company paying 2%, or 200 basis points, more than a bank deposit should be scrutinised thoroughly and risk-averse investors could simply skip them When choosing company deposits, invest in listed companies only as the financial information is available in the public domain. Check the industry in which it operates, promoters' track record, look out for pledged shares, and go for profitmaking companies with a track record of at least three years.


Why Do Cos Pay High Rates?


Many companies, especially the smaller ones, pay higher rates on their deposits to compensate investors for the higher risk taken. That is why you would see that a highly reputed or 'AAA'-rated company would pay relatively lower rates on its deposits than a lower-rated company. For example, reputed banks like SBI, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank pay 8.75% for a three-year deposit.


Similarly, in the company fixed deposit space LIC Housing, an 'AAA'-rated company, pays 9.25% on its three-year deposit; Mahindra Finance, with an 'AAA' rating, pays 10% on its deposit of similar tenure. As compared to this, Allied Digital Services or Unitech pays 12.5%, while Plethico Pharmaceuticals pays 12% on three-year deposits.

 

Manufacturing companies do not need a rating, while NBFCs mandatorily need to get their fixed deposits rated. However, there are exceptions to this rule. There have been instances where even reputed companies pay higher interest rates, especially if they are in a hurry to fund an expansion project or finance a takeover. Very often companies pay high rates temporarily as they would want to complete projects which are stuck in between. However, investors ought to know the reason. For example, in 2008, even Tata Motors paid 11% for three-year fixed deposits to fund its JLR acquisition. That means investors should ask distributors and financial advisors for the reason for such high interest rates. If the reason is genuine and they are convinced with the financials of the company, then they should invest. For those who are risk-averse, simply skip these companies.


CHECK RATINGS AND FINANCIALS


Financial planners advise investors to stick to listed companies, as their quarterly results, annual reports and research reports are easily available in the public domain. In the case of NBFCs, go for companies which have 'AAA' or 'AA' rating only. He advises investors to invest in companies like HDFC, Mahindra Finance, LIC Housing, all of which carry 'AAA'-rating. All these companies have reputed promoters and are profit making and paying dividend for the past three years. As a rule, investors should avoid smaller or obscure companies with erratic financial performance. Investing in such companies just for higher interest could be very risky. In the recent past, companies like Ankur Drugs, Asian Electronics have delayed repayments to depositors. Both these companies have reported a loss for the financial years ending March 2011 and March 2012. Though deposit holders are fighting hard, getting the money back could be a long-drawn process. If you are a retired individual living on interest income, you could be badly hit. Given that the economy is going through a slowdown, investors should not be greedy. Avoid putting money in companies merely for an extra 1-2% higher interest.


CHECK FOR PLEDGED SHARES


Investors should also check for pledged shares data, which is available on the stock exchange website and disclosed every quarter. Avoid companies which have a very high percentage of the promoters holding pledged. Since stock prices are subject to price fluctuations, whenever a stock's price falls, the lender may ask for more margin money or stocks. If the promoter cannot pay cash or give additional shares as margin, the lender may ruthlessly sell the pledged shares to recover his losses. In such cases, the financial stability of a company as well as its business could suffer. For example, Unitech has 76% of promoter holding pledged as of December 2012, while Jyothi Structures has 67% of its promoters holding pledged.


Re Up 25 ps Against $


MUMBAI The rupee on Monday gained a hefty 25 paise to close at 54.56 against the dollar on sustained selling of the US currency by exporters amid weak global cues. However, consolidation in local equities and continued capital outflows capped the domestic currency's gains to some extent, forex dealers said. The rupee commenced a tad higher at 54.80 from its previous closing of 54.81 on Friday at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market. It moved in a range of 54.54-54.84 before closing at 54.56, a rise of 25 paise, or 0.46 per cent. Rupee continued to trade strong for the second day against the dollar taking cues from the euro, which traded strong against the dollar. The dollar index was quoting down by 0.05 per cent against a basket of six major currencies. The yen weakened beyond 99 against the dollar for the first time since May 2009. "The Bank of Japan's plan for aggressive monetary easing was taken negatively by the investors, as a result yen traded weak and made new lows against major currencies.

Happy Investing!!

We can help. Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

Leave your comment with mail ID and we will answer them

OR

You can write back to us at PrajnaCapital [at] Gmail [dot] Com

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

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

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

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Applications

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

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

  1. ICICI Prudential Tax Plan Invest Online
  2. HDFC TaxSaver Invest Online
  3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund Invest Online
  4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund Invest Online
  5. Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96 Invest Online
  6. IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund Invest Online
  7. SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993 Invest Online
  8. Sundaram Tax Saver Invest Online
  9. Edelweiss ELSS Invest Online

