I’m sure you’ll agree that the internet is one of the most revolutionary leaps forward in history. How many times have you used an internet connection today? How much harder would your life be without that? Pretty much every facet of our lives has been influenced by the world wide web, and investing is no exception. In this post, we’ll take a look at how the dawn of the information age has changed the way we invest.

With the sheer size of the internet these days, it’s pretty tough to explain exactly what it is. At the core of it, it’s one giant bank of information. The internet has made information more accessible than ever before, and stock traders have benefited from it exponentially. Before the internet, an investor’s job was incredibly long-winded. Every time you wanted to find out about a company, you’d have to head to a library and sort through stacks of financial journals. Lengthy files on the history of stocks and bonds would have to have been leafed through until you found what you were looking for. The only alternative would have been calling up a company and asking directly for a financial report. This would not only cost a lot in the way of postage, but would also take a lot of time to gain any benefit from. You would have to wait for the report to be printed and posted. After that, you’d start again with the process of sorting through all the information yourself!

The internet immediately sped up this entire process. These days, you can get onto the SEC website in a matter of seconds, and view company reports in detail as soon as they’re updated. Lengthy, detailed documents on financial histories can also be downloaded in an instant. Then, you can easily search for keywords, figures and specific topics. With the erratic nature of the stock market, these quick updates became an essential for any successful investor. Many modern companies also keep up investor relations web pages. Here, you can find all the same files, presented in a clear, simple way. This created a pretty significant shift of power in the world of investing. Before the information age, investment managers and brokers had a huge advantage over investors like you and me. They had immediate access to detailed financial reports, without having to go through the same trials as investors. This has completely been turned on its head now! Some online resources will provide information for an affordable fee. Others even offer their valuable information for free! Perhaps the biggest change technology has had on investment is lowering investor’s fees. This has been seen in precious metals, FOREX and everywhere else in the world of investing. Retail investors have benefitted the most from this however. These days, it’s completely common for online brokers to charge a mere £6.00 for a trade.

As the internet has become more widely used, the power has gradually transferred to the little guys. Let’s hope that future technology continues to do so!

The National Pension System (NPS) is a voluntary defined contribution plan for retirement income. Individuals aged between 18 and 60 years can open a Tier I and Tier II account. They need to contribute a minimum amount of INR 6,000 per annum to the Tier I NPS account.

The contribution is invested among different asset classes, such as government bonds, corporate bonds, and equities. Contributors can indicate their investment choice to maximize their returns on investments.

Although the NPS was launched in 2009, it did not gain much popularity initially. Individuals shied away from investing in the NPS because of its complexity and a general lack of clarity related to their contributions.

However, in the previous year’s Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took a huge step towards increasing the popularity of this tax saving investments plan. He made contributions of up to INR 50,000 tax deductible under the section 80 CCD (1B) of the Income Tax Act. This deduction was over and above the existing benefit available for investments up to INR 1.5 lakhs under the section 80 CCE. This offers individuals a total tax deduction benefit of INR 2 lakhs under sections 80 CCD (1) and 80 CCD (1B).

As a result, an increased number of investors started investing in the National Pension System. Assets under management for the NPS crossed INR 1 lakh crores for the first time since the launch of this tax saving scheme.

Working of the NPS

Individual subscribers

They can open their NPS accounts with any of the “Point of Presence (POP)” appointed by the regulatory authority, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). They need to fill and submit the Common Subscriber Registration Form (CRSF) to the POP along with KYC documents and initial contribution. On successfully opening an account, users receive a Welcome Kit comprising the Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN) card and other related documentation. The PRAN is unique for each subscriber and portable, giving you flexibility even if you change your job or location.

Tier I is the pension account while Tier II is the investment account. Withdrawals from Tier I accounts are limited and help to create the retirement corpus. Tier II is a voluntary investment facility and the amounts from this account can be withdrawn without any limitations.

Corporate subscribers

The corporate model for this tax saving scheme was made available from December 2011. It was customized to suit the requirements of different companies and employees. The NPS is an option offered for providing additional retirement benefits to the personnel, and can be made mandatory by the companies for their employees.

Companies can join this tax saving investments scheme through the POP. Employers who contribute to this pension plan on behalf of their employees also receive tax advantages, which make it attractive for them. Companies can claim such benefits for an amount that is up to 10% of the employees’ salaries (basic + dearness allowance) through deduction as business expenses.

So – you’ve had an excellent idea for business and thought it might be a success? Well, congratulations. It’s an amazing experience owning a startup and seeing something grow from an idea to an actual business. However, there are a lot of things that can go wrong – unless you have the right protection in place.

Most business owners understand the importance of security – but you have to start sooner rather than later. In fact, ask any legal expert and they are likely to tell you to sort out your protection before you even write your business plan. In this guide, we’re going to reveal five simple legal tips for fledgeling startups. Take a look and make sure you have the right protection.

Consider your structure

Before you start work, you will need to register your business with HMRC. It’s advisable to register as a company, rather than a sole trader, as it gives you a little extra protection. You should have a chat with an accountant, too – they will tell you the type of company you should be to save on your tax bill.

Contract everything

From the second you start dealing with other people, make sure you have a contract. It could be a partnership or an employee – it can also be a supplier or investor. In short, anyone that has any contact with your business needs to be held in a contract. It outlines everyone’s responsibilities and expectations and holds both parties to account.

