Budget 2013 - India

Mr. P Chidambaram, the Finance Minister of India, presenting the budget 2013 on February 28, 2013. The main highlights of the budget for the common man are as follows:

• Implementation of DTC again deferred
• First home loan of up to Rs 25 lacs will get an additional Rs 1 lac interest deduction
• Income Tax Sops on the equity investments under Rajiv Gandhi Equity savings scheme extended to Mutual Funds
• Income level raised to Rs 12 lacs from Rs 10 lacs for Rs 50,000 exemption for the individuals under RGESS
• No changes in Income Tax rates or slabs
• Rs 2,000 credit for those earning up to Rs 5 lacs per annum
• Super rich tax: 10% surcharge on income above Rs 1 cr
• DDT surcharge raised to 10% from 5%
• TDS at 1% of land deals over 50 lacs
• To reduce STT on equity futures, MF units - STT reduced from 0.17% to 0.1%.
•  Cigarettes and SUVs will get costlier
• Custom duty on imported motor vehicles hiked to 100% from 75%
• Mobile phones, priced above Rs 2,000 will get more expensive
• To exempt vocational courses, testing services from Service Tax net
• Gold duty free limit raised to Rs 50,000 for men and to Rs 1 lac for women travelers
• Service tax to be imposed on all AC restaurants

 To summarize, it is clear that there was nothing to offer for a common middle class Indian.
 
  

Budget 2012 - India

Pranab Mukherjee, the Finance Minister of India, presented the budget 2012 on March 16th, 2012. The main highlights of the budget for the common man are as follows:

• Implementation of DTC deferred.
• Income Tax Sops on the equity investments under Rajiv Gandhi Equity savings scheme on 50K for the individuals having income below Rs 10 lakh.
• Income Tax exemption limit hiked to Rs 2 lakh from the existing Rs 1.8 lakh.  
• Income from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to be taxed at 10 per cent, from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh at 20%.
• Income above Rs 10 lakh to taxed at 30%. 
• Health insurance deduction up to Rs 5,000 for preventive health checkup within the existing limit of Rs. 15,000/-. 
• Senior citizens to be exempt from advance tax payments.
• STT (Security Transaction Tax) cut from 0.125% to 0.1%.
• Interest income from banks will be tax-free up to Rs 10,000.
• Service tax net widened; to include most sectors but Govt services, education, entertainment, public transport exempted from service tax.
• Propose to hike service tax rate from 10% to 12%.
• Sale of residential property exempted from capital gains if invested in equity or equipment of an SME. 
• Large cars duty raised from 22% to 24%.
• Solar power lamps, LED bulbs to become cheaper.
• Iodised salt, match-boxes, soya products to become cheaper.
• Big cars, ACs, refrigerators, phone bills, restaurant bills set to become more expensive.
• LCD, LED TVs to become cheaper.
• Cigarettes, gold, diamonds to cost more.

Importance of Business Cards

Business card holds an important place for business houses. It provides an identity to the business and helps in creating a brand name. Business cards are required not just by business tycoons or higher management, but by all the employees as it help everyone to create their identity and associate themselves with the company. Self-employed individuals can also use business cards to create a separate identity for themselves and their business.

Business cards are one of the types of advertisement also. Whenever you meet someone unknown, you can always exchange your business cards and you will get one more person who now knows about your business name. So, it is must to have a proper business card that can provide basic information about the nature of your business or profession. Remember not to make your business card a piece of clutter with lines of words; it should just have a kind of tagline about your business. Apart from that, a business card must include the name of your company, your name, contact details like email-address, website, contact number and address.

If you are an online blogger or have other kind of identity that may not have a company name, then you should highlight your website name to show it as your brand. You never know, down the line, your website may become the talk of the town and eventually becomes a brand.

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What are Arbitrage Funds

Arbitrage funds are one type of mutual fund schemes that invest in the equity markets. These funds work differently than other equity funds as these funds buy stocks in the spot market and sell them in the derivative market and earns from the price difference. These funds generates good returns especially when the markets are volatile as there are better arbitrage opportunities.

Remember, arbitrage funds attracts short-term capital gain tax of 10% while there is no long term capital gain tax if held for more than one year.

Reserve Bank of India to issue Rs 150 coin

On the occasion of 150th anniversary year of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Reserve bank of India has issued currency coins of Rs. 150. The 35 grams 150 rupees coin is 40 mm in diameter. Now, to mark the number of years of taxation in India, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will issue special coins of Rs 150 before his Budget speech of 2011. These special coins will be made of an alloy of Silver, Copper, Nickel and Zinc. The new coin is expected to have an international design with 'Satyameva Jayate' and 'India' on the front side while a portrait of 'Chanakya and lotus with honeybee' on the reverse side.

