Are you aware of these features of the current account after demonetization?

What is a current bank account?

A current bank account is that type of an account in which a bank states no limit on the number of transactions per day. Most banks do not provide an interest on your balance in this account, in fact some charge a certain fee for the services. Account holders do not use this account for investment purposes. Usually such an account benefits a businessmen as it is a flexible account providing no transaction limits thereby assisting the business with supply of liquid cash. It might be a prerequisite in certain banks to hold a minimum quarterly balance which can range between Rs5000 - Rs10, 000.

Demonetization and Current Account scheme

However, adhering to all the norms specified by the bank and providing them with the prescribed documents is all you need to become a current bank account holder in India. On November 8th the Modi government announced the demonetization of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes. In an attempt to curb black money off the economy Indians were dumbstruck by this move as the news was not leaked by anyone to the public before the date. The people were coerced into following new rules which were temporary withdrawal and deposit limits. However, burden on businessmen were reduced as the withdrawal and depositing limit was considerably moderated for all current bank accounts. While there was a sudden cash crunch and people throughout the country felt short of currency notes, the government tried to promote the concept of a digital economy.

Within a week of post-demonetization, the government in an attempt to help the businessmen in the country raised the withdrawal limit to Rs.50, 000 a week. However, it remained Rs.10, 000 a week for savings bank account holders, which was later increased to Rs.13, 500. Between the 10th of November and the 31st of December all cash deposits in a current account of up to Rs.2, 50,000 were not the subject of any questioning from the Indian Income Tax Department, however, any amount above that was. Shaktikanta Das, the secretary of economic affairs, informed the press that the RBI had enough cash and a plan to distribute the notes throughout the country within 3 months. The government would make use of this period to detect unusual activity and at the same time try to help the public, either by easing the cash rules (spending old notes and increasing withdrawal and depositing limits) or by improving flexibility and scope of digital transactions.

How can you benefit from high interest rate savings account?

Why do you need to dishoard liquid cash?

We all must know the dangers of keeping money idle. It may evaporate quickly owing to surging inflation or on days when you feel spendthrift. You can instead invest the idle money in a bank account where you would earn interest on it. Banks offer you various investing schemes like a savings account, a fixed deposit and a recurring deposit to keep your money.
Features of a savings account

A savings account is generally opened by people who have a fixed income. The aim of this scheme is to inculcate a habit of saving money. Some banks even allow you to open a savings account with a minimal deposit of Rs100 with current savings interest rates in India varying from 4% to 6%.

A savings account can be divided into a regular savings account and a high interest savings account. A high interest rate savings account is a variation of the regular savings account that banks offer. Quite naturally, a high interest account earns a higher rate of interest than a regular savings account, in return of which the bank may ask you for a large minimum opening deposit. You may also be charged if your balance falls below the threshold amount required by the bank. The account may also be subject to other conditions depending upon the bank.

The recent launch of differentiated banks in India, has seen interest rates on saving accounts experience aggressive pricing. The newly formed payment banks that only offer savings account schemes offer high interest rates in the range of 6% - 7%.
Currently, the fixed deposit rates are seeing a decline, thus making high interest rate savings schemes more attractive.

Advantages of having a savings account

1. Encourages a habit of saving - For people earning fixed salaries, it encourages a habit of saving money.

2. Earning interest- You earn interest on the amount you have deposited.

3. Making payments - You can make payments or transfer money from your savings account via cheques or online banking.

4. Liquidity- Unlike fixed deposits, savings account schemes ensures that you can access your funds whenever you need.

5. Proof of identity - The savings account passbook gives you a proof of identity.

6. Low risk instrument- Savings account are very low risk instruments, where you do not have to worry about losing your money.

What are the best ways to make an international money transfer?

Understanding international money transfers

The demand for international money transfer services seems to have been on the rise in the recent past. The absence of a universal currency is the reason why sending money across countries is so necessary. Fortunately, there are many financial entities providing such services. Previously, there were many costs associated with this service. Agencies and banks deducted hefty amounts by deceiving customers under the label of “hidden costs”. The frustration of many clients led to the arrival of new institutions providing such services. Consequently, the existing service providers had to improve their services because the new ones were established to curb the inefficiencies of the old.

