Cover Story

What if you have irregular income
Insulate your investment plan from income fluctuations.

What if your family shifts to one income
Change plan, not lifestyle or financial goals
What if you are a single parent
Aim for a combination of secure and aggressive growth in finances.
Guardians: rights and duties
Despite multiple legislations, the laws relating to persons with disabilities are wanting... It is necessary to adopt legislation that further restricts discrimination and provides more rights to such people.
More than money
Whenever it is possible for parents to put away a little more than they had planned, they should. Every bit will help when their specialneeds child has to live alone as an adult.
What if you have special needs children
Invest to ensure a large inheritance.

2008-08-07

Digital

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BASICS

How bad is the crack

Though there is a definite slowdown in the property market across the country, the extent of the downturn is not uniform, governed as it is by local conditions. We conducted a survey across 16 cities to know the status on the ground. Pick your city to know what lies ahead in real estate.

Financial Planning

Financial planning for special situation

We take you through a series of situations that any of us could find ourselves in, and tell you how others have dealt with them. We hope you never need to face these situations. But if you do, take a lesson from the scouts-and be prepared.What if you have special needs childrenWhat if you are a single parent

Must-dos for single parents

While single parents almost never fall short of love and good wishes for their children, often they don’t plan their finances properly to ensure that their dreams become a reality.

Expert View

Why pharma is the cure

If your investments have been “decapitated” by capital goods or are “deconstructed” by construction firms, take some anti-depressants, balms and pain-killers. Switch to pharmaceuticals.

Stay-at-home careers

There’s much to be said for working from home—no traffic jams, no need to leave home early, no bickering with auto-drivers, no office politics... Take a look at some options for home-birds.

Stocks

What to do now, and why

What lies ahead for stock investors? An HSBC report has some definitive answers. Here’s an excerpt, interspersed with Money Today’s explanations and interpretations.

Zandu Pharma performs well

The Smallcap index has shed half its value in the past six months, and the blue-chip sensitive index contained losses to a third of its value.

Avoiding the delisting trap

Individual investors are easy prey to fly-by-night operators or companies that are struck off the stock exchanges. Here’s what you can do to safeguard your stock.

No action is best action...

... for the time being. With a confluence of negatives in the stock markets, fund manager Dipen Sheth decides to sit it out and wait for the storm to clear.

Banking

A good deal on the cards

They help buy tickets and meals, can be used to bypass salary accounts and are even offered as gifts. Prepaid cards have come of age, combining innovation with the convenience of cash on a chip.

50% to 30%: In whose interest?

A recent consumer court ruling chastises banks for charging high interest rates on credit card loans.The verdict is in the customers’ interest, but will the banks comply?

Portfolio Doctor

Different styles, similar problems

Mumbai-based Jiya Yadav and Nagpur-based Sanjay Kumar have very different investment strategies.Yet, their portfolios suffer from common financial flaws.

Travel

Luxury on EMIs

Renting a private island or taking a Ferrari trip may be dream holidays for the uber-rich. But with a travel loan and smart planning, you too could break into the luxury travel club.

Mutual Fund

Banking on long-term growth

Money Today—plexus Management new fund evaluation comments that currently, it might seem like a tough decision to invest in the banking and financial services sector, but it is rife with opportunities.

Cover for your investment

A few mutual funds are offering the unique benefit of insurance for SIP investments. If an investor dies, the mutual fund pays the remaining instalments.

Taurus Libra Taxshield fund delivers

Tax plans category witnessed steeper losses, with four of the top performing funds losing more than the best performing equity diversified funds. This is the only exception.

'Focus on asset allocation'

In volatile times like these, it is a must to focus on asset allocation. Review investments regularly to ensure they are in tune with their financial goals even under changed market conditions.

Upfront

Stocks to bank on

The stock market may be an unpredictable place, but this is one reversal of fortune that is too sudden even for those who did not blink at Dalal Street’s crazy plunge.

Tax

Do I need to pay tax on income from retainership fee?

You need to file return on your actual income, including income from other sources.

New Business

Virtual ride, real success

A right combination of initiative and mentoring has seen three young engineers turn a plain listing of bus routes into a Rs 5 crore online ticket-booking enterprise.

Query Corner

What is the tax rate on income from mutual funds?

Mutual funds are more tax efficient than most other forms of investment. The tax rate is determined by the type of mutual fund and the tenure of investment.

Real Estate

Homing in on the wood

It’s a fresh, new concept. A log house is not only easy to install, but also takes much less time.

Talk Back

'Story on inflation was well-timed and informing'

Everyone is concerned about inflation but few understand its real impact. For instance, though people know they spend more, not many realise how much more.

My Story

Colour of money

Bengaluru-based ad man S R Magar’s passion for art found expression in Magnitude Gallery, an enterprise that employs its own artists to create customised paintings for select clients.

Editor's Note

From the managing editor

Good advice isn’t always adequate advice. This is most evident in personal finance. For a magazine, covering the gap between good advice and adequate advice isn’t easy. It requires in-depth knowledge, skill, ability, and confidence to stick its neck out and make some bold projections.

Now and Then

Tough lesson

Depending on how you look at it, the education of your child is both an investment and an expenditure. The sharp rise in its cost underlines the need to include this future expense in your financial planning.

Technology

Smarten up your Gmail

Virtually unlimited storage space, exclusive invitations to sign up, the power of Google search... But are you making optimum use of your Gmail account? Here’s a look at some of the more interesting options. Scan the Gmail page carefully and you’ll find many more...

Cover Story

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