Along with Rs 150 coin, RBI is expected to issue Rs 100 coin in memory of the Commonwealth Games and Rs 75 coin will also be issued on the occasion of 75 years of RBI. This is the first time that Government of India will issue coins of higher denomination.

How Investment in Stocks Helps to Evade Debt

Are you drowning in debts? Are you facing difficulty in managing your finances? If yes, then why don’t you try your hands in stock investment? Stock investment can be a great help in this regard and can help you to get out of the debt traps pretty fast. It not only provides you with the extra money to pay off your debts but also guides you to manage your future debts in a better way. If you are financially strapped then a debt relief program can help to lead out of this problem. You can still plan your investments wisely and keep yourself constantly updated with the rapid changes and fluctuation in the stock market. You can surely earn sufficient money and can get rid of your debt burden fast.

To be a successful investor first you need to have experience and proficient knowledge on the field of investment. Stock exchange investments are very tricky in nature; thereby thorough understanding of the subject is required to make the investments successful. All investors commit mistakes in stock exchange investments but they aim at not to repeat those mistakes in near future. Therefore before you get involved in stock investments learn about it as much possible and follow these few suggestions given below. Remember investing in stocks involves risks and in case you lack the sufficient knowledge on the subject, you can fall into further debts instead of getting out of it.

How to invest in stocks

• Evaluate the market properly before making your final investment. Analyze the difference between good and bad investments through different case studies. Compare different stocks you are planning to invest on. Search for an experienced stock broker or a reputed firm which can guide you best in this regard. However don’t depend on them blindly and keep a track of market rates of the stocks you invest on. All these helps you to make proper judgments and lessen the amount of risk involved with investing.
• If you are opting for investment in stock market as one of the debt solutions, you should first learn to identify the right time to buy and sell. The money you invest in buying stocks and the time you finally sell off your stocks are two most significant areas of concern. You better not to be greedy while investing. Once you start buying and selling at the right time nothing can stop you from gaining profit and paying off your debts.

Few things to keep in mind while investing

• Stocks have their individual time phases and cycles. Thereby it goes through constant ups and downs. Your job is to identify the exact time when you can maximize your profits. Follow the “buy and hold” strategy properly to earn profits in stock investment.
• Investing in single company or stock is not a very good option. This is because the moment that particular company or stock sinks you lose all your money. Try to experiment with different companies and stocks. This offers a greater chance of profits.
• If you listen to daily stock market result, it can sometimes distract you from making the right decision and can put unnecessary pressures on your head. Remember since stock investment is a long time procedure, daily result does not affect it all the times.
• Evaluate the stock properly before you invest. Don’t invest on it only because it has a cheaper price.
• Remember the basics of stock investing. You buy shares in the ownership of a company. You are not at all liable for company debt and you are free to claim your assets if it declares bankrupt in future.

If you plan your investment carefully, Stock markets are able to provide you with higher returns than other investment sectors. If you can avoid the mistakes in stock exchange investment and act patiently, you can surely gain greater profits and lead a debt free life in future.

Direct Tax Code Updates for 2012

Direct Tax Code (DTC) was much awaited since Government announced it last year in 2009. DTC was supposed to be applicable from the financial year of 2011, but as a major update, it has been postponed for another financial year, i.e. 2012. So, DTC will now be applicable only from year 2012.

Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee has tabled the draft of Direct Tax Code on Monday, 30th August 2010 in Parliament.

Major highlights and changes to check in DTC are:

• Postponed DTC to be applicable from April 1, 2012
• Income Tax slabs has been changed and raised giving some relief to tax payers
• Exemption of Rs 100,000/- under 80C is limited to PF,  Pension and Annuity Funds
• Additional deduction of Rs. 50,000/- provided
• No change in long term capital gain tax for listed securities and equity mutual funds
• Change in formula for short term capital gain tax
• STT to remain there
• Corporate Tax is maintained at 30%
• MAT is increased to 20%
• 5% Tax on Maturity of Mutual Funds and equity oriented Life Insurance
• 5% Tax on Dividend Distribution (DDT) for equity mutual funds
• Tax break for SEZs

The above mentioned updates for new tax code may differ in the final draft as it has now been postponed by one year. This is actually the third revised draft after being first proposed by the cabinet.


Revised Tax Slabs:
0 - 2 lacs : No Tax
2 - 5 lacs : 10%
5 - 10 lacs : 20%
Above 10 lacs : 30%

Additional 50,000/- is for health insurance, pure life insurance, education and any medi-claim type of policy.

If there will be some changes or modifications required in the above points, they will be updated. Still there are few points need some clarification. Nothing is clear about LTA whether it will become Taxable or remain Non-Taxable.
As an update, Finance Ministry has cleared that individuals will continue to enjoy the benefits of LTA as before. So, nothing much really changed for individual tax payers except the changes done for Sec 80C.

ELSS (Tax Saving Mutual Funds), ULIPs, Tax Saving FDs will not come under section 80C from April 2012.