Means of undertaking international money transfers

Today you have numerous options of transferring your money outside your country. Not only established banks but also can you resort to other means as well. These include:

Agencies assisting money transfer - Bodies such as Western Union, have been in this market for a while. Their services can be relied upon as almost each country in the world has opened its doors to their services. You can transfer the money from an international bank account, where the recipient can encash it without any hassle. The only thing you need to keep in mind is considering the fee they charge and their currency conversion rate. Most of these agencies provide a diurnal rate to clients which have to be adhered to and the transfer happens over the course of a week or maximum two. Limits to such an affair depends on the kind of service you opt for and the country you are sending the money to. Agencies such as Fedex have also been a part of this picture for a while. They usually deliver faster than Western Union. India Post has also started the service in recent times.

Wire Transfer - the conventional method of transferring funds globally. Allot the amount to be transferred and mention the recipient's account details. The bank charges a fee for this service and transfers the funds within a few days, varying from country to country, amount being transferred and the banks involved. The surcharges and hidden costs via this method is what frustrated people and called for new means to transfer money. However, banks have made it convenient by making this procedure more transparent, providing customers with maximum value of their money and other secure features like tracking the funds.

Digital wallets - owning a digital wallet is the new trend in money transferring. It is as easy as having an account on a mobile application and linking it with your bank account or any other entity that provides you with monetary balance. You can use your balance and transfer funds to another person’s digital wallet. There are many digital wallet service providers and they have definitely eased the concept of transferring money, since users can now afford to split restaurant bills to sharing cabs by conveniently transferring money online.

As world economies move towards a digital age, online money transfer is the very basic intricacy that needs to be addressed efficiently. Evaluating the improvement in the service over the past decade or so can lead to the conclusion that we are progressing towards achieving efficient and transparent means of transferring money. This would allow us to make use of the value of money we own and avoid hefty payments to avail such services, which in today’s world is a requirement for most.

Quick remit: The ideal solution for quick money transfers today

What does HDFC offer in this regard?

HDFC, the 2nd largest Indian bank in the private sector has experience of more than 20 years in offering financial services in and out India. HDFC offers its valuable services to the NRIs for money transfer through 3 different ways especially from USA to India. The most popular method of money transfer being referred to are QuickRemit while the other options of transferring money includes Demand Drafts, Telegraphic transfers and traveler’s cheque.

What is QuickRemit?

QuickRemit, one of the popular options offered by HDFC allows you send money, electronically from US, Singapore, UK or the Euro Zone to India. However before you start you need to follow few simple steps in order to transfer money successfully. First you need to register online in the QuickRemit site by providing the basic details. Only US customers are needed to provide their bank details. After you set up an account it will be then verified by the bank. Once the verification process is successfully over then you can proceed to transfer the money. However, this entire process of verification may take around 3-4 days.

Benefits of QuickRemit
QuickRemit is somewhat time consuming and thus falls slightly short when compared with the modern technology based services like Transfast, Xoom, etc. However this process offers several benefits too which are:

1. The process as such being provided by HDFC is trustworthy, convenient, cheap, transparent and values the security of its clients.

2. It is safe as it maintains the privacy of your personal information and transaction takes place after you authorize it personally.

3. QuickRemit allows the transfer of money for basically all kind of payments.

4. QuickRemit allows both; it offers credit directly to the recipient’s HDFC Bank Accounts and also to other bank accounts that the recipient may have. QuickRemit allows you to transfer money to more than 90 banks all over India by using the NEFT / RTGS Platform provided by the Reserve Bank of India. However the Bank does not assure the time delivery procedure while crediting money to other accounts.

5. QuickRemit offers admirable exchange rates.

6. The transactions can be duly tracked online.

7. You also have the opportunity to transfer money within a short period of time against a slight surcharge.

Health Insurance: Useful tips that will help make your purchase decision

What and Whys of Health Insurance

A recurring premium paid by an individual or a family to safeguard their future medical expenses is known as health insurance. This is an agreed contract between the insurance providing entity and the individual. It is an easy and systematic way to ensure that you would not have to suffer when the time comes for an urgent or expensive medical treatment. It is also renewable and transparent; hence consumer friendly.

Choosing the right provider

Acquisition of Health Insurance is a simple procedure with diverse options. Each option is considered as a plan. To begin with, you register on Health Insurance India - a marketplace and then proceed to enroll your family or yourselves in a plan.

Health Insurance is offered by many companies. Choosing the most appropriate plan depends on your requirements and budget which can indeed turn out to be an elaborate process. However, you should always note a few key points to consider before we invest in any one of these plans. A few points are:-

1) Identifying the category the plan falls under – types of health Insurance plans are mainly divided into four categories - Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Each category reveals the relationship between the costs you incur and the care the particular plan provides. Nevertheless, plan categories have no connection with the ‘quality’ of care provided.

