« Top Headlines » Open DEMAT Account in 24 hrs  Tax planning for 2025: How to maximise your savings before March 31 deadline  New income tax bill reaches Parliament: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tables I-T Bill 2025 in Lok Sabha  5 major changes in the last 6 months every taxpayer should know!  Good news for taxpayers: ITR forms updated to allow 87A tax rebate claims, but there's a catch  Top 10 income tax changes from 2024 to look out for while filing ITR in 2025 «  Women to gain more if investment planning is sound... Options for senior citizens to save tax... » Tips to invest your post-budget savings March, 04th 2008 Stretch your disposable income Several expenses you meet in daily life like tuition fee or insurance premium yield tax benefits. So use them effectively to lessen your burden, instead of utilising the entire Rs 1 lakh limit for investments alone. Keep your PAN ready PAN is now mandatory for almost all transactions. So keep copies of PAN card ready for submission. While most investments demand a PAN, now you are also required to flash one to open a bank account. Play safe, choose the right cover Treat life insurance as a shield against uncertainties. Select an insurance policy that will provide life cover for you and your dependents rather than focusing only on returns. Invest wisely Do not mix investment objectives while selecting financial products. If you intend to have a steady and regular income, opt for debt products. For aggressive investors, equity is always the best friend. Safe Haven Investments not all about big risks & high returns.It pays to be a disciplined investor Make most of PPF investments Invest in the public provident fund before the 5th of the month to earn interest for the full month. If you pay by cheque, make sure your cheque gets cleared by this date. Start early Invest early in your PPF accounts, rather than waiting for the year-end as you may lose out on the interest. If lump sum investment is difficult, opt for monthly installments. Look beyond usual pension plans Consider and evaluate pension products beyond traditional routes to get a wider choice in achieving financial objectives. Look out for insurance-cum-pension plans for a secure future early on. Debts the best bet for fixed returns If you want fixed returns, then select a debt instrument like fixed deposit or post office term deposit or NABARD rural bonds. These are not tradable and have a fixed payout. However, the returns are comparatively lower than equity-based investment avenues. Cash Cows Make an early start. Stick to basics.Span out your investments to keep the load light Maturitys the key There are various lock-in periods for various tax-saving instruments. While ELSS has a lock-in of 3 years, for term deposits it is up to 5 years. So select the one that suits your investment objective. Dont lock in your funds Choose the dividend payout option in equity-linked savings scheme to get regular payout of the gains rather than face a lock-in on the entire investment. Look out for new avenues to reinvest the dividend so received. Take the SIP route to prosperity Equity-linked tax saving investments should be spread out through the year and this will require investments right from the beginning of the year. Thus, SIP route is advisable. In debt, its all about timing Debt investments for tax saving can be made at one go, but those that are not tradable should be selected in the beginning of the year to maximise earnings. Inflation can further eat into your returns from debt instruments.