Monthly Archives : March 2023

Do you believe that life insurance plans are intended to squander your money? Hold there before you consider cancelling one because, in this two-minute read, we have debunked every myth.

Ravi, a buddy’s friend, had obtained a life insurance policy. He has now utilised this policy as collateral for the repayment of his home loan and other debts. But, he later got an unexpectedly sizable sum from inherited property and had already paid off all of his debt. Although having paid back the loan, he still needs to cancel the life insurance coverage. He kept the coverage since he had two children who attended school and wanted both life and income protection.

A life insurance calculator is a tool you may use online to determine the amount of coverage required based on your needs.

Do not revoke a life insurance policy

Even though the goal has changed, life insurance will continue to provide Ravi’s family with additional financial protection in light of the uncertain future. In other words, cancelling a life insurance policy does not really make sense if you are raising a family and have people who depend on you financially.

You shouldn’t terminate your life insurance policy for the following reasons:

1. To meet the financial necessities of your family’s future

The spouse, children, ageing parents, and any other family members would depend on the family breadwinner’s income and resources even after their death. When a regular source of income is lost, the family may have to make sacrifices in order to meet their basic necessities. One such product that aims to offer security and promote financial stability in the event of unfavourable income is insurance.

2. Surrender fees may negatively affect your budget

Life insurance premiums can be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re trying to reduce your spending. It is absolutely a terrible idea to temporarily reduce the premium cost by cancelling the life insurance plan in the hopes of purchasing a new plan down the road. You might have to pay a hefty price for the same policy with equivalent coverage in the future. If an unforeseen disease is diagnosed, you may be unable to acquire coverage.

3. To save some money on income taxes

Section 80C of the Income Tax Act of 1961 allows for the tax deduction of annual insurance premium payments. Simply put, cancelling the policy means that no additional life insurance premiums will be paid for it and that the insurer will not provide life insurance coverage.

This bonus will be forfeited if you cancel the policy. Unlike other investment options, life insurance policies such as endowment and unit-linked insurance plans provide you with tax-efficient returns. You cannot get a good tax return if you stop paying the premium in the middle and cancel the coverage. Life insurance is still required as a tax-saving measure, even if you are wealthy.

4. For mental tranquilly

You may live without anxiety, thanks to insurance. Your long-term financial needs are met by an insurance policy, depending on your selected coverage. Also, because life insurance policies can be used as collateral for loans, they can assist you with your immediate needs. Several financial alternatives are also available through life insurance coverage. At an additional fee, it offers additional riders, such as critical illness, accidental disability, etc. You can plan for your children’s future very organised and methodically with the help of certain life insurance plans, such as child and endowment plans.

5. The cost of new coverage may increase

You will forfeit the coverage you have paid for when you surrender your life insurance policy. If you need to get the same policy in the future, it can be more expensive because life insurance costs rise with age. If you still think that your life insurance is a burden on you, use all the flexibility supplied by the life insurance company. The life insurance coverage does not have to be cancelled. You don’t have many other options.

6. Modify the premium payment method

If the annual premium is too much for you to afford, speak with your insurance provider about changing the payment schedule to monthly or quarterly. By doing this, you can get through a challenging moment.

7. Release the riders

If your policy has any riders or add-ons for which you are paying extra and are not actually necessary for you, you can lower your premium by removing them from the package. Always mind that riders should be picked just as per your demand. Never purchase one just because your friend or your friend’s friend chose to. ##

A life insurance calculator is an easy-to-use tool to check the amount of premium you would have to pay.

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from one person to another. It involves a number of steps and can be quite complex, especially for first-time buyers. In this article, we’ll walk you through the conveyancing process step-by-step, so you know what to expect when buying or selling a property.

Step 1: Instruction

The first step in the conveyancing process is to instruct a conveyancer. A conveyancer is a qualified legal professional who specializes in property law and will help you with the legal aspects of buying or selling a property. Once you’ve found a conveyancer you’re happy with, you’ll need to provide them with details of the property and any other relevant information, such as your mortgage lender details if you’re buying a property.

Step 2: Contract Drafting

Your conveyancer will then draft a contract of sale, which sets out the terms of the transaction. This will include the purchase price, any special conditions, and a settlement date. They will also carry out any necessary property searches to ensure there are no issues with the property that may affect the sale.

Step 3: Exchange of Contracts

Once both parties have agreed to the terms of the contract, they will sign it and exchange contracts. At this point, the buyer will usually pay a deposit, which is usually 10% of the purchase price, to the seller’s conveyancer.

Step 4: Completion

Completion is the final stage of the conveyancing melbourne. It’s when the property officially changes hands and the purchase price is paid in full. The seller’s conveyancer will receive the balance of the purchase price and the buyer will receive the keys to the property.

