With the inter-regulatory spat over ULIPs being firmly settled in its favor, IRDA has taken very little time in announcing sweeping new regulations that will change the very essence of how ULIPs are structured and sold today.

So what are the significant changes and how will it change how ULIPs are sold. The changes are both from the regulator side as well as the proposed changes in the DTC that will become effective from the year beginning on April 1, 2011.

First let’s look at what the current draft of the DTC says.

Under the DTC all receipts from any life insurance policy is treated as revenue. However full deduction is allowed for any receipts from a life insurance policy if the amount is received at the completion of the original period of contract or death and

the capital sum assured is at least 20 times the premium payable in any year.

In simple words it means that under the DTC (effective next year onwards) tax exemption will be available for sums received under the insurance policies only if those sums are received on maturity (or earlier on death) and also if it has a certain minimum level of death protection. Since tax is a major driver for buying Insurance policies (a rather unfortunate situation) this single change itself will make sure that any potential mis-selling around the tenure of the policy will be limited.

Combine this change with the fact that a 5 year compulsory lock in period has been introduced by IRDA will make sure that this is perceived as at least a 5 year product. In the other very significant change IRDA now requires charges to be spread over the first five years (and not front loaded as is the case currently) and has additionally introduced a maximum spread of 4% between the gross yield and the net yield at the end of 5 years. These two changes when combined will ensure that the commission structures and other charges are kept reasonable.

On the pension front the revised discussion paper on the DTC, in a surprise announcement, has also promised an EEE treatment for “approved annuities”. It is not very clear which kind of “annuity plans” will be approved but in any case it will breathe new life in the moribund annuity market. “If”, as is being speculated, the approval of the annuity plan is linked to the corpus coming only from the NPS then it will sound the death knell for accumulation pensions plans (for example those being offered by Life Insurance companies) offered outside the NPS system.

If all the changes proposed above (especially those in the Direct Taxes code) which are yet to be finalized and legislated, are actually enacted then it would change the investment landscape in the country.

At the risk of sticking my neck out let me do a bit of crystal gazing for the next financial year:

1. It goes without saying that commissions on ULIPs will reduce significantly and be spread over a longer period. This will force the much-needed professionalisation of the financial services distribution industry, which will contract as the non-serious players leave the industry. However the serious challenge of consumers paying for advise separately from execution will continue to remain (this is a subject matter of another article) and hence mis-selling though reduced will continue to be driven by the products that offer relatively higher fee to the distributors.

2. At some point (and I am really sticking my neck out here) SEBI will have to relent and allow for fees to be paid to intermediaries upfront as well. Maybe this may take time but I think there may not be an alternative if the retail MF industry is not to become extinct.

3. We will see an increase in the mortality charges in ULIPs as these are not taken into account while calculating net yield and thus can be used to pay some additional commissions to the distributors.

4. 5 year or more single premium plans will become popular – as they are currently- but collections will not be as high as they are today simply because of the high life protection required to make the plans tax exempt. This requirement will prevent too many applications coming in from the high net worth band. They will do some circumvention by putting in applications in the name of their younger children etc. but the high cost of the protection plus the difficulties in doing financial underwriting for large insurance polices will ensure that the maximum investments are kept in check.

5. There will be an increased focus on risk products (term insurance as well as Income protection plans)

6. There will be a big focus on online distribution of products (or telephone assisted online distribution) with simple products specifically tailor made for online consumers as the insurance companies look for cost effective channels for distribution.

Of course there will be lots of other ramifications as well.

We are in for some very interesting times from the next financial year. I would welcome readers views on what they expect will happen next.

Planning to get retired after getting rich is a dream of every person today engaged in earning a livelihood for achieving a sound financial and monetary base. Get rich retirement solutions have also gained prominence due to the fact that present day life is full of uncertainties like serious health disorders, unexpected accidents, even death that may leave family members of deceased retired person into financial crisis if he doesn’t create strong money and finance provisions for providing a happy and secure life to his family. Recently with development of Indian economy due to increase of foreign investments in Indian government as well as private sector youthful job professionals of India have seen salary increments and hikes. Along with meeting important requirements of life including basic necessities like housing, food and clothing today every youth is looking forward into the future for achieving maximum money savings and a secure financially rich retirement from his job at a very early phase. Tips given below may guide you select the best financial savings and investment plan:

• Gain control on your financial expenses:

A simple life style enhances more money savings and enables you to invest your hard saved money into a high monetary return and long term retirement investment plan. Just take control on your hi-tech cash payment transactions. Devote your attention in simple yet easy daily routine pursuits like spending with your family and friends, simple hobbies like reading, writing, walking and traveling along outskirts of your city on a small picnic this won’t cost you too much.

