Monday, 11 August 2014

7 Banks offering Fixed Deposit rates above 9.00% in India

Whenever we think of doing savings, the first thing that comes into our mind is Fixed Deposits. Because of its overwhelming features like safety of funds, security of money, guaranteed interest on deposits made, it has become a star for every eyes. And, do we expect anything else from it?

Yes, we do expect higher FD interest rates. This will probably help us sticking to a safer type of investments like FD’s, otherwise with lower interest rates, we would definitely try to explore some new sort of investments. There are some of the banks who renders more than 9.00% of FD interest rates and those are mentioned below.

11. Saraswati CooperativeBank: It is a cooperative society bank founded in 1918, with an objective to serve the families and their dependents in case of need and contingencies like wedding, medical expenses, debt repayment etc. By fulfilling all its objectives successfully, it has been transformed into a full-fledged urban cooperative bank in 1933. It has marked a commendable growth since then, by providing all the facilities of a modern banking.
Fixed deposits offered by Saraswati cooperative bank marks for one among the highest rate of interest on it. It offers FD interest rate of 10.00% for 15 months for the investment of less than Rs 1 crore.

22. Shamrao Vithal CooperativeBank: This bank came into existence in 1906, in order to help the unfortunate members of the country at the time of need and to encourage the habit of savings among them. It has crossed number of milestones and now has flourished with almost all types of modern banking products and facilities.
Fixed deposit Interest rate offered by Shamrao Vithal cooperative bank is remarkably high i.e.9.50% for 500 days for investment of less than Rs 1 crore.

33.  Lakshmi vilas Bank: Founded in 1926, Lakshmi vilas Bank Ltd has got the license in 1958 from RBI to work as a commercial bank in the nation. Running over a platform of nearly 362 branches, it has spread its wings in almost all kinds of banking products and services, fostering a tremendous growth and excellence.
Fixed deposit interest rates offered by Lakshmi vilas Bank denotes Excellency for customer satisfaction and i.e. 9.50% for greater than a year and less than 2 years, for the investment of up to Rs 1 crore.

44.  South Indian Bank: With an objective of encouraging safe and secure system of savings and freeing the nation from the blood sucker money lenders, South Indian bank became a scheduled bank in 1946 and since then, crossing all its milestones with Excellency.
Fixed deposit interest rates offered by South Indian Bank is 9.50% for 400 days for the investment of less than Rs 1 crore.

55.   Development credit bank: Incorporated in 1930, Development credit bank has expanded a lot in terms of customer base, number of branches, no. of products and services and is successful in delivering state of art facilities to its customers.
Fixed deposit interest rates offered by Development credit bank is 9.40% ranging from 13 months to less than 24 months for the investment of less than Rs 1 crore.

66.  IDBI: IDBI was incorporated in 1964, under the Indian government. It was formed with an objective of providing financial services to the industrial sector and later on expanded its products and services for general public also.
Fixed deposit interest rates offered by IDBI is 9.30% for 500 days for the investment of less than Rs 1 crore.

77.   Central Bank of India: It was established in 1911 under Government of India, having a glorious 103 years of history, it has generated a remarkable growth and productivity for Indian Banking sector with new innovations in products and services.
     Fixed deposit interest rates offered by Central Bank of India  is 9.25% for 555 days for the investment of less than Rs 1 crore.

Monday, 4 August 2014

What are the Benefits of Fixed Deposit Policy?

A good investment portfolio comprises of a balanced bag of secured and risky investments. Although an investor can invest in capital market instruments for gaining high returns, they are more subject to market risk. For this reason, fixed deposits offered by financial institutions, like banks, are quite favorable for investors because of their guaranteed returns.
A fixed deposit, or FDs as they are generally known, is a financial instrument wherein the customer deposits his investments for a fixed tenure with the bank and earns a pre-determined rate of interest on it.


Features of Fixed Deposit
The fixed deposits have the following key features:
·         Fixed deposits offer a higher interest rate, which helps the individual save their surplus funds in an effective and secured way.
·         The rate of interest varies as per the period, the amount and the respective bank.
·         The period of fixed deposit is usually between 15 days to 10 years.
·         As the name suggests, this is a ‘fixed’ investment which implies that the withdrawal can be done only after the maturity of fixed tenure. Although, in case of an emergency, there is a feature to close the account prior to the maturity date. In such a scenario, the bank deducts 1% as a penalty from interest payable as on that date.
·         A fixed deposit receipt is given to the depositor, which he needs to produce at the time of maturity. In case the depositor is interested, the same deposit can be renewed further.

