Mutual funds are financial instruments which invest in a portfolio of securities. These securities may be stocks, bonds, money market instruments, gold, silver and real estate investment trusts (REITs) etc. You can buy units of mutual funds; each unit represents a certain percentage of the mutual fund scheme portfolio. Mutual funds are managed by professional fund managers who manage the schemes according to the investment objectives of the schemes.

Tax consulting in India is crucial in helping individuals and businesses navigate the complex tax landscape and ensure compliance with tax laws. With a vast and evolving tax system, engaging tax consulting services in India offers several benefits. Here's an overview of tax consulting in the Indian context.

Fixed deposits has traditionally been and still is the most popular investment option in India. As per RBI's report on household savings, 56% of household financial assets are invested in Bank FDs. Corporate Fixed Deposits are term deposits like bank FDs. They offer fixed rate of interest and principal amount on maturity. However, instead of banks, corporate FDs are offered by non banking financial companies (NBFCs). Corporate FDs are very popular among informed investors since offer higher returns compared to bank FDs.

Bonds are fixed income instruments which pay fixed rate of interest at regular intervals and the principal amount on maturity. Bonds as an asset class are very popular in the developed economies. However, the bond market in India has historically been relatively small. In more recent times, with Bank FD interest rates declining, bonds are gaining a lot of popularity among retail and HNI investors.

Alternative Investment Funds or AIF in short, are defined as privately pooled investment funds and categorized by The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as Category I AIF, Category II AIF, and Category III AIF. It is a fund of funds (FOF) that invests in asset classes other than stocks, bonds, Government securities, fixed deposits or cash. It pools money from various HNI investors and invests them under different investment categories as specified by the SEBI for the benefit of investors.

Portfolio Management Services or PMS, is a service offered by the Portfolio Manager or an asset management company, is an investment portfolio in stocks, fixed income, debt, cash and other securities, managed by a professional fund manager that can potentially be tailored to meet specific investment objectives. Unlike mutual funds, where investors own units of the mutual fund scheme, in a PMS, the investors own individual securities. Although the portfolio managers may oversee hundreds of portfolios, your account may be unique.

The simplest form of insurance to protect your family is called Term Insurance. Term Insurance offers a life cover to the insured at affordable rates. The insured can get a relatively higher amount of insurance by paying a very nominal premium. The benefit amount is paid to the beneficiary at the death of the insured.

Cost of quality healthcare in India has been sky-rocketing for the past decade or so. Hospitalization for a serious health condition can set you back by Rs 5 to 10 lakhs, depending on the severity of the condition and treatment options. Health insurance provides insurance cover for comprehensive hospitalization expenses related to accident and illness. It typically covers the following expenses:-