Tuesday, January 27, 2009

INVESTMENT DECISION

Past year(2008) is very bad year for the Financial market worldover.Indian Stock market (SENSEX) had touched 21000 marked than sleeps to 7000 marks.We had seen all the fluctuation in the indian financial merket as well as sharp downfall in the financial markets.Indias inflation rate is touched 13 year higest 11.05%(June 7,2008).But India is not the only nation grappling with rising inflation. The entire world is facing the problem.

Some of the countries with highest inflation rates are:-

  • The inflation in Zimbabwe for the month of March 2008 rose to 355,000%! Yes, 355,000 per cent! It more than doubled from the February figure of 165,000%.Due to the sudden rise in money supply that flooded the economy to finance the 2008 elections.The Zimbabwean central bank has introduced $500 million bearer cheques (or currency notes) for the public, and $5 billion, $25 billion, $50 billion agro-cheques for farmers. Just last fortnight the nation had introduced $250 million bearer cheques.

    Iraq 53.2% due to Rising oil prices, political instability, terrorism and the other post-conflict dynamics have led to inflation in the nation rise to unmanageable proportions.

    Guinea 30.9%,San Tome and Principe,(an African nation) 23.1%,Yemen 20.8%(More than 87% of Yemenis live for less than $2 a day. About 52% of children less than 5 years old suffer from malnutrition) etc.

Now investor are looking for riskless and fixed return income plan or product.Investor are switching over Equity to Debt instrument. Every day,every time we begin  with dampened enthusiasm and dented optimism. Our happiness is diluted and our peace is threatened by the financial illness that has infected our families, organisations and nations. Everyone is desperate to find a remedy that will cure their financial illness and help them recover their financial health. They expect the financial experts toprovide them with remedies, forgetting the fact that it is these experts who created this financial mess. 

Every day, you adopt a couple of oldand new maxims as  beacons to guide your future. This self-prescribed therapy has ensured that with each passing year, I grow wiser and not older. This year, I invite you to tap into the financial wisdom of our elders along with me, and become financially wiser.In this financial crisis period we should be verycautious about taking any financial decision to invesrt their hard and earned money.

I am not a financial analyst or any type of financial advisor or business analyst.These days the people are financial educated,they can make decision very wisely.I am just highliting some point it will help you for financial wiser decision before investment. 

  • Hard work: All hard work brings profit; but mere talk leads only to poverty.
  • Laziness: A sleeping lobster is carried away by the water current.
  • Earnings: Never depend on a single source of income.
  • Spending: If you buy things you don't need, you'll soon sell things you need.
  • Savings: Don't save what is left after spending; Spend what is left after saving.
  • Borrowings: The borrower becomes the lender's slave.
  • Accounting: It's no use carrying an umbrella, if your shoes are leaking.
  • Auditing: Beware of little expenses; a small leak can sink a large ship.
  • Risk-taking: Never test the depth of the river with both feet.
  • Investment: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

I'm certain that those who have already been practicing these principles remain financially healthy. I'm equally confident that those who resolve to start practicing these principles will quickly regain their financial health. 
Let us become wiser and lead a happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful life.

These are my personal views.




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Friday, January 23, 2009

TAX INFORMATION 2008

According to the Finance Act, 2005 income-tax is required to be deducted under section 192 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, from income chargeable under the head "Salaries" for the financial year 2008-2009 (i.e. assessment year 2009-2010) at the following rates:

I) In case of every individual other than the individual referred to in item II and III below

Total Income (Rs.)

Rate

Up to Rs 1,50,000

Nil

Rs 1,50,001/- to 3,00,000/

10%

Rs 3,00,001/- to Rs 5,00,000/-

20%

Above Rs 5,00,000/-

30%



(II) In case of women employees below 65 years of age

Total Income (Rs.)

Rate

Up to Rs.180,000

Nil

Rs.180,001 to Rs.300,000

10%

Rs.300,001 to Rs.500,000

20%

Rs.500,001 and above

30%



(III) In case of Senior citizens ;

Total Income (Rs.)

