Archive for May, 2011

ELSS: FAQs

Even though this is not the tax season, I do get a lot of questions related to ELSS. Let me enumerate them: 1. Should I invest in ELSS? 2. Is there a  lock in? When does the lock in start and when does it end? 3. What rate of interest will I get (yes, still [...]

Mutual fund costs

There are many people who write in to say ‘I do not like mutual funds’. Fantastic. What is your choice? Out of about 4000 investors / traders whom I have met over the years not more than 50 are/were capable of beating the index regularly over long periods of time. The statistics is against you [...]

types of risk

Many people tell me they want to build a risk free portfolio. I tell them I hope you understand what is risk. They say yes. Here, these are the words that they need to know: Currency risk, inflation risk, systematic risk, principal risk, country risk, economic risk, mortgage risk, liquidity risk, volatility as risk, risk [...]

handling disappointments…

When you start life you start very innocently. When a person says ‘I like you’ you believe it. When a person says ‘I love you’ or ‘I respect you’ – you tend to believe it. At a young stage of life or a relationship you do not attribute motives to any such statements. Then you [...]

Thank God for such people!

what do you do when you get such comments / emails…? ‘Do not believe what these experts tell you. See the returns in the equity markets in the past 10 months even on an SIP basis is NEGATIVE. Do not invest in equity markets. Keep all your money in banks ONLY…at least your money will [...]

Many types of frauds!

What should one look for in an advisor-distributor or what the Americans call broker-dealer? Well let us look at what one should be careful if a distributor is a person whom you do not know? 1. Do some kind of a back ground check if he approaches you. 2. If he has been recommended by [...]