UG 25B, Somdutt Chamber-1, Bhikaji Cama Place
       New Delhi-110066
info@onehorizonwealth.com +91 9999 32 8585

Mutual Fund (M.F)

Mutual fund is a mechanism for pooling money by issuing units to the investors and investing funds in securities in accordance with objectives as disclosed in offer document. Investments in securities are spread across a wide cross-section of industries and sectors and thus the risk is diversified because all stocks may not move in the same direction in the same proportion at the same time. Mutual funds issue units to the investors in accordance with quantum of money invested by them. Investors of mutual funds are known as unit-holders. The profits or losses are shared by investors in proportion to their investments. Mutual funds normally come out with a number of schemes which are launched from time to time with different investment objectives. A mutual fund is required to be registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) before it can collect funds from the public.
A Mutual Fund is set up in the form of a trust, which has sponsor, trustees, Asset Management Company (AMC) and custodian. The trust is established by a sponsor or more than one sponsor who is like promoter of a company. The trustees of the mutual fund hold its property for the benefit of the unitholders. AMC approved by SEBI manages the funds by making investments in various types of securities. Custodian, who is required to be registered with SEBI, holds the securities of various schemes of the fund in its custody. The trustees are vested with the general power of superintendence and direction over AMC. They monitor the performance and compliance of SEBI Regulations by the mutual fund. SEBI Regulations require that at least two-thirds of the directors of trustee company or board of trustees must be independent i.e. they should not be associated with the sponsors. Also, 50% of the directors of AMC must be independent. All mutual funds are required to be registered with SEBI before they launch any scheme.
The performance of a particular scheme of a mutual fund is denoted by Net Asset Value (NAV). Mutual funds invest the money collected from investors in securities markets. In simple words, NAV is the market value of the securities held by the scheme. Since market value of securities changes every day, NAV of a scheme also varies on day to day basis. The NAV per unit is the market value of securities of a scheme divided by the total number of units of the scheme on any particular date.

Example

  • Mr. X has invests in 2 different schemes, Scheme-A and Scheme-B. He invests Rs 10 lakh in both the schemes.
  • NAV of Scheme-A is Rs 10
  • NAV of Scheme-B is Rs 50
  • Units to be allocated
  • Scheme-A: 100000 units (Rs 1,000,000 / 10)
  • Scheme-A: 20000 units (Rs 1,000,000 / 50)
  • Returns earned in both the schemes are 10% after a year.

Here the revised NAV per unit is Rs 11 for Scheme-A and Rs 55 for Scheme-B. The initial amount invested for both the schemes is Rs 10 lakh. The only difference is the number of units allocated, the units allocated in Scheme-A is higher than Scheme-B. But the NAV and the return for both the schemes are the same. So, the role of NAV is not the only factor to measure the performance of the fund.

Mutual fund NAVs are the book value of the scheme. When investing in any scheme, an investor must check the past performance of the scheme. Also, an investor must look at the returns earned by the fund over the years.

Open-Ended Scheme: This scheme does not have a fixed maturity period; an investor can buy or sell at the NAV-related price. Here, the NAV is very important.

Close-Ended Scheme These schemes have a fixed maturity period and the investors can only invest during the initial issue days open for subscription, after which you can only buy or sell the already issued units. Here, the market price of the units will vary from the NAV due to demand-supply factors, market factors.

Interval Scheme This scheme is a combination of both schemes. They may be traded on stock exchanges or be open for sale/redemption during predetermined intervals at NAV-based prices.

As stated above, no entry load can be charged for any mutual fund scheme. An investor can chose to pay a distributor based on the investor’s assessment of various factors including the service rendered by the distributor. However, for investments made through a distributor, commission is paid directly by AMC to the distributor such that the total expense ratio for an investor is within the limits on expense ratio specified under regulation 52 of the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996. Hence, the cost borne by investors remains within the limit prescribed under SEBI Regulations.

There are two ways where an Investor can invest their money. Lump-sum: Where an Investor invest the desired amount at one-go for certain time to achieve his/her goal. Systematic Investment Plan (SIP): Popularly known as SIP, where an Investor invest the small amount on weekly/Monthly/ Quarterly basis. This allows them to invest in the stock market without trying to second guess its movements. SIP is an approach where investor disciplines themselves to save money to create a big wealth.

Monthly investment of Rs.1000 for 35 years (total Rs.4.20 Lacs) can make you earn close to one crore and that too legally!

