It is the time of the year when HR and accounts people chase you for your ‘investing’ proof. So people ask me the following questions: – should I invest in equities? -should I invest in ELSS? or should I invest in bank deposits, nsc or ppf? And worse, some people think they are doing ME […]

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The biggest risk in the financial services business today is the Regulatory risk. The more the regulators think that they can prevent frauds and cheating the more they will move into the controls of a business. Sebi has been making a lot of changes in the mutual fund business – there is a good chance […]

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Today sadly, there is no pension plan which meets all your requirements. For example Templeton and UTI (both asset management companies) have a pension plan – and it is a one size fits all type of a plan. Typically a pension plan should have various options at the ACCUMULATION stage – when a person is […]

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“No ulip has given REAL returns in the past 10 years” – said one analyst. I have no clue about the accuracy of this statement. His argument was even for those who started in 2002 and were in the boom, only HALF their money participated in the boom (thanks to the high charges). When the […]

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The slowdown in the economy, SEBI and IRDA never ending and ever changing regulations, falling margins, better opportunities elsewhere….are all reasons why the agents seem to be consolidating. Many wealth oriented people are hoping that the clients will understand the need for Medical and Life cover insurance. Typically my suggestion is for people to buy […]

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Well, one equities dealer was caught with his hand in the till….he is said to have benefited by Rs. 2 crores. Hdfc Trustee company has been fined Rs. 55 lakhs. The structure of an amc is such that the Trustees are responsible to certify that the internal processes are fine and working. Obviously it was […]

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Not sure whether to be in the same league as Azim Premji is a good thing or not… Long ago when Rs. 30 lakhs could have bought me 2-3 flats in Ghatkopar I had to make a payout to my customers…and my broker defaulted. I tried all legal methods to get money out of him […]

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