Step 5: Post-Completion

After completion, your conveyancer will register the property with the Land Registry and send you confirmation of the registration. They will also pay any stamp duty due and provide you with a copy of the title deeds.

Other Important Considerations

There are a number of other important considerations to bear in mind when going through the conveyancing process:

1. Mortgage: If you’re taking out a mortgage to buy a property, your conveyancer will liaise with your lender to ensure the funds are available for completion.
2. Property Searches: Your conveyancer will carry out a number of property searches to ensure there are no issues with the property that may affect the sale. These include local authority searches, environmental searches, and drainage searches.
3. Surveys: It’s important to have a survey carried out on the property before you buy it. This will highlight any potential issues with the property that may affect its value or make it unsuitable for your needs.
4. Chain: If you’re buying a property as part of a chain, it’s important to keep in touch with your conveyancer and other parties in the chain to ensure the transaction proceeds smoothly.
5. Post-Completion: After completion, your conveyancer will register the property with the Land Registry and send you confirmation of the registration. They will also pay any stamp duty due and provide you with a copy of the title deeds.

Conclusion

Conveyancing can be a complex process, but with the right support and guidance from a qualified conveyancer, it needn’t be stressful. By following these steps, you’ll have a better understanding of the conveyancing process and what to expect when buying or selling a property.

When it comes to investing, debt mutual funds are often favoured by risk-averse investors who prefer stable returns over the volatility of equity markets. These funds are known for their flexibility, as they work in both short and long-term investment horizons. However, regardless of your investment term preference, Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) can help you build a robust portfolio through debt funds. This article will explore the importance of SIPs in debt funds and how they can help you achieve your financial goals. So, whether you’re a seasoned investor or a newbie, read on to find out how you can benefit from this investment strategy.

What are debt mutual funds?

Debt funds  are a type of mutual fund that primarily invests in debt instruments such as bonds, treasury bills, and other fixed-income securities. These funds pool money from investors and invest in a portfolio according to the theme of the fund. The primary objective of debt funds is to provide a stable return on investment with lower risks. Therefore, if you are a risk-averse investor who seeks a relatively safer investment option, then debt funds could be the perfect choice for you. As debt instruments have less risk and provide stable returns, debt funds offer an ideal investment avenue for those who prefer to invest in risk-free options.

SIPs for debt mutual funds

Investing in debt funds through SIPs has several benefits. Below listed are some of them.

• SIPs in debt mutual funds can help investors to average out the cost of investments. As the cost of debt mutual funds fluctuates with the interest rates, investing a fixed amount through SIPs can help investors to buy more units when the cost is low and fewer units when the cost is high, thus averaging out the cost.

• SIPs in debt mutual funds can help investors to benefit from the power of compounding. By investing a fixed amount at regular intervals, investors can earn interest on interest, which can lead to higher returns over the long term.

• SIPs in debt mutual funds offer flexibility to investors. Investors can start and stop their SIPs as per their convenience. They can also increase or decrease the amount of their SIPs as per their financial goals and investment objectives.

• SIPs in debt mutual funds can help investors to achieve their financial goals in a disciplined and systematic manner. By investing a fixed amount at regular intervals, investors can stay committed to their financial goals and avoid the temptation to time the market.

Do SIPs work for short term in debt funds?

In the short term, the returns from debt mutual funds may not be significant enough to justify the cost of regular investments through SIPs. Moreover, if an investor needs the money in the short term, they may have to withdraw their investment before the completion of the SIP tenure, which can result in exit loads and capital gains tax.

Conclusion

If you are looking to invest in debt mutual funds for the short term, it may be more beneficial to invest in liquid or ultra-short-term debt funds that offer higher liquidity and lower risk. However, if you have a long-term investment horizon, SIPs in debt mutual funds can be an excellent investment strategy to benefit from the power of compounding and averaging out the cost of investments.

The world of investing is full of opportunities, but it also comes with its own set of complexities. Investors are always looking for the best approach to maximising their returns in the ever-volatile markets. Growth and value investing are two well-known types of fundamental investing, but how can you know which one is best for your portfolio and financial goals?

Whether you are looking for a long-term investment or something that may bring quick returns, knowing how these investments compare can give you a better idea of which type suits your financial goals better. Having said that, here are some key differences between value and growth funds, including their features, benefits, and drawbacks.

Understanding value investing and its features

Value investing focuses on buying undervalued stocks when their current market value is lower than the intrinsic value, with the expectation that the stocks will reach their true or intrinsic value or even exceed it. This strategy requires investors to search for undervalued stocks using technical analysis, charts, data, and financial ratios such as:

• Price-to-book ratio (PB)
• Price/earnings-growth (PEG) ratio
• Price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio
• Dividend yield, etc

The key motivation behind value investing is capital appreciation over time, not immediate gains or income generation.