Portfolio Management Services

Portfolio Management Services (PMS), service offered by the Portfolio Manager, is an investment portfolio in stocks, fixed income, debt, cash, structured products and other individual securities, managed by a professional money manager that can potentially be tailored to meet specific investment objectives. When you invest in PMS, you own individual securities unlike a mutual fund investor, who owns units of the fund. You have the freedom and flexibility to tailor your portfolio to address personal preferences and financial goals. Although portfolio managers may oversee hundreds of portfolios, your account may be unique.

  • Discretionary

    Under these services, the choice as well as the timings of the investment decisions rest solely with the Portfolio Manager.

  • Non Discretionary

    Under these services, the portfolio manager only suggests the investment ideas. The choice as well as the timings of the investment decisions rest solely with the Investor. However the execution of trade is done by the portfolio manager.

  • Advisory

    Under these services, the portfolio manager only suggests the investment ideas. The choice as well as the execution of the investment decisions rest solely with the Investor. Note: In India majority of Portfolio Managers offer Discretionary Services.

The Investment solutions provided by PMS cater to a niche segment of clients. The clients can be Individuals or Institutions entities with high net worth. The offerings are usually ideal for investors: who are looking to invest in asset classes like equity, fixed income, structured products etc,who desire personalised investment solutions ,who desire long-term wealth creation ,who appreciate a high level of service.

Apart from cash, the client can also hand over an existing portfolio of stocks, bonds or mutual funds to a Portfolio Manager that could be revamped to suit his profile. However the Portfolio Manager may at his own sole discretion sell the said existing securities in favour of fresh investments.

The tax liability of a PMS investor would remain the same as if the investor is accessing the capital market directly. However, the investor should consult his tax advisor for the same. The Portfolio Manager ideally provides audited statement of accounts at the end of the financial year to aid the investor in assessing his/ her tax liabilities.

  • Professional Management

    The service provides professional management of portfolios with the objective of delivering consistent long-term performance while controlling risk.

  • Continuous Monitoring

    It is important to recognize that portfolios need to be constantly monitored and periodic changes made to optimize the results.

  • Risk Control

    A research team responsible for establishing the client's investment strategy and providing the PMS provider real time information to support it, backs any firm's portfolio managers.

  • Hassle Free Operation

    Portfolio Management Service provider gives the client a customised service. The company takes care of all the administrative aspects of the client's portfolio with a periodic reporting (usually daily) on the overall status of the portfolio and performance.

  • Flexibility

    The Portfolio Manager has fair amount of flexibility in terms of holding cash (can go up to 100% also depending on the market conditions). He can create a reasonable concentration in the investor portfolios by investing disproportionate amounts in favour of compelling opportunities.

  • Transparency

    PMS provide comprehensive communications and performance reporting. Investors will get regular statements and updates from the firm. Web-enabled access will ensure that client is just a click away from all information relating to his investment. Your account statements will give you a complete picture of which individual securities you hold, as well as the number of shares you own. It will also usually provide:

    • The current value of the securities you own;
    • The cost basis of each security;
    • Details of account activity (such as purchases, sales and dividends paid out or reinvested);
    • Your portfolio's asset allocation;
    • Your portfolio's performance in comparison to a benchmark;
    • Market commentary from your Portfolio Manager
  • Customised Advice

    PMS give select clients the benefit of tailor made investment advice designed to achieve his financial objectives. It can be structured to automatically exclude investments you may own in another account or investments you would prefer not to own. For example, if you are a long-term employee in a company and you have acquired concentrated stock positions over the years and have become over exposed to few company's stock, a separately managed account provides you with the ability to exclude that stock from your portfolio.

Individuals and Non-Individuals such as HUFs, partnerships firms, sole proprietorship firms and Body Corporate.

Yes. All investments involve a certain amount of risk, including the possible erosion of the principal amount invested, which varies depending on the security selected. For example, investments in small and mid-sized companies tend to involve more risk than investments in larger companies.

Alternate Investment Fund

Alternative Investment Fund or AIF means any fund established or incorporated in India which is a privately pooled investment vehicle which collects funds from sophisticated investors, whether Indian or foreign, for investing it in accordance with a defined investment policy for the benefit of its investors. AIF does not include funds covered under the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996, SEBI (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations, 1999 or any other regulations of the Board to regulate fund management activities. Further, certain exemptions from registration are provided under the AIF Regulations to family trusts set up for the benefit of 'relatives‘ as defined under Companies Act, 1956, employee welfare trusts or gratuity trusts set up for the benefit of employees, 'holding companies‘ within the meaning of Section 4 of the Companies Act, 1956 etc

Applicants can seek registration as an AIF in one of the following categories, and in sub-categories thereof, as may be applicable:

  • Category I AIF:

    AIFs which invest in start-up or early stage ventures or social ventures or SMEs or infrastructure or other sectors or areas which the government or regulators consider as socially or economically desirable and shall include venture capital funds, SME Funds, social venture funds, infrastructure funds and such other Alternative Investment Funds as may be specified.