2) Comparison of costs to Utility of Plan - under any insurance plan (in Healthcare) the consumer is required to pay a monthly premium, which is a fixed monthly sum of money. Whether or not the consumer uses the money every month for medical care is irrelevant. Hence, a consumer should have an explicit idea of where his/her money is going and how useful it would be for him/her.

We never know when we have to encounter an expensive medical emergency. Health Insurance
helps us live tension free when it comes to dealing with this problem.

Benefits of a Health Insurance

A Health Insurance provides the following benefits:

It makes Healthcare affordable - in a medical crisis many patients are not able to meet the financial requirements of the operation/surgery. Health Insurance covers some or most of your medical expenses, reducing the burden on your pocket at a particular time.

Ensures Preventive Care - we hardly ever want to visit the doctor. Now and then, when we experience some small abnormalities we try to tackle it ourselves. However, if we pay premiums and enroll ourselves in a health insurance plan, we are more likely to utilize this opportunity by visiting the doctor for frequent health check-ups, thereby ensuring Preventive Healthcare against diseases.

How to prepare your business loan application for a guaranteed approval?

To have a successful business and gradually watch it grow, it is important to invest in it properly. The equipment, infrastructure, properties and advertisements require a certain amount of expenditure. Initially, managing these costs can be difficult, and this is when a business loan can be of great help. When you are applying for your business loan in India or elsewhere, it is natural to be apprehensive about it.

What you need to consider before?

The idea of displaying your business plan to a lender and the possibility of rejection may intimidate you. There are certain things that you need to keep in mind before putting in an application for a business loan. They are:

1) Before taking the plunge, it is important to know where you are going. You must have a fair understanding of the different kinds of loans that are available, as well as the terms and conditions that come along with it. This process will be time consuming, but it is definitely an important step.

2) The next crucial decision that you need to make is whether you want to apply for the business loan in a bank or would you prefer it online. Both the ways have their own advantage. If you are applying in a bank where you already know the people, it makes it easier for you to communicate. Moreover, it will be cheaper than going for an online loan. However, if you choose an online loan, the application process will be easier. At the same time, you can connect with many lenders with a single application.

3) Be sure that you find the best lender for your business loans. You must carefully go through the lending guidelines and see if your application fits with them.

4) Keep your strategy ready if the lender is keen to know how they will be repaid. It may be by the repayment on the basis of the principal and the interest method, or by selling a certain portion of your business assets.

5) Before the final application, it is advisable to review it completely and clear all your doubts, if any. By this process, you will avoid making mistakes. You must be completely accurate and truthful with the information that you provide. Your supporting documents should be ready to match the information that you have stated.

6) In case your lender has a query regarding your plan, make sure that you answer them without taking too much of time. If you require more time, it is always better to inform them about it.

What are the steps to convert your resident savings account into an NRO account?

If you are shifting base to another country, it is necessary for you to close your current savings account in India, or get it converted to an NRO account. A NRO (Non-Resident Ordinary) account allows you to deposit your earnings that you earn from India, like interest, dividends, rent, etc. Funds collected from abroad which come in fully convertible currencies may be deposited in an NRO account. You are also entitled to issue cheques for making local payments, EMI payoffs and investments through your NRO account.
Following the steps

You can easily convert your existing resident savings account into an NRO account by the following steps:

i) Filling up the form: There are specific forms prescribed by the banks for converting savings accounts to an NRO account. You can either collect the form from your bank or download it from your bank website. Remember that it is necessary for every account holder to sign in the form. You can use a single form for converting all your savings accounts that you have with your bank.

ii) Providing documents: Along with the form mentioned above, you need to fill and submit a form for opening a new account too. The proof of address of your overseas address, copies of your passport, work permit and valid visa requires submission. A copy of your OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) or PIO (Persons of Indian Origin) card, if applicable, needs to be submitted.

iii) Adequate balance in account: If your account that you wish to convert to an NRO account has zero or very low balance, you have to fund it with the required minimum balance.

iv) Submit to the bank: Once you have filled up the forms and prepared the necessary documents that are required, you have to submit it to that bank branch where you have the account. If you are already in some other country, the Indian Embassy needs to attest your forms and documents and then you can send it to your bank.

Once your form and the documents are received, examined and verified by the bank, your resident savings account will be re-designated as your NRO accounts. The bank may charge you an amount to carry out this process of conversion. You may easily repatriate the interest that you earn on NRO accounts, once the taxes have been deducted