Not sure how many people saw the news item of AIG wanting to sue the New York Fed for ‘bailing’ it out of the fiscal mess. Well it is not AIG, but its ex CEO Mr. Hank Greenberg who controls Starr International who is keen on the suit filing. If you are an American tax […]

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I have been asked this question a million times, and I have said NO a million times. However, like all personal finance (and especially life insurance) topics there is no straight forward answer. So let me start by saying NO. If your children are young, and dependent on YOUR income they do not need any […]

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For the past one year Mutual funds are falling over themselves to please the bankers. However it is not having a great impact on the net sales. For many mutual funds, the ‘net sales’ figure by the big banks isĀ  NEGATIVE figure. When you talk to a banker however they are not so negative, and […]

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WoW that is amazing, right? banks become brokers, so what is in it for you? Well, er, sorry, but NOTHING. Really, nothing. Ok, do you know how a shop sells cell phone connections? – 99% of the customers will not care whether they buy a Bharti Airtel, Tata, Reliance….so the shop keeper sells the ones […]

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All finance company shares are up and in the sky. With p/e ratios in the 30s and even in the 90s. Let us ask ourselves some basic questions. What will really happen if Tata, Birla, LnT, Shriram group, Religare, Indiainfoline and a couple of others do get a banking license? To start off, there will […]

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A few days ago I did a post about risk….here are some solutions.. 1. If husband and wife are working in the same industry or worse in the same company, try to change the situation, NOW. 2. Take a stand alone or a floater MEDICAL INSURANCEĀ  policy for say Rs. 3 lakhs for self and […]

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True or False: Regulators are appointed to: a) protect the customers b) protect the manufacturers c) regulate and develop the industry d) to speak the language of the strongest manufacturer and help the well established ones. Zero marks to people who chose a, b or c. Let us take the Insurance Regulator’s role. EXAMPLE ONE […]

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