    • Venture capital funds (Including Angel Funds)
    • SME Funds o Social Venture Funds o Infrastructure funds.
  • Category II AIF:

    AIFs which do not fall in Category I and III and which do not undertake leverage or borrowing other than to meet day-to-day operational requirements and as permitted in the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012. Various types of funds such as real estate funds, private equity funds (PE funds), funds for distressed assets, etc. are registered as Category II AIFs.

  • Category III AIF

    AIFs which employ diverse or complex trading strategies and may employ leverage including through investment in listed or unlisted derivatives. Various types of funds such as hedge funds, PIPE Funds, etc. are registered as Category III AIFs

“Angel fund” is a sub-category of Venture Capital Fund under Category IAlternative Investment Fund that raises funds from angel investors and invests in accordance with the provisions of Chapter III-A of AIF Regulations. In case of an angel fund, it shall only raise funds by way of issue of units to angel investors. "Angel investor" means any person who proposes to invest in an angel fund and satisfies one of the following conditions, namely,

  • an individual investor who has net tangible assets of at least two crore rupees excluding value of his principal residence, and who:
    • has early stage investment experience, or
    • has experience as a serial entrepreneur, or
    • is a senior management professional with at least ten years of experience; ('Early stage investment experience' shall mean prior experience in investing in start-up or emerging or early-stage ventures and 'serial entrepreneur' shall mean a person who has promoted or co-promoted more than one start-up venture.)
  • a body corporate with a net worth of at least ten crore rupees; or
  • an AIF registered under these regulations or a VCF registered under the SEBI (Venture Capital Funds) Regulations, 1996. Angel funds shall accept, up to a maximum period of 3 years, an investment of not less than `25 lakh from an angel investor.

Debt fund is an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) which invests primarily in debt or debt securities of listed or unlisted investee companies according to the stated objectives of the Fund. These funds are registered under Category II. In this regard, it is clarified that, since Alternative Investment Fund is a privately pooled investment vehicle, the amount contributed by the investors shall not be utilised for purpose of giving loans.

Fund of Funds, in general parlance as gathered from publicly available sources s an investment strategy of holding a portfolio of other investment funds rather than investing directly in stocks, bonds or other securities. In the context of AIFs, a Fund of Fund is an AIF which invest in another AIF.

Fixed Deposit

As an investment instrument offered by banks and NBFCs (non-banking financial companies), Fixed Deposit is a great way to grow your savings with utmost safety. It is one of the most preferred avenues that enable you to deposit a lump sum amount with your financier, and choose tenure as per your convenience. On completion of the pre-decided tenure, your deposit starts earning an interest, throughout the chosen duration, as per the interest rate at which you locked in your deposit. Once your investment amount has been locked in at a specific interest rate, it remains unaffected by further changes in interest rates or market fluctuations. Thus, you can get guaranteed returns on your deposit, and you can choose to get your interest on a periodic basis, or at maturity. Usually, the defining criteria for FD is that the money cannot be withdrawn before maturity, but you may withdraw them after paying a penalty.
Fixed Deposit is one of the safest investment instruments, which offers highest stability Returns on Fixed Deposit are assured, and there is no risk of loss of principal You can opt for periodic interest payouts, to help you manage your monthly expenses. There is no effect of market fluctuations on your Fixed Deposit, which ensures greater safety of your investment capital. Some financiers also offer higher FD interest rates for senior citizens.
The interest earned from Fixed Deposit is taxable. The tax deducted at source on FD can range from 0% to 30%, depending on income tax bracket of the investor. Financiers deduct 7.5% TDS if interest earned is more than Rs. 10,000 in a year, only if your PAN details are available with them. However, in case your PAN details are not provided to your financial institution, 20% TDS will be deducted. If your total income is below the minimum tax slab of 10%, you can claim a refund of the deducted TDS. You can also avoid the deduction by submitting Form 15G to your financial institution, and submitting Form 15H if you’re a senior citizen. If you fall in the higher tax bracket (20% or 30%), you would have to pay extra tax over and above the TDS deducted by your NBFC or bank.