Benefits of Fixed Deposit
Bank fixed deposits have been one of the most favored investment avenues with all age groups in India. Below listed are the advantages of these deposits which make them so popular with investors:
  • ·         A safe instrument: Fixed deposits from banks are one of the safest instruments to invest as they are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and guaranteed by the Deposit Insurance & Credit Guarantee Scheme of India. This is the major reason why company FDs are not as safe as bank FDs because if the company goes bankrupt, the entire money could be lost as they are not covered under this regulatory body.
  • ·        Fixed deposits offer good liquidity: These deposits help in generating regular income in the form of interests. The depositor can also get loan facility (up to 90% of the principal amount) on these deposits from the bank.
  • ·         Fixed deposits help in the economic development of the country: These deposits indirectly help in the economic development by raising long term funds for banks which they can invest in high return projects. This cycle helps in increasing the overall profitability of the bank.
  • ·     Convenience: Bank fixed deposits offer great comfort and ease to an investor as they can save according to their need and budget. The investments can start from a very small amount of Rs. 100 with no upper limit on the same.



Bank fixed deposits have been one of the best traditional strategies to preserve one’s capital among all age groups and profiles. Banks are constantly adding new benefits and schemes to the existing plans to make them more lucrative for customers so that they can use this as a primary source of investment.
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Friday, 11 July 2014

Best Senior Citizen FD Interest Rates

Senior Citizen FD Interest Rates
As a senior citizen with funds at your disposal, you should look for a safe mode of investment. In this case, bank fixed deposits, or what are popularly known as FDs, are a good and reliable option and attractive too. Most banks will offer senior citizens, a higher rate on fixed deposits than what they pay to other category of investors. 
A fixed deposit is a financial instrument provided by banks which provides investors with a rate of interest, against a fixed maturity period. But in a fixed deposit, the money invested by you cannot be withdrawn without incurring losses, as compared to a recurring deposit or a demand deposit, before maturity.
For banks, senior citizens are prized customers because they have large funds at their disposal and prefer to invest them in fixed deposits. They are considered to be the most active investors in fixed deposits.  There is a keen competition among private sector banks to offer the best possible interest rates to senior citizens. But public sector banks are also not behind in this race and have good offers lined up for senior citizens on fixed deposits. They are also advertising their exclusive interest rates on fixed deposits for senior citizens. The longer the tenure of fixed deposits, the higher the interest rates on them. Generally, the tenure of an FD can vary from 7, 15 or 45 days to 3 years and can be as high as 10 years (for details see the table below).
Some banks may offer additional services to senior citizen FD holders such as loans against FD certificates at competitive FD interest rates

Significantly, the age limit for the senior citizen category has been lowered from 65 to above 60 years. Thus, banks now have an even bigger number of senior citizen customers, who can invest their bulk money in fixed deposit instrument. And, if the interest rates on these deposits are made even more attractive, there is added reason for senior citizens to invest more and more of their surplus funds in bank fixed deposits. 

S.No.  
Bank  
Tenure
Interest
1
Yes Bank       
480 days         
10.60%
2
South Indian Bank     
300 days         
10.50%
3
Dhanalaxmi Bank      
300 days         
10.50%
4
City Union Bank
1 year to less than 2 years      
10.50%
5
Tamil Nadu Mercantile Bank 
1 year to less than 2 years      
10.50%
6
Axis Bank                  
1 year to less than 14 months
10.40%
7
Indian Bank
9 months to less than a year
10.40%
8
IDBI Bank     
500 days
10.25%
9
Corporation Bank      
12 months      
10.25%
10
KarurVysya Bank      
1 year to 3 years
10.25%
11
Syndicate Bank          
250 to 364 days
10.05%
12
ICICI Bank    
990 days
10.00%
13
Indian Overseas Bank
1 year 
10.00%

Monday, 7 July 2014

What is difference between Cumulative Deposits and Fixed Deposits?

Everyone wants to save something for the rainy day and invests in different instruments to create wealth. Cumulative deposits and fixed deposits are two very dependable as well as attractive modes of investment to ensure accumulated funds at one’s disposal after a certain period.

Both of these deposits differ in many aspects. Both of them provide you interest at prevailing rates but in fixed deposits (FDs), you may receive interest payable at specified frequency. So, FDs are ideally suited for you if require periodical interest payment. But in cumulative deposits, interest is payable only at the time of maturity along with the principal amount. Depending upon the bank, interest is calculated quarterly or half yearly and added to your principal amount.

In cumulative deposits, you have to invest a specified amount every month into your account and the total amount with interest is paid at the end of the specified period. You get the benefit of receiving both interest and maturity amount at the end of the term. So, if you do not require periodical interest payment, and don’t need the money before maturity period, you may go for cumulative deposits.  In other words, cumulative deposit scheme is more profitable if you are looking to multiply your money.

