New borrowers will benefit if banks cut their MCLR. Older borrowers' EMIs will change only when their reset date arrives

'Online aggregators offer discounts of 70% to 75%.' 'At a car dealership, the discount is usually in the range of 30% to 35%.'

Given the uncertainties around gold's future course, stagger your purchases and buy on declines, says Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Three key instruments that can help you meet your financial goals, while also allowing you to enjoy tax deductions are ELSS, term cover and health cover.

Stocks of companies where promoters have pledged a high percentage of shares, like the Zee group, can be volatile. Such stocks are also prone to rumours, reports Sanjay Kumar Singh.

The point to note is that since the new rebate is up to a taxable income of Rs 5 lakh, if anyone earns even little more (say, even Rs 100 more) than this amount, he would have to pay all the taxes, according to the existing slabs.

Given its features as a retirement product (long lock-in and compulsory annuitisation), investors should have other investments they can fall back on in case they need funds

Customers should be fully aware of what their policy covers and should follow claim procedures meticulously, says Sanjay Kumar Singh.

'If the new rate is lower than your current rate, ask your bank to shift you to it.' 'This can be done by paying a fee of Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.'

The amount you can raise via a gold loan is higher than you can get via a personal loan.

Suppose you have transferred money to your trading account but did not use it to buy securities, the broker could misuse this money, warns Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Individuals often postpone tax planning till the end of the financial year. As the deadline for showing proof of investments draws near, they invest randomly in any product that will help them save tax for that year. Later, they realise that it is not suited for them, so they abandon it. Tax planning should not be a standalone, one-off activity, but should be in sync with your overall financial plan, says Sanjay Kumar Singh.

One fear among regulators is that allowing side pocketing could lead to fund managers taking higher risks. Even in the US, side pocketing is not allowed in mutual funds, only in hedge funds

If your fund's expense ratio has risen dramatically after Sebi's recent changes, compare it with the category average before switching.

While buying health policies, customers should reveal any pre-existing diseases. This is the only way to ensure that the insurer does not reject claims.

'For the same level of return, you can reduce portfolio volatility significantly with a 10% to 15% exposure to international funds.'

It makes sense to shift to a home loan provider offering a lower interest rate or make occasional prepayments by using bonuses or other windfalls, says Sanjay Kumar Singh.

Investors in international funds should have a horizon of more than five years. Not only will this help them overcome equity and currency volatility, it will also help them enjoy better tax treatment, says Sanjay Kumar Singh.

If you default, it will affect your credit score and your career.

Retail investors will soon have to obtain a net worth certificate from a chartered accountant and submit it to their broker, and their trading limits will be decided accordingly.