Tax deducted at source, or TDS, is interest directly deducted from people when they receive payments, salaries, fees, commissions, rent or income from any other sources. The interest earned from Fixed Deposit is taxable, as the rest of your income. When filing your taxes, you must declare your FD under ‘Income from other sources’, depending on the taxable amount limit, as per your financier. If you deposit a large sum in your FD, tax deductions are incurred at source.

Fixed Deposit (FD) is a reliable investment tool for preserving and growing savings. The rate of interest on your deposit depends on the tenure you choose, and the frequency of interest payouts. The FD formula for calculation of interest is listed below:?

  • A=P(1+r/n)^n*t
  • Where
  • A is maturity amount
  • P is principal amount
  • R is rate of interest
  • T is number of years is compounded interest frequency

For those looking to avoid the complexities of manual calculations, there is always an option to use the online FD Calculator that evaluates your returns within a few minutes.

Choosing between cumulative and non-cumulative FD can be tricky, but it is important to understand your own requirements. For those with a need to get periodic income, investing in a non-cumulative fixed deposit can be a great choice. However, if you’re looking to grow your capital over a specific period, consider investing in a cumulative fixed deposit.

Investing in fixed deposits for a specific tenure can help you gain from fixed and steady interest rates. However, unforeseen circumstances may warrant urgent financing, which is why you may want to liquidate your savings before the end of your investment tenure.

Yes, the penalty on withdrawing your deposit prematurely from a non-banking financial company depends on when you choose to withdraw from your deposit. As per the Reserve Bank of India, here are the guidelines on penalty for premature withdrawal of fixed deposit

Thus, instead of withdrawing prematurely, it is always advisable to take a Loan against Fixed Deposit, to cater to immediate needs without having to liquidate your savings. This can help you get the desired cash flow without losing out on the interest.

