Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will deliver the first combined Budget in independent India. We wait to see what he unveils. 
Historic moment aside, Jaitley faces a momentous challenge. The economy is still recovering from the effects of demonetisation, and the finance minister needs to rejuvenate industry, improve FII sentiment (they have been on the exit route in recent times) and bolster rural India, all while making taxpayers happy. It is a tall order, and not everyone will get what they want. What will Jaitley accord priority to? Our checklist for consumer-facing sectors allows you to track the FM’s annoucnements. As our cover says, India needs an economic recharge. Over to Jaitley.

It’s for the BJP and the NDA regime to do the explaining. The Government must without any consideration ensure that the audacity demonstrated by Nirav Modi in ﬂ asking the Prime Minister, along with other business magnates, at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the bravado of Vijay Mallya in visiting the Parliament hours before ﬂeeing the country is not repeated by any other person and safeguard the dignity of corporate India.

Arun Jaitley has unveiled a budget with an eye firmly on the next general elections and many other state elections that are slated to be held later this year. Higher tax relief on health insurance premium and hike of exemption limit of interest income from savings accounts, fixed deposits, recurring deposits are seen as clear positives for senior citizens. Technology, Telecom, Healthcare, Education, Insurance, Fintech, Infrastructure have all received a boost in the budget. Despite long-term capital gains tax (LTCG) on mutual funds, they still remain a good bet for investors as a diversified portfolio can easily offset the tax outgo. On the whole, the budget doesn’t have the luxury of being a blockbuster nor the vision of a grand plan to set new paradigms.

In its continued to bid to bolster or tinker with the economic activity, the Government, which merged the Railway Budget with the general budget, will be presenting its budget on February 1, instead of February 28, departing from an age-old tradition. The GST Council has indeed been addressing issues like cutting down the tax slabs on over 300 items in just a quarter of the year, and regrouping of the slabs. The insolvency and bankruptcy code and the spiraling non-performing assets naturally made the government to introduce Rs. 2.11 lakh crore banking recapitalization. and more on this issue. Happy reading in the new year 2018.

As early signs of global economic recovery begin to emerge, 2018 is likely to script a good story for India. After a decade-long recessionary trend post-Lehman crisis, economic sentiments are visibly up globally. While the US economy is posting sound GDP numbers, Eurozone seems to be gaining its growth momentum back.

Calculate how much of a wasteful expenditure most people, you and I including, indulge in. Let’s understand how to avoid that and afford travel expenditure. Here are a few tips that can enable you to afford a travel and more...

With bank interest rates trending downwards in the last three years, it has become imperative to look at alternative instruments of investments. The combinations of different products will help shield not only senior citizens but also all investors to shield themselves against falling bank deposit rates. Read it how.

A taxpayer reading this issue and who has still not filed his/ her returns for 2016-17 (assessment year 2017-18) has definitely missed the deadline. Yet, does this imply that he/ she can no longer file their income tax returns? Or can they file their returns, but will be required to pay a heavy penalty for the same? The Income Tax Act has answers to all of these questions, all the taxpayers need to remember here is that they have only missed the first deadline.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley who was present in the Upper House maintained a stoic silence on the issue. He chose not to respond, leaving the fate of the Rs 2,000 pink note to anybody’s guess. What message does the government want to send across people? Another round of demonetisation would further break
the already broken backs of the common man, for the first move did not unearth any earth-shattering amounts. The bombast of rhetoric that the demonetization would curb the terror activity in Jammu and Kashmir turned out to be a joke. As an old maxim suggests, India is experiencing the reality of ‘Speech is silver, but silence is money.’

Nehru asserted in the Tryst with Destiny speech: “The service of
India means the service of the millions who suff er. It means the
ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of
opportunity.” At the strike of midnight on June 30-July 1, 2017,
when the world sleeps, India will awake into a new tax regime,
dumping its account books all at ones, only to open new ones.

The Finapolis in this edition has attempted to visualize how the GST regime is going to impact the lifestyle of an average Indian. Among other things, the current edition has discussed in depth how India has possibly missed the bus at the One Belt One Road
(OBOR) summit in Beijing.