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

Best Performing Mutual Funds

    1. Largecap Funds Invest Online
      1. DSP BlackRock Top 100 Fund
      2. ICICI Prudential Focused Blue Chip Fund
      3. Birla Sun Life Front Line Equity Fund
    2. Large and Midcap Funds Invest Online
      1. ICICI Prudential Dynamic Plan
      2. HDFC Top 200 Fund
      3. UTI Dividend Yield Fund
    1. Mid and SmallCap Funds Invest Online
      1. Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund
      2. DSP BlackRock Small & Midcap Fund
      3. Sundaram Select Midcap
      4. IDFC Premier Equity Fund
    1. Small and MicroCap Funds Invest Online
      1. DSP BlackRock MicroCap Fund
    1. Sector Funds Invest Online
      1. Reliance Banking Fund
      2. Reliance Banking Fund
    1. Tax Saver MutualFunds Invest Online
      1. ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
      2. HDFC Taxsaver
      3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
      4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
    2. Gold Mutual Funds Invest Online
      1. Relaince Gold Savings Fund
      2. ICICI Prudential Regular Gold Savings Fund
      3. HDFC Gold Fund

Global funds or International Funds to hedge Investment Risk

Posted: 27 May 2013 12:14 AM PDT

Invest In Tax Saving Mutual Funds Online

Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

 

 

INTERNATIONAL funds are schemes of mutual funds that invest their corpus into assets abroad.

Today, there is a range of equity-oriented international funds available for investors in the country. Most investors select only those funds that invest in the local equity and debt markets, and hence, there is a similarity that creeps into the portfolio. International funds offer a different perspective for investors and need some consideration.

Here are a few of the variety of goals that can be achieved through these funds.

Geographical diversification: One of the biggest benefits of using international funds is that there is diversification of amounts invested across different markets.

This ensures that the money is spread out geographically and while there is a chance that the world markets take a tumble at the same time, there is also a position, whereby, the situation of specific countries can ensure that there is a different effect that is felt in some parts of the portfolio.

This is another way in which diversification is undertaken because doing it across market caps and sectors might not be enough if there is a situation where the entire money is invested in a particular geographical market. This additional factor can be a plus point, especially when the portfolio is large and there is a need for the reduction of risks that keep rising over a period of time.

Specific country exposure: Looking at international funds also increases the choices for investors as they can select a particular country where they feel that the potential for growth is high for investment using these mutual funds. The good part is that investors in India have a choice with respect to choosing developed nations and even smaller countries for their investments through various international fund schemes available in the country.

There is a slightly higher bit of risk in this strategy because of the fact that if things do not work out well in this specific country, then your investment could take a hit. The other way in which exposures of various countries is obtained is by through an investment across a basket of countries.

Investors can choose either of the options depending on their risk appetite and ability to understand the manner in which these funds function.

Feeder funds: The choices for investors is very clear in deciding between funds that directly invest into equities abroad or those that invest in a feeder fund. The former has to select the investments on their own, which is where it is important for individuals to look at the fund manager. The experience of the fund manager to ensure that they are able to build and run a good portfolio is of paramount importance and needs the highest attention.

On the other hand, when it comes to a feeder fund, the situation is a bit changed due to the fact that there is already a foreign fund that is in operation.

The Indian fund just directs the money that it collects towards this fund. This provides an additional amount of confidence for investors because it is a fund manager who is conversant with the local conditions. They can also go and check in the past about the performance of the fund and how it has managed to tackle different situations. This can be a starting point for several investors who are venturing into this area for the first time, as it will also lead to lower risk and tension while investing.

Happy Investing!!

We can help. Call 0 94 8300 8300 (India)

Leave your comment with mail ID and we will answer them

OR

You can write back to us at PrajnaCapital [at] Gmail [dot] Com

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

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

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

Download Tax Saving Mutual Fund Applications

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

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

  1. ICICI Prudential Tax Plan Invest Online
  2. HDFC TaxSaver Invest Online
  3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund Invest Online
  4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund Invest Online
  5. Birla Sun Life Tax Relief '96 Invest Online
  6. IDFC Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund Invest Online
  7. SBI Magnum Tax Gain Scheme 1993 Invest Online
  8. Sundaram Tax Saver Invest Online
  9. Edelweiss ELSS Invest Online

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

Best Performing Mutual Funds

    1. Largecap Funds Invest Online
      1. DSP BlackRock Top 100 Fund
      2. ICICI Prudential Focused Blue Chip Fund
      3. Birla Sun Life Front Line Equity Fund
    2. Large and Midcap Funds Invest Online
      1. ICICI Prudential Dynamic Plan
      2. HDFC Top 200 Fund
      3. UTI Dividend Yield Fund
    1. Mid and SmallCap Funds Invest Online
      1. Reliance Equity Opportunities Fund
      2. DSP BlackRock Small & Midcap Fund
      3. Sundaram Select Midcap
      4. IDFC Premier Equity Fund
    1. Small and MicroCap Funds Invest Online
      1. DSP BlackRock MicroCap Fund
    1. Sector Funds Invest Online
      1. Reliance Banking Fund
      2. Reliance Banking Fund
    1. Tax Saver MutualFunds Invest Online
      1. ICICI Prudential Tax Plan
      2. HDFC Taxsaver
      3. DSP BlackRock Tax Saver Fund
      4. Reliance Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund
    2. Gold Mutual Funds Invest Online
      1. Relaince Gold Savings Fund
      2. ICICI Prudential Regular Gold Savings Fund
      3. HDFC Gold Fund

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