Cumulative deposits are also refereed as term deposits (recurring deposits) since herein you deposit specified amount every month and get interest +maturity amount at end of the term. You may opt for cumulative deposits when you want to regularly (monthly, quarterly, etc) deposit a fixed amount.
In a fixed deposit, you deposit a given amount for a predetermined period at one go. For your information, apart from banks, a number of companies also accept fixed deposits, sometimes termed as debentures. In such fixed deposits, you may avail the option to get all or part of your investment converted into the companies' shares on maturity.

Cumulative deposit is equivalent to recurring deposit where you have the flexibility of saving whatever amount you wish at any time, and the rate of interest payable to you will remain unaffected. Under such bank account, you are required to deposit in the multiples of Rs 5 or Rs 10.  The tenure of this deposit may vary from 1 to 5 years with the rate of interest depending on the particular period. Recurring or cumulative deposit is better than savings bank account as you get higher rate of interest in the former, in fact it is as beneficial as a fixed deposit account. Many banks offer such deposit accounts to promote the habit of saving among people. ICICI Bank offers one such product called iWish to investors looking for flexible investment amount every month.

So, now you know the comparative benefits of both cumulative deposits and fixed deposits. You can decide to go for either of them as per your need. You may do well to approach some branch of the bank near your place of residence to know the options of both cumulative deposits and fixed deposits and their respective terms and conditions.

Thursday, 3 July 2014

How Axis Bank FD Rates is better than other bank's Fixed Deposit

Axis Bank is a leading banking institution. It offers a wide range of fixed deposit schemes for different durations with several advantages over fixed deposits of other banks:

Axis offers simple reinvestment fixed deposits at competitive interest rate which can go as high as 8.5 or 9 per cent depending upon the tenure of the deposit (See the table below). This rate is 0.27 per cent higher than the average 8.73 offered by other banks.  It is just 0.36 per cent lower than the highest rate.

These deposits can be opened with a minimum investment of Rs 10,000. Thereafter, you can make additions to your deposit in multiples of Re 1. If you do not want to lock your money for a long duration, you can choose as low as six months or even less as the tenure of your fixed term deposit.

Axis Bank FD Rates on term deposits with maturity is in between 14-29 days at 8 per cent, while in case of 7-14 days the interest rate is 7.5 per cent on bulk deposits above Rs 1 crore.

Axis Bank also has a very customer-friendly method of calculation of interest on your fixed deposits. It calculates interest on a quarterly basis on fixed deposits with tenure of six months& above.

As a Fixed Deposit holder, you can opt for automatic rollovers on maturity (for both the principal and interest). You can select this option in the Account Opening Document (AOD).

Under the ‘Rollover only Principal’ option, only the principal amount of your fixed deposit is rolled over. The interest is either credited to your designated account or paid out. Under the ‘Rollover Principal and Interest accrued in Reinvestment Deposit scheme’, you get both the deposit and the interest accrued for the same tenure at the interest rates applicable on the maturity date.

You have the flexibility to choose periodic interest payments on a quarterly basis, wherein interested is calculated and paid on quarterly rests. You also have the option of premature withdrawal of your deposit any time you wish, you will get interest payment for the period for which the deposit is maintained with the bank at the rate applicable for such period.

But the interest payment on your fixed deposit is subject to tax deducted at source (TDS) as per the provisions of the Income Tax Act. TDS is deducted on the basis of the total interest projected on the aggregate of fixed deposits of the customer, for the financial year.

There is no premature withdrawal penalty on NRE Term Deposits too.
As for other advantages, the interest that you earn on Axis Bank fixed deposit during the previous quarter is added to the principal for calculation of interest. In other words, fixed deposit interest rate on this aggregate amount is calculated every quarter. If the tenure of your fixed deposit schemes is below 6 months, it earns simple interest.

Given the above advantages, it seems fixed deposits offered by Axis Bank is a better option than that offered by most other banks. For one year fixed deposit Axis Bank offers 9% returns and for 6 months, the interest is 8.75%

Thursday, 19 June 2014

Things to Consider Before Investing in Fixed Deposits

Fixed deposits have traditionally been one of the most popular investment options because they guarantee you good returns. Moreover, you are also able to ensure that your savings are safe throughout the tenure of these deposits. The interest rate on these deposits is also a lot higher than your regular savings accounts. You can use the FD Calculator to know more about the interest you are going to get on the deposit from a particular bank. It helps you make a wise decision when you have to choose between fixed deposit options from several banks.
But the interest you get cannot be the only factor you bear in mind when investing in fixed deposits. There are several considerations that have to be taken into account to ensure that you get the most out of this stable and lucrative investment option. 




