What the Best Place to Invest Money?

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Investing in stocks may not be everyone's cup of tea as it's a volatile asset class and there is no guarantee of returns.

Further, not only is it difficult to pick the right stock, timing your entry and exit is also not easy.

The only silver lining is that over long periods, equity has been able to deliver higher than inflation-adjusted returns compared to all other asset classes.

At the same time, the risk of losing a considerable portion of capital is high unless one opts for stop-loss method to curtail losses.

In stop-loss, one places an advance order to sell a stock at a specific price. To reduce the risk to certain extent, you could diversify across sectors and market capitalisations. Currently, the 1-, 3-, 5 year market returns are around 13 percent, 8 percent and 12.5 percent, respectively. To invest in direct equities, one needs to open a demat account.

Equity mutual funds predominantly invest in equity stocks. As per current Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Mutual Fund Regulations, an equity mutual fund scheme must invest at least 65 percent of its assets in equities and equity-related instruments. An equity fund can be actively managed or passively managed.

In an actively traded fund, the returns are largely dependent on a fund manager's ability to generate returns. Index funds and exchange-traded fund (ETFs) are passively managed, and these track the underlying index.

Equity schemes are categorised according to market-capitalisation or the sectors in which they invest. They are also categorised by whether they are domestic (investing in stocks of only Indian companies) or international (investing in stocks of overseas companies). Currently, the 1-, 3-, 5-year market return is around 15 percent, 15 percent, and 20 percent, respectively. Read more about equity mutual funds.

Debt funds are ideal for investors who want steady returns. They are are less volatile and, hence, less risky compared to equity funds. Debt mutual funds primarily invest in fixed-interest generating securities like corporate bonds, government securities, treasury bills, commercial paper and other money market instruments. Currently, the 1-, 3-, 5-year market return is around 6.5 percent, 8 percent, and 7.5 percent, respectively. Read more about debt mutual funds.

The National Pension System (NPS) is a long term retirement - focused investment product managed by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

The minimum annual (April-March) contribution for an NPS Tier-1 account to remain active has been reduced from Rs 6,000 to Rs 1,000. It is a mix of equity, fixed deposits, corporate bonds, liquid funds and government funds, among others

Based on your risk appetite, you can decide how much of your money can be invested in equities through NPS. Currently, the 1-,3-,5-year market return for Fund option E is around 9.5 percent, 8.5 percent, and 11 percent, respectively. Read more about NPS.

The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is one product a lot of people turn to. Since the PPF has a long tenure of 15 years, the impact of compounding of tax-free interest is huge, especially in the later years. Further, since the interest earned and the principal invested is backed by sovereign guarantee, it makes it a safe investment. Read more about PPF.

A bank fixed deposit (FD) is a safe choice for investing in India. Under the deposit insurance and credit guarantee corporation (DICGC) rules, each depositor in a bank is insured up to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh for both principal and interest amount.

As per the need, one may opt for monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, yearly or cumulative interest option in them. The interest rate earned is added to one's income and is taxed as per one's income slab. Read more about bank fixed deposit.

Probably the first choice of most retirees, the Senior Citizens' Saving Scheme (SCSS) is a must-have in their investment portfolios. As the name suggests, only senior citizens or early retirees can invest in this scheme.

SCSS can be availed from a post office or a bank by anyone above 60. SCSS has a five-year tenure, which can be further extended by three years once the scheme matures. Currently, the interest rate that can be earned on SCSS is 8.3 per cent per annum, payable quarterly and is fully taxable. The upper investment limit is Rs 15 lakh, and one may open more than one account. Read more about Senior Citizens' Saving Scheme.

The government has replaced the erstwhile 8 percent Savings (Taxable) Bonds 2003 with the 7.75 per cent Savings (Taxable) Bonds. These bonds come with a tenure of 7 years. The bonds may be issued in demat form and credited to the Bond Ledger Account (BLA) of the investor and a Certificate of Holding is given to the investor as proof of investment. Read more about RBI Taxable Bonds.

Peer-to-peer lending websites allow investors to broaden their investment portfolio by spreading out the investments and reducing their risk. These websites work as tools to connect investors to qualified consumers in need of a loan and allow investors to become the bank, providing a small percentage of multiple borrowers’ loans

One such company, Lending Club, sets the interest rate on notes based on specific credit criteria. And since they only accept desirable borrowers, they dramatically reduce the risk for default and potential losses for the lenders.

The house that you live in is for self-consumption and should never be considered as an investment. If you do not intend to live in it, the second property you buy can be your investment.

The location of the property is the single most important factor that will determine the value of your property and also the rental that it can earn. Investments in real estate deliver returns in two ways - capital appreciation and rentals

Want to guarantee your investment will not lose any money while at the same time generating a little bit of a return? The online high yield savings accounts are a great fit for that goal.

Guarantee to never lose principal on your investment as long as you keep your total deposit at the bank below FDIC coverage of $250,000. Deposit your money and walk away knowing that it will be there when you’re ready to cash out.