Tax is taxing on several counts, and yet we don’t pay much attention
to it until the last minute. And then begins the hurry to collect
bills, receipts and statements. Note that you may be in for a nasty surprise
later, if the Hawk’s eye of the Income Tax department spots that
missing/ fake bill. Our cover story this month, therefore, tells you how
to file your claims properly. Besides, we also offer a perspective on the
Bull Run in the stock markets and whether it’s a good time to invest,
especially in light of the IPOs that have had a great run recently. You
also get a peep into the RERA —the new real estate law and how it
eases your path to a dream home! Read on, then.

Hello Dear Readers! We hope that the new ﬁ nancial year is ‘mutually’ beneﬁ cial for all, as we help you explore Mutual Funds in this issue. ‘Aam’ investors struggle to make informed decisions. While the aﬄ  uent classes have portfolio managers and CAs to outsource their funds and portfolio management to, how do salaried/ middle-class investors make an informed decision? We make it easy for them.  In the cover story — ‘Getting the mutual fund recipe right’ — the author demystiﬁ es the multiple genres of mutual funds, their suitability for diﬀ erent types of investors and the various plans cut out for them. Flip on, for a detailed analysis of the government’s National Pension Scheme that is useful for the old and young alike, before you are warned of the seven mistakes to avoid before hanging your boots!

Hello Dear Readers!
Here’s a question for you as tax filing time nears: Is Income Tax still relevant? Bewildering rules and rampant evasion make one (and experts) wonder whether the system is past its sell-by date. The fact that three-fourths of our legislators have incomes of less than a million rupees and that a single individual owed 11% of the entire income tax payable by India in 2014-2015, indicate that the government
would do well to totally dump Income Tax. Besides, this month, we update you on how the Budget affects your real estate investments, show you the brighter side of taking a loan, and update you on new indexation norms, before rounding off
with tales of new worlds and lost cities. Happy Reading!

Hello Dear Readers! 
First off, the Finapolis wishes you a happy and prosperous 2017. In this issue, we present seven financial steps that will make your 2017 a good year. They are presented as a pullout, so remember to tear them out and keep them until you complete Step 7. 
We start this issue with an article on indexation, along with a worksheet to calculate your indexation benefit. Then we look at the importance of health insurance, along with a guide for selecting the best health plan for you. We look at capital gains arising from the sale of a property, and what lies behind the fancy names of today’s real estate projects. We also asked two experts to list the best credit cards across categories. Find out if your card is among those picked!

Hello Dear Readers! The announcement declaring Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes illegal — demonetisation — has left everybody short of cash, except for the banks, who have taken advantage of inflowing funds to reduce interest rates that were anyway headed lower. Our cover story package tackles both events: demonetisation’s impact on sectors (and by extension, your stock holdings), and where you can invest for better returns. Besides, we have pieces on asset selection, investing for children and housing finance tips. On the global front, we look at how Trump came to triumph and why this may even be a good thing for the world. Have something to say? We’d love to hear from you. Send your feedback to editor@thefinapolis.com

We are delighted to present our new design this month. Diwali is the festival of lights; we hope our revamp helps illuminate your month that little bit. The November issue highlights idle wealth in all its forms: we look at all the sources in which such wealth can languish, how such wealth becomes idle, and, most important, how you can claim back idle monies. Our columnists look at tax norms on home loans and good habits for Diwali. We also present several new features: Mutual Funds get a separate news section, and the Commodity data has been repackaged to make it extremely accessible. We hope you find our redesign favourable. Send your feedback to editor@thefinapolis.com

Packed to the Gills! 
Indian start-ups are going through a turbulent phase, as executive ranks wither, valuations tumble and the funders turn choosy. Our cover story looks at what ails the sector, and the road ahead. Beyond start-ups, we look at the Unified Payment Interface, and how its introduction will make transferring money an even easier affair. There are also insights into personal finance: How much life insurance cover is adequate for you? What is the difference between savings and investments? And three articles focussed on real estate. With stocks picks as a bonus. 

Special mention: Take a look at this month's Newsmaker, which features some pretty damaging news uncovered by IndiaSpend.  