• Keeping your financial and retirement goals together:

Easy, early and rich retirement solutions require keeping your financial and retirement goals together. In the early years of your job you should plan your financial goals and devise ways to achieve it. Chalk out your individual as well as family expenses if your spouse is earning then you could frame a monthly family budget with combined income of yourself and your life partner. Then you should select a reliable income generating retirement plan after keeping current age human life expectancy as well as current inflation hikes.

• Make your self inclined towards more money savings:

For selecting the best, reliable and get rich retirement plan you should avoid increasing your lifestyle expenses no matter your salary is increasing constantly. Each fraction of money saved is money gained. Financial experts dealing with life insurance, mutual funds, shares & equity including income generating retirement solutions suggest to devote 25% of monthly income in savings.

• Start investing money early to double your money:

By investing money early you can double your money as after every 5-6 years rate of money returns on financial return also double. Whereas in loan plans and mortgage interest rates on money recovery increases.

• Choose a long period retirement plan:

Choose a long period retirement plan or finance investment solution prepared with correct monetary logistics. For this purpose you could consult an experienced financial consultant at periodic intervals.

• Try to create additional sources of income:

By creating additional sources of income you make your life easier from monetary point of view as it helps you to pay high amount monthly, half yearly or annual investment premiums on rich making retirement plans. For this purpose you should review your talents and explore part time job solutions that demand less investment of time daily. By following these simple tips you could enhance chances of get rich along with a secure retirement.

Most of us spend more than half of our lives working and saving money. However, most of us spend almost no time planning to make that hard-earned money work more effectively for us. Your success as an investor depends upon your ability to choose the right investment options. This, in turn, depends on your needs, wants and dreams.

I would like to discuss some investment basics that every investor should know while planning their investments. Investment planning isn’t a way to get rich quick, but is a disciplined execution of your lifetime plans.

Investment - Consumption Cycle

By making an investment, you are using money that could otherwise have been consumed. You are sacrificing the pleasures of buying a car, taking a vacation, renovating your home etc. There ought to be some reward for this sacrifice. The reward is that you expect to get back more than what you have put in. You can then consume the amount that you get back. Thus investment refers to a commitment of funds to one or more assets that will be held over some future time period. In simple words, anything not consumed today and saved for future use with some risk can be considered an investment. Thus future consumption is the main motivation of an investment made today. Investing creates wealth and wealth is a driver of consumption. More wealth means more consumption, while less wealth leads to less consumption. Thus all the three: investment, wealth, and consumption are interrelated. This is the investment consumption cycle.

Why do you invest?

You invest for your future well-being and to meet future financial requirements. Anticipated future cash outflows may be in different ways like: children’s education, children’s marriage, buying a home to retire in, etc. There can also be unanticipated cash outflows like: critical disease, accident, natural calamity etc. Thus, investments are made to protect the family against all these anticipated and unexpected cash outflows. The funds for investment comes from assets already owned or borrowed money or savings.

How do you invest?

If you make an investment decision today that will directly affect your future wealth, it would make sense that you make a plan to guide your decisions. Surprisingly, the majority of people do not have in place any type of formalized investment plan. Taking some time to put together an investment plan can reap tremendous benefits. You must have a strategy for your investments backed by a sound reason for investing.

Where do you invest?

Investment can be made into different financial and non-financial asset classes. Financial asset class includes paper assets like:

• Equity shares
• Mutual funds
• Bonds
• Cash equivalent, such as gold, or other precious metals

And the non-financial asset class includes investments in:

• Land and buildings
• Plant and machinery
• Business

And finally, “Be an investor, not a speculator!”…

Investors are defined as: Individuals who purchase assets for the conservation of wealth and the increase of wealth, with the emphasis on the conservation of wealth.

There is another breed of people, speculators, often mistaken as investors. Let us understand speculators - They are individuals who purchase assets for the conservation of wealth and the increase of wealth, with the emphasis on the increase of wealth.

In simple words, ‘Investment is safe speculation and speculation is hazardous investment’. There is a saying in equity markets that, “Those individuals, who invest, make money for themselves and those who speculate make money for their brokers.”

Priyesh Shah is Chief Financial Planner, working with SRE Financial Planners.