Rate

Up to Rs.225,000

Nil

Rs.225,001 to Rs.300,000

10%

Rs.300,001 to Rs.500,000

20%

Rs.500,001 and above

30%

A) Surcharge on Income-tax:

Surcharge on income tax on all firms and companies with a taxable income of Rs. one crore or less has been removed.

B) Surcharge on T.D.S. on the payment other than salaries: 

The amount of income tax deducted in accordance with the provision of Chapter XVII B shall be increased by a surcharge calculated,

·  In the case of every individual, HUF, association of persons and body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, at the rate of ten per cent of such tax where the income or the aggregate of such income paid or likely to be paid and subject to the deduction, exceeds rupees ten lakh.

·  In the case of every firm, artificial judicial person & domestic company, at the rate of ten percent of such tax.

·  In the case of every company other than domestic company, at the rate of two and half per cent of such tax

C) Education Cess: 

An additional surcharge called as ‘Education cess’ shall be levied at the rate of three percent on the amount of tax deducted inclusive of surcharge as stated in paras ‘A’ and ‘B’ above.

3. Section 192 of the income-tax Act, 1961: Broad scheme of tax. 

Deduction at source from "salaries" etc.
3.1 Every person who is responsible for paying any income chargeable under the head "salaries" shall deduct income-tax on the estimated income of the assessee under the head "salaries" for the financial year 2007-2008. The income-tax is required to be calculated on the basis of the rates given above and SHALL BE DEDUCTED ON AVERAGE AT THE TIME OF EACH PAYMENTS e.g. FROM SALARY EVERY MONTH.
 

Any income falling within any of the following clauses shall not be included in comp uti ng the income from salaries for the purpose of section 192 of the Act:-

Any sum received under a life insurance policy, including the sum allotted by way of bonus on such policy other than,

·  Any sum received under sub- section(3) of section 80DD.

·  Any sum received under a Keyman insurance policy.

·  · Any sum received under an insurance policy affected on or after 1-4-2003 in respect of which the premium paid in any of the years during the term of the policy exceeds twenty per cent of the actual capital sum assured.

"Deduction" U/S 80C :

In comp uti ng the total income of an assessee, being an individual or a Hindu undivided family, there shall be deducted, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, the whole of the amount paid or deposited in the previous year out of his Income chargeable to tax being the aggregate of the sums given below not exceeding one lakh rupees. 

·  Payment of insurance premium to effect or to keep in force insurance on the life of the individual, the wife or husband or any child of the individual; provided the premium paid is not in excess of twenty per cent of the actual capital sum assured.

·  Any payment made to effect or to keep in force a contract for a deferred annuity, not being an annuity plan of the Life Insurance Corporation of India or any other insurer as the Central government may by notification in the official gazette specify on the life of the individual, the wife, the husband or any child of the individual provided that such contract does not contain a provision for the exercise by the insured of an option to receive a cash payment in lieu of the payment of the annuity.

·  i) for participation in the Unit-Linked Insurance Plan, 1971, of the Unit Trust of India; specified in Schedule II of the Unit Trust of India (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal) Act, 2002.
ii) for participation in any Unit-Linked Insurance Plan of the LIC Mutual Fund notified by the Central Government under clause (23D) of section 10, as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazzette, specify in this behalf

·  Any subscription made to effect or keep in force a contract for such annuity plan of the Life Insurance Corporation as the Central Government may by notification in the Official Gazette, specify.

NOTE: Section 80 CCE.
The aggregate amount of deduction under section 80C, section 80CCC, and shall not, in any case exceed one lakh rupees.

Under This section, a deduction up to Rs 10,000 (Rs 15,000 in case of senior citizens) is allowed in respect of premium paid by cheque towards health insurance policy, like "Mediclaim". Such premium can be paid towards health insurance of spouse, dependent parents as well as dependent children of the assessee provided that such insurance is in accordance with the scheme framed by,

·  The General Insurance Corporation of India as approved by the Central Government in this behalf or

·  any other insurer and approved by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority.

However, the deduction can be allowed for a sum not exceeding Rs.20,000 per annum where the assessee or his wife or husband, or dependent parents is a senior citizen which means an individual resident in India who is of the age of sixty-five years or more at any time during the relevant previous year.

