Looking To Invest In NCDs? Find How It Fits In Your Investment Plan

For most retired investors, the challenge is not only to invest in such a manner that the tax liability is kept at bay but also to maintain a regular stream of income.

- Anil Chopra

On top of it, with increasing longevity, the other challenge is not to outlive the retirement funds, but put the retirement corpus to optimal use to sustain funds till one lives.

While the Senior Citizens’ Saving Scheme (SCSS) remains the first choice of several retirees, the post office monthly income scheme (POMIS) and the LIC Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) also holds equal importance. At the same time, with companies raising funds through non-convertible debentures (NCD) by offering highly competitive returns, most investors consider them to be an attractive investment option.

NCDs are the kind of bonds that carry a fixed coupon rate of interest which is typically 3 to 4 percent higher than bank deposits over tenure of 3-5-10 years. Not all NCDs may offer monthly, quarterly or half yearly payment of interest as most of them offer annual or cumulative payments. Although the NCDs have a lock in period, they can be traded in the secondary market to provide liquidity. In reality, the liquidity is low and not many bonds get traded.