Benefits of value investing

• Since you buy stocks at a lower price, you have a built-in margin of safety that protects you from losses if the stock doesn’t perform as expected.

• The strategy takes a long-term view which is ideal for investors who don’t want to worry about short-term fluctuations in the market and are willing to wait for their investments to pay off.

• With higher dividend yields, value funds can help generate steady income.

Overview of growth investing and its features

Growth funds are focused purely on capital appreciation. Investors choose stocks or growth mutual funds whose prices are expected to grow at a better rate than its peers or the overall market. This type of investing requires more research and analysis since you need to identify stocks with high-growth potential.

There are many ways to create a growth investment plan focusing on capital appreciation, such as investing in small-cap stocks with huge growth potential, emerging market stocks, blue chip stocks, or mutual fund investments focusing on high-growth sectors like technology and healthcare.

Benefits of growth investing

• You can choose high growth mutual funds to benefit from their high return potential.

• Diversifying your mutual fund portfolio with a mix of growth stocks can reduce overall volatility exposure.

• If done wisely, returns from mid and small cap growth mutual funds can be significantly higher than inflation.

Value funds vs growth funds – Comparing features and potential risks of both investment options

From the potential returns to the risk profile and overall investment strategy associated with each fund, evaluate your individual needs to invest in the right fund. Or you can even create a balanced portfolio that combines these two investment styles to get a consistent portfolio performance.

We must schedule transport, lodging, and any other expenses well in advance when arranging a trip. Additionally, it is advisable to plan ahead for unforeseen circumstances like sudden cancellations brought on by unforeseen events or losing luggage while travelling, which is why travel insurance cover was created.

Specifically, trip cancellation insurance covers the case where you are compelled to cancel your trip or reservations for circumstances beyond your control, including becoming critically ill or hurt a few days prior to your departure. You can receive reimbursement for all of your non-refundable travel expenses thanks to this coverage.

How does travel insurance operate?

In addition to dealing with the inconvenience and disruption of having to change your travel plans, having to pay cancellation costs can be a significant financial hardship. The majority of travel and lodging companies charge larger cancellation fees and offer smaller refunds the closer the departure or check-in date gets.

When completing cancellations, you must notify them as soon as possible (preferably, five days before the event) and submit supporting documentation (e.g., medical certificate, a certificate from employer). Because different travel and lodging providers have different cancellation policies, it depends on when you cancel if you will be charged a portion of the whole cost or forfeit your deposit. The full cancellation price levied by the suppliers is covered by international or domestic travel insurance.

Cancellation insurance is usable if the following circumstances apply:

• Appears in the policy
• After you purchased insurance
• Is unexpected
• Is accidental

A few instances of legitimate cancellation scenarios may include:

• Passing away of a family member
• Severe illness or injury (applicable to you or family)
• Damage to the home
• Date modifications for your paid leave
• Natural disaster or terrorist assault at the destination
• You’ve been refused a tourist visa
• Having to take an exam again
• Employment loss or employment gain
• Identity theft or ticket fraud

The grounds for cancellation may differ depending on the policy, so be sure to take attention of the exclusionary language.

Several exclusions might include:

• Strikes involving organised public transportation unless the insurance period begins before the strike is anticipated.
• An airline, cruise line, or tour operator may modify or cancel your travel plans due to bad weather.
• Changes made individually by the insured or their travelling companion to their travel plans for any reason.
• An adverse shift in the insured’s financial situation.

Refer to the policy’s ‘General Exclusions’ as well before you buy travel insurance online.

Insuring against trip cancellation:

When making your travel arrangements, you can purchase trip cancellation insurance at the travel agency’s or the tour operator’s website. The overall cost of the insurance varies based on the coverage you choose and is proportional to the cost of the trip.

Is trip cancellation covered by travel insurance?

Yes, travel insurance does cover trip cancellation as well as medical costs, lost or stolen property, delayed flights, and emergency airlifts, provided you fall within the guidelines of the claim. The most often used travel insurance coverage is trip cancellation. You should get travel insurance as soon as you’ve made your vacation arrangements because it offers more complete protection against various financial hazards.

In summary, travel insurance policies are individualised and based on your insurance company. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly read the small print and understand the validity and restrictions of the coverage. While trip cancellation policies are required, flight insurance policies will provide you with better protection because they not only cover unforeseen cancellations but may also assist with making arrangements for a temporary passport in the event that you lose yours. It will make for a more relaxed journey.

* Standard T&C Apply

** Currently, there are 2 tax regimes in India – new and old. To get the tax benefit you desire, choose the correct one after consulting an expert. You can opt for a regime change during the next financial year.

# Visit the official website of IRDAI for further details.

## All savings are provided by the insurer as per the IRDAI-approved insurance plan. Standard T&C apply

Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions,

limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully

before concluding a sale.