Finapolis’ September issue loads up on central banking. Urjit Patel has succeeded Raghuram Rajan as governor of India's central bank. We look at the challenges and issues that he faces in his new role, and note that Patel is unlikely to be all that different from Rajan. We decipher the meaning of hawks and doves, the standard for shorthand classification of central bankers worldwide, and offer a world map with global interest rates, which shows just how difficult the job of a central banker has become. On the personal finance front, we suggest investing 10% of your EMI in a mutual fund every month; then letting the returns from this installment support your loan repayment. What are the best places to park your funds if interest rates start to decrease? We tell you. There's also a quiz on India’s natural resources, a piece on how to avoid 'text neck' due to excessive laptop/ tablet/ mobile usage, and charts that reveal dietary habits in four Asian countries. We also cover India’s plans to recontact the Sentinelese, an isolated tribe in the Andamans. Grab your copy now! 

The August issue of the Finapolis aims to help people become ‘responsible about risk’ through three stories. We list the steps newlyweds can take to get started on the right foot financially. We also talk about retirement. Too many people leave retirement planning for too late a time, which has serious consequences. After all, retirement is the one thing you cannot fund using a loan, because you have no future income. We also explain the intricacies of interest rates, and why falling interest rates need not affect the returns on your investments. WhatsApp has made emoticons or emojis a part of our standard communication. In our lighter features, we look at these symbols and their future. We also tell you how to perfect your elevator pitch, and what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Happy Reading! 

June has been a month of big things. The suspense ended on Raghuram Rajan's continuation as RBI governor. The government announced additional reforms, and GST was announced as being one state away from national acceptance. Overseas, Britain said 'bye-bye' to the EU, although the real exit is some months away, and the US Federal Reserve decided against a rate hike. The GST truck has been a long time coming, but we believe its effect will be immediate. That made it our cover story. We conclude our series on the effects of urban migration on rural folk, and take a look at the changes in Monopoly, everybody's favourite board game, whether you've played the original or the vernacular. 

After two years of meteorological draught, the onset of Monsoon heralds cheer for our farmers, our economy, and our stock market. Our cover story details three positives that seem to be coming together in June, and a list of stocks you should consider adding to your portfolio. Beyond the cover story, we look at how India's urbanisation process replaces healthy diets with processed foods, and the consequences of such a shift. We look at the big question facing Tim Cook and Apple: What Next? and cover two political events dominating the global discourse: Brexit and the US presidential campaign of Donald Trump. On the lighter side, we point you towards safaris beyond Africa, and a reader writes in with his review of American Icon, a book on the turnaround at Ford Motor.  

The Finapolis brings out its second annual issue. India needs progress on many fronts (Eg: health, cleanliness, environment,  poverty, manufacturing and infrastructure). We find out which ones are close to India Inc.’s heart. Plus, the Shanbhags tell you to start financial planning right away, we list some short-term stock picks and introduce you to the living bridges of Meghalaya.

A new financial year is the perfect time to take stock of your financial plans. To start out, we bring you a fresh look at what financial planning is, then analyse the various options to place your money and list the seven common mistakes to avoid. The issue also comes with a pullout you can tear away and keep throughout the year. We’ve reintroduced our book review section, and you can read about the fifth book by HUL and Tata veteran R Gopalakrishnan. Everybody wants to be a manager, but few appreciate how difficult the job actually is. Read our article to know more about the role. There’s all this and more: insurance policies for diabetics, the fine print in the Budget, and financial lessons from Priyanka Chopra, packed into the Finapolis. Get your copy NOW! 

Yes, there were some misses, as most people were optimistic and hoped for something extraordinary in a leap year, but both Arun Jaitley and Suresh Prabhu seem to have made the best of what they had (a poor economy) and the compulsions they faced (successive poor monsoons, Seventh Pay Commission recommendations) to deliver sombre budgets for these uncertain times. And that doesn’t prevent you from making money in the market, with our list of stock picks. Further, Credit Suisse’s analyses of the US, China and Europe offer some hope in these volatile times: the Swiss bank’s economists believe the US will grow, albeit slowly, China shouldn’t be discounted yet and that Europe could come around. And it’s not just stocks that should be on your radar. As our regular contributor K P Jeewan points out, bonds offer an excellent opportunity at the moment. For investors, there is the added advice of whether a robo financial advisor is a better bet than a human. And a review of SBI’s new home loan, which seems like a good deal for someone who does their homework.