Intellectual property

Don’t forget that your ideas have value, too – and it’s essential you protect them. Trademark registration is a simple process, as is applying for patents or copyrights. Ensure you do this as early as possible. If you have a very good idea, you don’t want someone stealing it from you and making a fortune off the back of it. It’s happened many times before, and will continue to do so if you don’t have intellectual property protection.

Hire a business lawyer

Don’t underestimate how useful a business lawyer can be for your fledgeling startup. They can help you cover yourself in a legal sense, and highlight areas of potential improvements. If someone files a claim against you, they can react quicker as they already understand your business. Just like having an accountant, it will save you money in the long-term. The amount of legal help you might need will be enormous as you grow your company. It makes sound sense – financial and otherwise – to use the same person.

Get insurance

If the worst happens, you have to have insurance. No matter how safe you think you are operating, there is always the chance of something happening. A slip, trip, or fall on your premises can lead to an expensive lawsuit. An unhappy client could pursue you for damages – even if you think you have done nothing wrong. It all adds up to a large payout, which could blow your startup out of the water before you even get started. Insurance will give you the peace of mind you need to make your business success.

London is one of the most sought after places to live on the planet. People from all corners of the world would love the chance to live in this energetic and vibrant city. Whether you’re moving closer to your family or for your job, living in London is unlike anywhere in the world. You have incredible shopping destinations, endless culture and fabulous entertainment right on your doorstep. But due to it’s popularity, buying a home in London can be challenging. From high house prices to finding a suitable area, there is plenty of things you must consider. To make the process easier, there are three things you must do first.

Do your homework

London is an enormous city that is full of different boroughs all of which have their own unique qualities. Use accommodation search engines, talk to friends and search on Google to establish which boroughs might appeal to you. Do plenty of research into each one including property types, transport links and local entertainment. The house prices will also vary from borough to borough and how close you want to live to the city centre. So find out what the average prices are as this will help you budget and plan ahead. If you have a family, you should also research what schools, parks and attractions are in each borough too. This should help you choose some viable places to start your search.

Visit the city

It’s not alway wise to move somewhere you have never been before. So if you have never visited London before, you should always take the time to do so before moving here. You may find that city life is not for you after all or that the areas you can afford to buy in aren’t what you thought they would be like. If you have visited before, you should still visit again but from the perspective of a buyer not a tourist. You can spend your visit contacting Canary Wharf estate agents or viewing potential properties. Try to fit in as many viewings as you can to see what options are available. You can also use this time to explore the borough’s you researched previously. Doing this will help you determine whether moving here is right at this moment in time.

Look for work

With people from the UK and beyond looking for employment in London you face stiff competition. The sooner you start your search for work the better. If you work for a large company, you may be able to relocate to their London office. Or you might want to look for something completely different to what you are doing now. Sign up to recruitment sites or contact an agency to help you find a suitable role. Securing work should be a top priority as it will help to fund your new home and life.

Whatever your reason for wanting to move to London, these tips will help make the transition go a lot smoother. Take the time to do each action and carefully consider each decision you make. Acting on impulse may sound exciting, but it could have expensive repercussions.

There are many times in your life when you might require a lawyer. But, how do you hire the best one for the job? In today’s piece, I’ve written you a short guide on hiring legal representation:

Check Their Track Record

It can be hard to figure out whether or not you’re hiring the best lawyer possible. One easy way to determine this is if you check their track record. See how many cases they’ve won and lost over the years. Typically, the best lawyers will brag about their record. If they win more than they lose, you can bet they’ll let everyone know about it. It will be plastered all over their website to show off how good they are at their job. If you can’t find anything about their track record, then you should enquire. To put yourself in the best possible situation, you want a lawyer that wins the majority of their cases. It’s also important that you take their experience into account as well. You need someone with years of experience behind them, as this can help them get the result you need.

Look For Specialists

Different legal cases require a different type of legal representation. There are many types of lawyer that are best suited for particular legal needs. If you need help with a personal injury claim, then you should go to a personal injury lawyer. Should you require help with a will, then there are firms like Ronald Fletcher and Co. that specialise in this area. Different people have different legal needs; it’s important you find a specialist lawyer that fits your requirements. It doesn’t make sense to hire someone that rarely ventures into the legal field you need help in. When looking for lawyers, check what services they offer and whether or not they fit your case.

Always Check For ‘No Win No Fee’ Offers

I find it’s crucial that you look for a law firm that offers no win no fee on some of their cases. This means that if they don’t win, you won’t have to pay them a penny. You find these offers in most personal injury and negligence cases. I think it’s essential to look for this, as it can save you lots of money. No one wants to pay for a lawyer that ends up losing their case. By hiring someone on a no win no fee basis, you give yourself a bit of security.

Understand Your Budget

The final piece of advice I can give you is arguably the most important. It’s key that you understand your budget and don’t pay for more than you can afford. You must recognise that legal disputes can go on for a very long time. Overpaying for a lawyer can mean that you end up struggling for money.

There are many problems in life that can be solved with the help of a lawyer. It’s important you realise how to hire one correctly. Hire the wrong lawyer, and you could end up in a very bad financial situation.