Category: Investment Planning

Comfort or Financial Freedom – What’s your choice

Caucasian man clinging to floating piggy bank

If I were to ask someone why do you want to invest? The most obvious answer would be to earn returns. That’s true. But if I were to recommend to invest in equity funds to do so, then people would just say “It’s risky, I want to invest in something which gives me guaranteed returns.” The reason we look for guaranteed returns is because we want to avoid pain or discomfort. The question is what you are investing for Comfort or Financial freedom?    Continue reading “Comfort or Financial Freedom – What’s your choice”

The Best Scheme to Invest In

Best Schemes

“What’s the best” is an amazing question that people often ask whether ordering food at the restaurant or buying clothes or buying a car or mobile phone. But the fact is a thing which is best for us may not be the best for someone else or vice versa. For instance, you may not like a particular cuisine which is best at a restaurant. Moreover the definition of best changes from day to day, month to month or year to year.

One of the most common question that I keep facing is “Which is the Best Fund these days”. But even after spending more than a decade in this financial service industry, it’s impossible for me to answer this question. Continue reading “The Best Scheme to Invest In”

Tax Saving and Financial Goal Connect

"Taxes" File Folder

“Oh the 80C limit has increased. I’ll have to increase my investments to save tax”!!! This is the most talked about thing on office desks and dinner tables these days. Tax saving is something that most of us are very serious and concerned about and hence we do every possible thing to reduce tax liabilities to minimal. But what is it that you are buying for??? Are you buying it just to save tax or save tax and fulfill financial goals such as retirement, kids planning etc.? The answer is “we want to save tax and save for our future as well”. But the fact is most of us just end up investing recklessly in a hurry to save tax and hence the financial goal takes a backseat. This is the story of first three months of every year where there are people who are selling and people who are buying. Continue reading “Tax Saving and Financial Goal Connect”

Financial Safety Nets to Sleep-In-Peace

Safety Net

Have you ever seen the trapeze acts in the circus? Trapezes are those acts wherein artists swing in the air and do breath taking stunts. Are these acts not risky or these people belong to some other world? These artists are normal people like you and me and believe me the acts are also very risky. But what lets them perform these acts fearlessly is the safety net placed below them. What if there is no safety net? Either the artists wouldn’t perform or the performances would not be upto the mark. The fact that there is a safety net to protect them in case they were to fall helps them to overcome the fear of falling and motivates them to perform to the best of their abilities. Protection enables these artists to take higher risks. Continue reading “Financial Safety Nets to Sleep-In-Peace”

Investing in equities – Risk or a Reward

risky investments

Last week we discussed what risk is and the ways and means to manage those risks. A person in life primarily has three types of goals viz. short term goals, medium term goals and long term goals. And if a person intends to accomplish his long term goals; loss of purchasing power is his biggest risk. The best tool to combat this risk are “Equities”. When I often advise people to invest in equities for their long term goals; their sudden reaction is “Equities are risky investments and they do not give returns”. Today let’s understand the myths and realities about equity investing. Continue reading “Investing in equities – Risk or a Reward”