Its tax time! The fiscal year will close soon and it is time to prepare your returns. How are you placed for 2016? We’ve got you covered with our tax worksheet. Fill in the blanks and you’ll know instantly what benefits you’ve missed. And if you realise you have space to claim tax benefit, but not the money to do so, don’t worry. Our cover story, written by Balwant Jain, tells you how to claim deductions when short of cash. Besides advice on tax this month’s issue is packed with financial tips and means. We look at ways for you to improve your credit score, and learn how the latest trend in smart financial management is to get jewellery on rent and not buy it. On a macro level, we look at the proposed bankruptcy code and find that it is a step in the right direction. All this and more is packed in the Finapolis this February. Get your copy NOW!

Our cover story on the disastrous floods in Chennai and its aftermath holds many lessons for individuals, businesses, civic authorities, city planners and the government. The need for insurance is an important one and cannot be overstated. The article gives useful advice on general insurance including the various home insurance policies, the ideal amount for house insurance and the risks they cover. Then we have KP Jeewan’s article on the outlook for the Indian economy in New Year and points out all that one must watch out for while planning investments during 2016. 
There’s lot more which include the article on Make in India by Dr. Shailashree Haridas, the art of financial planning by Dharmendra Satapathy and an article on Masala Bonds which is a relatively new investment opportunity available for global investors who live outside India by Adhil Shetty. Get your copy of Finapolis NOW!    

The actions in India as a consequence of some important bills pending in Parliament specially the GST Bill, could have larger ramifications on its economy. It is widely believed by economists that the smooth passage of the GST and its rapid implementation will increase the Indian GDP by 1%. Jaganndham’s cover story very lucidly outlines the various International and domestic issues that are delicately intertwined and how their resolution will determine the course of the New Year from the economy perspective. There’s lot more which include special interview with Som Somasundaram MD at World Gold Council. Kaushal Dalal’s piece on the importance of making a Will, advice on how to make intelligent choices in case you are cash strapped and cannot pay the home loan EMIs by Balwant Jain and a timely article on FATCA that requires every investor to disclose their income. Get your copy of Finapolis NOW!

In such a frenzy of activity across the world on a variety of events comes this cover story that may at first sound prosaic. The Finapolis did some homework to warn you about financial crackers that may boomerang on you in our cover story this month just so you won’t burn your fingers, figuratively or literally. This month we thought instead of giving you ideas on where and what to invest in, we would urge you to check out if you had any underperforming asset (a leak in your bucket) usually a legacy of some advisor who recommended these not in your best interests. Procrastination is the thief of your money. So get out of that inertia and do a little analysis based on our advice and you would have added a little zing to your portfolio. Kiran Nanda in her article discusses on the FDI boost and paints a euphoric picture of India’s status as the top investment destination. There’s a lot more which include special interview with Abheek Barua, Chief Economist at HDFC Bank, article on possibility of negative interest policy being considered by US Fed by KP Jeewan, How to Claim Tax Benefits on Your Loans? Get your copy of Finapolis NOW!

The holiday period is gloriously here with Dasara, Diwali and Christmas vacations round the corner and Finapolis has decided to focus on leisure tourism and whether investing in a   timeshare vacation is a good idea. It turns out that it is imperative that you plan your vacations months in advance and pay for it years ahead. Considering most Indians don’t bat an eyelid to cancel a 7N/8D trip to Shimla last minute to attend a second cousin’s engagement ceremony fixed a week earlier, timeshare holidays need more tweaking before it gets more takers in India. We also have financial expert Kiran Nanda writing about ‘Wither Indian Rupee? Will Depreciation of the Rupee be in National Interest?’ a topic of national importance for sure. There is sound advice on how defence personnel can plan better for a blissful and secure civilian life after retirement. All this besides actionable tips and strategies on how to make your money work better for you!

March 2018

February 2018

January 2018

December 2017

November 2017

October 2017

September 2017

August 2017

July 2017

June 2017

May 2017

April 2017

March 2017

February 2017

January 2017

December 2016

The Finapolis is a premium Indian personal finance monthly magazine. It offers highly credible, actionable investment advice. The Finapolis' stock market research capabilities are unmatched. Besides the capital markets, we cover issues related to the entire spectrum of financial instruments such as mutual funds, insurance, commodities  and real estate. The analysis is succinct and the design easy on the eye. The Finapolis combines impeccable research and high-quality journalism to decode complex world of investments and finance every month.

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The Finapolis - February 2017

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