Tax planning is critical for the success of your investment options. As it has been rightly said that ‘a penny saved is a penny earned', you should not only be aware of the various investment options available in the market but also the instrument which can help reduce your tax liability. Here below we will be discussing few of the most popular investment-cum-tax saving options that will help you just do the same.
Life insurance
This is one of the most popular investment instrument which provides a dual advantage of tax saving and investment income. Section 80C of the Income Tax Act 1961 provides for tax exemption on investment of up to Rs 1, 00,000 in life insurance products. Owing to this exemption, a huge number of people opt for life insurance and given the kind of magnanimous market it has become, a host of insurance companies have entered into this lucrative business. Resultantly, it becomes very difficult to determine the best suited product out of dozens of options available in the market. Financial literacy is a key for making an informed decision. Once you are aware of the nitty-gritty of buying life insurance plan, you can easily develop an online investment plan and factor-in all your requirements and expectations in terms of rate of return, maturity period, additional riders, liquidity etc.
ELSS
Equity linked savings scheme popularly known as ELSS is another way of saving tax and making investments at the same time. Through this investment, you can invest in equity markets and also save tax. However, as the name suggests, it is linked to equity market and you have to gauge your appetite for risks. The return on investment can be higher than other investment plans which put your money in traditional debt products but given the volatility of equity markets it may not be a win-win situation always. The exemption under Section 80C is applicable with this product as well.
PPF
Public Provident Fund is perhaps the oldest investment plan in India. It is yet another product which enables you save tax and get returns on your investments. Though you have to keep in mind that investment in PPF is done with a long term horizon and also the rate of return is quite modest. Usually, PPF investment is made on invest-and-forget basis, and an investor takes account of his or her investment in PPF after 10-20 years. Of course, it offers security and a sizeable corpus in the long term.
FD
Fixed Deposits (FDs) for period more than five years fall under the gamut of Section 80C. Needless to mention the interest rates applicable for this widely popular investment product – you can easily check and compare them online.
Well these were few of the options you may consider for saving tax through investments. It is advisable that you compare investment plans before taking a final decision. Products such as PPF and FDs may not suit your needs if you are expecting high returns, but others which invest in a mix of equity instruments can provide you with relatively higher returns along with flexibility and liquidity.
Life insurance
This is one of the most popular investment instrument which provides a dual advantage of tax saving and investment income. Section 80C of the Income Tax Act 1961 provides for tax exemption on investment of up to Rs 1, 00,000 in life insurance products. Owing to this exemption, a huge number of people opt for life insurance and given the kind of magnanimous market it has become, a host of insurance companies have entered into this lucrative business. Resultantly, it becomes very difficult to determine the best suited product out of dozens of options available in the market. Financial literacy is a key for making an informed decision. Once you are aware of the nitty-gritty of buying life insurance plan, you can easily develop an online investment plan and factor-in all your requirements and expectations in terms of rate of return, maturity period, additional riders, liquidity etc.
ELSS
Equity linked savings scheme popularly known as ELSS is another way of saving tax and making investments at the same time. Through this investment, you can invest in equity markets and also save tax. However, as the name suggests, it is linked to equity market and you have to gauge your appetite for risks. The return on investment can be higher than other investment plans which put your money in traditional debt products but given the volatility of equity markets it may not be a win-win situation always. The exemption under Section 80C is applicable with this product as well.
PPF
Public Provident Fund is perhaps the oldest investment plan in India. It is yet another product which enables you save tax and get returns on your investments. Though you have to keep in mind that investment in PPF is done with a long term horizon and also the rate of return is quite modest. Usually, PPF investment is made on invest-and-forget basis, and an investor takes account of his or her investment in PPF after 10-20 years. Of course, it offers security and a sizeable corpus in the long term.
FD
Fixed Deposits (FDs) for period more than five years fall under the gamut of Section 80C. Needless to mention the interest rates applicable for this widely popular investment product – you can easily check and compare them online.
Well these were few of the options you may consider for saving tax through investments. It is advisable that you compare investment plans before taking a final decision. Products such as PPF and FDs may not suit your needs if you are expecting high returns, but others which invest in a mix of equity instruments can provide you with relatively higher returns along with flexibility and liquidity.