4. under section 80DD an assessee, has during the previous year.

·  a. Incurred any expenditure for the medical treatment (including nursing), training and rehabilitation of a handicapped dependant; or

·  b. Paid or deposited any amount under a scheme framed in this behalf by the Life Insurance Corporation or Unit Trust of India subject to the conditions specified in sub-section (2) and approved by the Board in this behalf for the maintenance of handicapped dependant. The assessee shall in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, be allowed a deduction of a sum of forty thousand rupees in respect of the previous year.

Provided that where such dependent is a person with severe disability, the provisions of this section shall have effect as if for the words “fifty thousand rupees(50000)”, the words “seventy five thousand rupees(75000)” had been substituted.

The assessee claiming a deduction under this section shall furnish a copy of the certificate issued by the medical authority in the prescribed form and manner, along with the return of income under section 139 in respect of assessment year for which the deduction is claimed.



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Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Few myths about investing

What do you do when your entire stock market investment suddenly halves in value - as it has for many people since January last year? Curse fate? Rail against market manipulators? Abuse the government for failing to protect your wealth?

You can do all that, but none of it will bring your money back. The best thing you can do is to look back and learn from it all. The world's best investors have done just that and made tons of money in the process. They then proceeded to write books on their successes, and made even more moolah.

Good for them, but not for you. Peter Lynch's bestseller, One-Up On Wall Street, earned him good money, but don't assume you will achieve the same success by following his methods. Success can never be copied.

The best way to start is by exploding a few myths and questioning the half-truths that pass for timeless wisdom. Let's start by examining them one by one.

Myth 1: Stock market investments will always outperform bonds and fixed-return avenues in the long run.

It's been true so far only if you stretch the definition of long run. Is five years long run enough, or 10 or 15? If you had invested in stocks in 1992, you wouldn't have beaten a bank fixed deposit in terms of returns for 10-12 years. In other words, the best definition of long run is almost forever. If you invest at market peaks, and the times are bad — as they seem now — you may have to wait 10-15 years to beat ordinary bank deposits. You may be lucky, and the markets may revive immediately, but if you aren't, stocks will outperform fixed avenues only over very long stretches. So, be prepared to wait.

Myth 2: Look at stock fundamentals, and you can never go wrong.

Again, this is partly untrue. The value of your stock — any stock — can rise only if others keep buying it. Even an Infosys can rise only if lots of people think its price will rise. This could be influenced by its profitability and other "fundamental" factors, but what gives you returns is liquidity — the willingness of other people to keep buying your stock in large numbers.

Myth 3: The amount you must invest in equity is 100 minus your age.

This is not bad advice, but the real point is your ability to shoulder risk. The assumption behind this formula is that when you are 20, you don't have dependents, and thus can afford to invest 80% of your spare cash in equity. I would restate this proposition by saying that the amount you invest in equity should depend on how much you are willing to lose forever. Equity should get as much money as you are willing to write off from your wealth. At 60, with my children married and a decent pension, I might want to risk 80% of my wealth in equity. It's fine, as long as I am prepared to lose it all.

Myth 4: Time in the market is more important that timing the market.

This is the same as myth 1, which says that the longer you stay invested, the more chances of you making money. Again, only partly true. Good investors know that timing is all. While no one can call market peaks or troughs correctly all the time, we all can figure out whether the market is in a bearish phase or bullish. You must time the market by investing more in bearish phases and less at other times.

Myth 5: Government bonds and debt investments are risk-free.

This is completely wrong. All listed instruments carry risks — including government bonds. At the very least, they carry interest-rate risk. When interest rates rise, the value of your bond falls — and you lose money. The only way to not lose money is to hold bonds to maturity, which is not a bad option for pensioners and others who want the income.

Myth 6: Buy land, for they ain't making any more of it no more.

This has been true for so long that people actually believe in it. However, the proposition depends on two premises — a growing population and economy, and fixed supplies of land. In stable economies with stable populations, real estate gives you returns similar to other avenues. In populous countries like India, realty prices do keep rising, but largely in urban centres and largely because the market structure is weak.




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