Unlocking the Benefits of Financial Institutions: A Guide to Financial Freedom

Humans have a nature of dreams or desires. These desires never end because when one fulfills them, he goes for another. You also may have dreams, which may be of a big house, a luxury car, or a good bank balance, but sometimes we don’t have enough money to fulfill our desires. In such circumstances, we go for a loan because we live in an economy where individuals and organizations constantly need finance to fulfill their requirements. For financial assistance, we go to financial institutions.

What is a Financial Institution (FI)?

Financial Institutions are businesses that offer various types of financial services to customers. These organizations provide many services, such as accepting deposits, making investments, advancing loans, offering foreign exchange services, etc.

Financial institutes are not limited to banks, as credit unions, insurance companies, investment banks, and brokerage firms are also part of FIs. These organizations play a crucial role within a capitalistic economic system, as they regulate the economy, ensure fair financial practices, connect savers and spenders, and facilitate prosperity through transactions.

Roles Performed by Financial Institutions

Economic Growth of the Nation

At the national level, financial institutions are subject to government regulation. They serve as agents of the government and develop the country’s economy. For instance, following government regulations, financial institutions may extend a selective credit line with lower interest rates to assist a struggling industry in resolving its problems.

 Capital Formation

Financial institutions offer financial services to investors who require external cash to raise their capital stocks by accepting individual savings. Investors may want financial services to carry out development plans by setting up new machinery, tools, and equipment; constructing a new facility; and purchasing new transport vehicles, among other things. Financial institutions contribute to the creation of capital in this way.

Regulate Monetary Supply

The financial institution assists in controlling the amount of money in the economy. These organizations keep the money supply stable and manage inflation. The Federal Reserve Bank regulates the nation’s liquidity in several ways, including adjusting repo rates, participating in open markets, and setting cash reserve ratios. To control liquidity, financial institutions participate in the purchasing and selling of government assets.

Banking Services

Commercial banks and other financial institutions assist their clients by offering savings and deposit services. Additionally, they provide their clients with credit options, including overdraft facilities, to meet their short-term funding needs. Additionally, commercial banks offer their clients loans such as house loans, mortgages, personal loans, and loans for schooling.

Insurance Services

Financial institutions, like insurance companies, help to mobilize savings and investment in productive activities. In return, they assure investors against their life or some particular asset at the time of need. In other words, they transfer their customer’s risk of loss to themselves.

Pension Fund Services

Financial institutions assist people in retirement planning through the different types of investment plans they offer. A pension fund is one of these investing possibilities. Employers, banks, or other institutions contribute to the investment pool on behalf of the individual, who then receives a lump sum or monthly income upon retirement.

 Brokerage Services

These institutions provide their investors with access to several investment options available in the market, ranging from stock bonds (a common investment alternative) to hedge funds and private equity investments (a lesser-known alternative).

Advantages of Financial Institutions

Credit Creation

The existence of a financial institution is a kind of security that ensures that less money is left unused in an economy. This means that financial institutions are intermediaries between the savers and the borrowers. This process creates money out of money and boosts growth in an economy.

Provide Funds

Financial institution is a good source of medium and long-term finance. They provide both owned and borrowed capital to the organization.

Economic Development

Financial institution promotes economic development in an economy by way of funding all the development plans of government and private organizations.

Infrastructural Development

The establishment of financial institutions builds a strong banking base in an economy. Besides this, it offers all the financial services needed for the development and promotion of other infrastructures, like industries, roads, hospitals, educational institutions, etc.

Promotes Regional Balances

The financial institutions take up their social responsibility to establish their units in backward areas to uplift these areas by educating and providing basic monetary services to people.  The financial institution aims to bring backward regions on equal footing with developed regions.

Employment Generation

The financial institution provides all necessary funding to build and develop industries and infrastructure in a country. This creates new employment opportunities for the available manpower.