●     You have to realize fixed deposits up to Rs. 1 lakh are backed by deposit insurance. Hence it’s a good idea to have a few FDs with principal up to Rs. 1 lakh rather than have a lump sum amount into one FD.
●     One worry many investors have is that they might lock their investments on what could be lower interest rates for long durations. To combat that, you can firstly use the FD Calculator to make sure you are making the best possible choice. You can then divide your investments into smaller amounts that can be invested in FDs of varying tenures.
●     When you lock in an FD you are better off choosing one that compounds the interest in a shorter time span. Usually quarterly compounding interest FDs should be given precedence.
●     It’s also important to remember that senior citizens get slightly higher interest rates on FDs for the same amount of time.
●     There are many different financial institutions and cooperative societies that offer fixed deposit schemes along with reputed banks in the country. It makes it imperative to know more about the organization you are going to invest in and its credibility, as well. It will ensure that you are making a safe and sound investment decision with your hard earned money.
●     FD Calculator is a smart, simple and convenient option for you to pick the best fixed deposit option available in the market today. Choosing between hundreds of fixed deposit schemes from various banks and financial institutions can seem daunting. That’s the reason several consumers opt for the first fixed deposit option that comes their way. It can be a decision that costs you dearly, especially since there’s no reason for it when you have these calculators to rely on.
●     There are fixed deposit options that can bring you tax saving benefits at the end of the year. Deposits of up to Rs. 1 lakh kept for a period of over five years can bring you substantial tax saving benefits. Hence if that’s one of the aims behind your investments then it makes sense to opt for these FDs.


FD Calculator can give you a fair idea about interest rates, but there are few other factors that you have to think about when investing in FDs.

Friday, 13 June 2014

Best fixed deposit schemes from SBI

Most people do not venture into FDs because of the fear that when they have a sudden need for money, they may not be able to access it due to the rigidness of the scheme. Many banks now consider these aspects and design fixed deposit product that addresses all your concerns. When banking is moving to highly customer friendly ground, never let your money just sit in a savings account that offers very less interest. Let’s see here how the Fixed Deposit schemes offered by State Bank of India can help you in achieving your financial goals.




State Bank of India is the largest financial institution in India. It is a government-owned corporation and a multinational financial institution, which has become synonymous with the word ‘trust’.  For any Indian, SBI would be a name that comes first to mind whenever he thinks of investment options.



How Fixed Deposit Schemes of SBI helps you?

There are several types of fixed deposit schemes offered by SBI. In Case of SBI FD Rates, Each one has its own features in terms of interest rates and returns. Read More


For Parents

If you want to save for the future of your children, a fixed deposit can be the ideal kind of investment. SBI offers junior savings plan that are built to suit exactly the needs of parents. You will not have to worry about education funds once your child grows up. You can keep adding to the deposited amount through roll over facilities. As you keep adding to the deposit amount the rate of interest also increases considerably. You can further link the interest earned from the FD to a savings account. The interest earnings can take care of your additional expenditure or become another savings option for your child.


For the Retired Community

Fixed Deposit is a great way to plan your retirement. If you plan smartly and put away a certain amount of money throughout your employment years it will come in handy during retirement.  If you do not work for a company that gives pension, investing in Fixed Deposit is an ideal retirement plan. By the time you retire the money that you have saved as Fixed Deposit will earn enough interest to take care of your monthly expenditure. You can spend the rest of your retired life with peace of mind with the monthly interest gaining from your FD.


Middle aged Professionals

Professionals can take advantage of both short term and long term Fixed Deposit schemes offered by SBI. Investing in FD not only offers you higher returns, but helps you for your long term and short term financial goals like purchase of property, children’s education and marriage.
The best way to maximize the benefits of FD is to choose a longer tenure. Also one should allow the interest to be accumulated in their account, which is a sure shot way of increasing your savings systematically.

Fixed Deposit schemes offered by SBI

Tenure
General Interest Rates (w.e.f. 18.02.2014)
Interest Rate for Senior Citizens (w.e.f. 18.02.2014)
7 days to 90 days
7.5
7.5
91 days to 179 days
7.5
7.5
180 days to 210 days
7.0
7.0
211 days to less than 1 year
7.5
7.5
1 year to less than 2 years
9.0
9.25
2 years to less than 3 years
9.0
9.25
3 years to less than 5 years
8.75
9.0
5 years and up to 10 years
8.50
8.75


BankBazaar.com is the best platform to understand the FD schemes offered by SBI and the various benefits associated with it.