Life Insurance

This is the basic life insurance FAQ. Life insurance is a contract between you and the insurance company. The insurer agrees to pay the policy benefits to your nominees in case of
Life cover is useful to ensure the financial stability of your family in case you are unable to earn due to an accident or illness. The policy also pays the benefits to your beneficiaries in case of an untoward event. Procuring such coverage ensures that your family can to meet their expenses and sustain their lifestyles even in your absence.
One of the things to know about life insurance is that while it is not necessary, purchasing a policy is a smart investment decision. This is especially if you have dependents such as spouse, parents, and children. The life plan will provide financial security to your family if you are not around. Moreover, life policies offer several benefits and are a flexible instrument. Some of these include the flexibility of adding riders for greater coverage or withdrawing part of the accumulated corpus to meet expenses such as children’s education or wedding.
The maturity benefits primarily depend on the premium you pay during the policy term. This amount depends on several factors such as your lifestyle, spending habits, income, expenses, and debt obligations. It is recommended you procure coverage that is approximately between eight-ten times of your annual income.
The insurance cost depends on the type of policy chosen. In addition, factors like the sum assured, premium amount, age, and coverage influence the insurance cost. The total insurance costs include mortality charges, administrative charges, and investment fees. To know all about life insurance costs, you must read the policy document.
Yes, insurers provide several options for premium payment. You may choose monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annual payment options. Some policies are available with a one-time premium.
A grace period of up to 30 days is available from the premium due date. If you do not pay the same within this period, the policy becomes defunct and all benefits are lost. You need to pay the revival premium when you want to restart the coverage.
One of the common questions is about term insurance and how it is different from regular life policies. The former is a pure life cover and offers only death benefits to your nominees. If you survive the policy duration, there are no maturity benefits available. It is an affordable and convenient way to avail of higher coverage.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is an insurance product that provides cover for medical and surgical expenses of an insured person, in case of a medical emergency. However, you are required to pay a premium to avail health insurance policy.
You should purchase health insurance so that you don’t lose your lifelong savings while paying for medical bills in a critical situation.
Yes! You can gain coverage for self, spouse, children, dependent parents, and multiple other relationships such as parents-in-law, siblings, and others if your plan allows.
Yes, you are free to buy another plan based on your specific medical needs.
Health insurance benefits differ from policy to policy. However, basic health insurance benefits include cover for an inpatient hospitalization, pre & post hospitalization, daycare procedures, emergency ambulance expenses, organ donor expenses, domiciliary hospitalization, OPD expenses, and more.
Critical illness policies provide coverage for life-threatening illnesses such as Cancer, Stroke, Heart Attack, Kidney Failure, and others. If buying a critical illness plan, you can expect wide cover for critical illnesses (number of illnesses covered depends on plan), lump-sum amount payment on diagnosis, tax benefits, and more.
Yes! Buying health insurance will earn you the eligibility to claim tax benefits under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
If you already have an insurance policy but want to extend your cover, you can do so at the time of policy renewal.
If you have already been diagnosed with a medical condition, it will be considered a pre-existing disease. In this case, you may have to wait for a specific period (waiting period) until allowed coverage. Based on your insurer, you may be required to pay a higher premium or face policy denial.
You will have to wait for a period of 30 days (waiting period) before your policy starts covering you. If you have a health insurance policy for accident cover, there will be no waiting period. Furthermore, in the case of a pre-existing disease or specific diseases, you will have to serve the waiting period (depending on the plan) before enjoying the coverage.
In case of missed health insurance renewal due date, your insurance company will give you a grace period of 15-30 days. If you again miss making the premium payment during the grace period, you may be denied coverage, denied policy renewal, lose out on no claim bonus, or asked to serve with waiting periods from the start.
Usually, health insurance companies do not cover maternity and related expenses. But a few including Apollo Munich (now HDFC Ergo Health), Max Bupa have some particular plans which offer maternity cover after specified waiting periods. The waiting periods generally vary from 2-4 years.
The pre-existing disease is an ailment, injury, or disease that the insured individual is already affected by when purchasing a health insurance policy. Conditions like depression, anxiety, sleep apnea, diabetes, etc. are considered as pre-existing diseases in health insurance. For any other query related to health insurance, feel free to get in touch with us at 755 1196 989.
Yes. Every policy comes with a validity like 1 year, 2 years, or 3 years, after which it needs to be renewed. The insurance companies provide you a grace period of 15 days from the date of expiry during which you can pay the premium and continue availing of policy benefits. If the premium is not paid even during the grace period, then the policy will lapse and you will lose the accumulated benefits such as waiting period benefits or No Claim Bonus and will have to buy a new policy to seek protection from healthcare expenses.
Yes, you can transfer my health insurance policy from one health insurance company to another due to various reasons. Some include better quotes with another insurance company, better services, coverage for more healthcare expenses with a different insurer, etc. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) had issued a circular in which the insurance companies were directed to allow the insured to transfer one health insurance plan to another or one insurance company to another without making the insured lose any accumulated benefits like renewal credits for pre-existing diseases.
Suppose a health insurance policy is issued for a sum insured of Rs. 3 Lakh from January to December and the insured files a claim of Rs. 50,000 in the month of March. Then, once the claim is approved and settled, the amount of benefit availed will be deducted from the total sum insured amount. This means that the coverage will now be left of Rs. 2.5 Lakh for a period from March to December.
There is no limit to the number of claims that can be made during a policy term. But the claim amount should not exceed the sum insured amount for which the insured had purchased the policy.
Yes. As per the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), every indemnity based health insurance policy will cover you for expenses related to treatment required due to positive diagnosis of COBID-19, if taken as an in-patient.

CAR Insurance

Motor Own Damage Insurance is a form of insurance to help you in the event of damage to your car in an accident.Motor Own Damage Insurance covers a wide variety of cases,from broken windows to theft or damages arising out of an accident. Motor third-party insurance cover,which is also referred to as the‘act only’cover,is a statutory requirement under the Motor Vehicles Act,1988.It is referred to as a‘third party’cover since the beneficiary of the policy is someone other than the two parties involved in the contract(the car owner and the insurance company).The policy does not provide any benefit to you.However,it covers any legal liability that you may incur due to death/disability of third-party and/or loss or damage to the third-party property while using the car.
No Claim Bonus is allowed to the Insured and not to the insured car.Hence,on sale of the car,the insurance policy can be transferred to the new owner but not the No Claim Bonus.The new owner has to pay the difference on account of No Claim Bonus for the balance policy period.The original owner can,however,use the No Claim Bonus from his old car(the one he has sold)to a new car purchased by him.For this he has to apply to the existing insurance company and get the No Claim Bonus reserving letter.
Yes,it is compulsory to insure the Registered Owner of the vehicle against risk of Personal Accident only if he/she holds a valid driving license.This cover is available on payment of a nominal premium amount.
Yes,they may be insured against risk of Personal Accident for a sum not exceeding Rs.2 lakhs per passenger by paying an additional nominal premium.

Real Estate

This is common among new investors looking to buy property. The value of a real estate property can be determined using a number of methods. However, the most common method for determining how much a property is worth is by conducting comparative market analysis. This is an in-depth examination of recently sold similar properties in the same area.
Real estate investing offers many property investment options. As a result, many beginner real estate investors tend to be confused about which strategy to use. However, the best real estate investment strategy for you will depend on the amount of time and money you are willing to invest. It is also important to consider your long-term real estate investment goals.
To be successful in real estate investing, you need to know how to find investment properties that are profitable. To do so, you need to thoroughly evaluate the city, neighborhood, investment property, Government Plans, Upcoming projects & many more things. However this process is a bit complex and time-consuming. You can turn to OneHorizon for quickly real estate market analysis and investment property analysis to locate profitable investment properties as per your budget.
Real estate investing for beginners is easier if you have equity in an existing property. This may be another investment property or your family home. With an already existing property, you may use it to borrow more and build a substantial real estate investment portfolio much quicker. However, it will ultimately depend on your investment goals and personal financial situation.
You can buy an investment property by yourself. However, it is strongly recommended that you work with a real estate agent, even if you are old to real estate investing. Without an agent, the process can be quite rigorous and time-consuming. An agent will walk you through the whole process of buying a property and ensure that you comply with all the requirements. They will help you to evaluate markets, get pre-approved for a loan, find an attorney, negotiate a deal, and much more. However, be sure to properly interview more agents so as to choose one that is experienced and a good match for you.
As a beginner real estate investor, you should consider purchasing an investment property that is close to your home. It will be easier to deal with your service providers and tenants if the property is within driving distance. It is advisable to invest in an out-of-state property only after gaining enough experience. Having said that, it may at times make more sense to invest in an out-of-state property. For instance, you may find that homes in other parts of the Country that are more profitable or more affordable than those in your area. It is important for you to do thorough market research and weigh your options before you choose where to invest in real estate.
Most new property investors who ask such real estate questions are often looking for a way to get rich quick. Real estate investing can be a profitable business. However, it generally won’t make you rich overnight or even over the course of a few months. You will need to not only work hard but also be patient before seeing big returns. Your returns will also vary depending on your strategy, market conditions & other factors.

WILL

Will is a written declaration by a person about his/her wishes for all matters such as distributing his/her properties /assets, wealth to family, relatives, outsiders, charities etc. after his/her death. A Will should be signed in the presence of two witnesses to give a legal effect as per Indian laws.
Preparing a will ensures that all your assets and properties are distributed and disposed of as per your wishes after your death avoiding disputes/misunderstanding or any legal interference within the family or legal heir. Also, if you wish to give more share to some of your relatives/heirs and want to ensure that certain person must not get any of your assets and properties, then will is the only effective document to do the same. For example – if one wishes to donate organs, give flat to any charitable institute/Trust/government/Family, give more/less to any particular son/daughter, give some amount to parents or also care taker/friend etc. and anything with specific conditions, such wishes can be mentioned in a Will which shall be binding to all - family, relatives, all laws, all courts including the Supreme Court of India. Individuals following Muslim religion may have to follow Sharia laws for succession of wealth instead of writing a Will.
When one dies without writing a Will (called “intestate” in legal language), all your properties, assets, wealth is distributed as per Succession Laws applicable to your religion/personal law, like The Hindu Succession Act etc.. You must know that such succession laws have defined fixed proportion to be distributed to all/several family members which may not be as per your wishes. There could be chances of delay in distribution of properties and may lead to legal cases, disputes amongst family members etc.
Any person above the age of 18 years can make a Will with sound mind, i.e., capable of understanding his actions and is free from any undue influences.
In today’s world of uncertainty where untimely death due to accidents, heart ailments, terror attacks are becoming ‘a way of life’ which is also why many people take insurance at a young age of 25 or earlier. You should make a Will soon after attaining 18 years of age and owning even a single asset like flat or insurance policy or bank account or shares. If one takes insurance at a young age to provide financial support to the family in case of untimely death, why not make a Will which is an instruction in writing to the family as on ‘how to distribute insurance claim or other properties / assets’. Hence everyone should make a Will at any age above 18 years.
One can nominate guardians for minor children who are beneficiary in the Will, and such guardian will be responsible to look after the minor children and protect their share until the child attains 18 years of age. Many a times, people create a Trust by way of Will for the benefit to all the legal heirs, friends, relatives or for charitable purpose.