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Income-tax returns: Attention first time taxpayers! From required documents, to which forms to fill, and the deadline date here are the top 10 important things to keep in mind while filing your ITR.

Understanding these rules is essential, particularly if you are switching jobs, dealing with a financial emergency or planning to access your retirement savings before retirement.

The EPFO has discontinued UAN activation and new generation through the portal and shifted both services to the Umang app with Aadhaar-based Face Authentication (FAT) requirement. Here's how first-time users can complete activation

8th Pay Commission: The official terms of reference (ToR) outline what central government employees and pensioners can expect from the 8th CPC's recommendations. From DA hike to revised salary structure, pension, allowances and other benefits Check full list of likely announcements here.

The DoE reiterated that if an employee's monthly NPS contribution is credited past the established deadline, interest must be paid to the subscriber for the duration of the delay. This compensatory interest will match the prevailing PPF interest rate, which currently stands at 7.1%

Probate of a Will in India confirms its validity and gives legal authority to the executor. Check and understand the process, documents required, court procedure, recent changes, and when probate can help prevent inheritance disputes.

Dearness Allowance: Even if no DA hike is announced this month in July 2026, central government employees and pensioners could still see a second increase sometime in the second half of the year during the festive season.

Investing just 2,000 every monthan amount many people spend on leisure activities or eating outcan potentially grow into a corpus of more than 1 crore.

The best-performing flexi cap fund returned 9.91% over the past year, while only five schemes crossed the 8% mark. Experts say the muted performance reflects market conditions, not poor fund management.

The Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 introduces an interest rate ceiling, mandatory digital compliance and stricter governance norms for exempted PF trusts run by eligible employers. Here's what the new rules mean for employees.

Health insurance claims can become stressful during emergencies. These 10 practical steps, from hospital admission to discharge, ensure faster cashless claim settlement, avoid delays, manage documents properly and reduce financial pressure, especially during emergencies.

Retirement does not automatically stop interest on your EPF balance. Here's how long your provident fund continues to earn interest under the EPF Scheme, 2026, based on your retirement age.

Gold and silver prices today, 17 July: Check the latest 24K, 22K gold and 999 silver retail rates across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other major Indian cities, along with MCX market updates.

The 8th Pay Commission is likely to revise salaries and allowances for nearly 1.1 crore central government employees and pensioners. While the fitment factor is yet to be finalised, estimates indicate how HRA for Level 14-16 employees could increase under different fitment scenarios.

The Centre is considering reintroducing a merchant discount rate (MDR) on select UPI transactions. If approved, the levy is expected to apply only to large merchants and higher-value payments, while small businesses and consumers are likely to remain unaffected.

After two years of valuation-led consolidation, Nippon Life AMC's equity CIO Sailesh Raj Bhan says improving earnings, reasonable valuations and a strong macro backdrop are creating fresh opportunities for long-term investors.

For senior citizens, even a marginal difference in interest rates can translate into substantially higher earnings over time, particularly on large deposits. Comparing FD rates across banks before investing can help maximise interest income without increasing investment risk.

Attention parents! Want to start a public provident fund account for your child? We calculate the minimum amount you would need to invest in their PPF per month in order to successfully set them up for crorepati status in the long run.

Filing ITR alone is not enough, you have to e-verify your return within 30 days so that it does not become invalid and to ensure a smooth refund process from the tax department. Check here for the step-by-step taxpayers' guide

8th pay commission: We take a look at the likely revision in house rent allowance (HRA) for central government employees across levels 6 to 10 in X, Y and Z category cities based on various fitment factor suggestions.

Before you vow to never borrow another rupee, here is a realistic look at how to make debt work for younot against you.

Christian Harms, a former Microsoft employee, has opened up about leaving a corporate job that paid $200,000 (approximately 1.9 crore) a year in Switzerland to start over in Australia.

Dearness Allowance (DA) is a percentage of salary for central government employees and pensioners to offset inflation. Updated bi-annually, it rose from 58% to 60% in January 2026, benefiting 50 lakh employees and 65 lakh pensioners. Future hikes depend on AICPI data and government approval.

Meeting such a high-value financial goal requires careful planning, patience and the right investment strategy.

Salaried workers who have switched employers, selected a suboptimal tax regime, claimed unsupported deductions, or omitted capital gains face heightened financial risks.

A 10,000 monthly SIP would have grown to over 30 lakh in these four large & midcap funds. Check the top-performing schemes and how they stack up over shorter investment horizons.

Information on foreign assets will increasingly show up in taxpayers' AIS, but the absence of an asset from the statement does not erase the legal obligation to disclose it.

Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the EPFO has processed interest on provident funds of 34 crore members for FY26. Interest earned on EPF contributions is tax-exempt up to 1.5 lakh under Section 80C under the old tax regime.

The Reserve Bank of India has fixed the premature redemption price for Sovereign Gold Bond 2019-20 Series II at 14,199 per gram. Investors who bought the bonds in 2019 have earned more than 300% in capital appreciation, but tax implications should also be factored into the decision.

A home loan top-up can offer cheaper credit than a personal loanbut only if you understand the costs, eligibility rules and hidden pitfalls.

The new Employees' Pension Scheme, 2026, retains the withdrawal benefit for members who leave service before completing 10 years. However, it introduces a new waiting period before the benefit can be claimed.

Why do millions of policyholders who signed up for a long-term contract exit before maturity?

Taxpayers filing returns for AY 2026-27 will now have to provide both a primary and a secondary address. The new disclosure has been introduced in all notified ITR forms.

A fund that tops return charts today may not necessarily be the best fit for your portfolio. Experts say investors should look beyond recent performance and evaluate consistency, risk and investment strategy before making decisions.

Chennai ITAT held that a genuine failure to disclose foreign ESOPs in Schedule FA of the income tax return does not automatically warrant a penalty under the Black Money Act. 

EPFO members can see their annual interest of 8.25% for FY2025-26 in their accounts starting July 15. Here's how you can check your PF balance online.

Purchasing and registering a property does not guarantee legal ownership. Validity relies on the entire title chain and documentation. Mutation, while important for records, does not affect ownership rights, experts said. 

Donald Trump's investment accounts, managed by third parties, have executed over 6,100 stock trades in 2023. Notably, they sold Micron shares while acquiring Nvidia stock, highlighting a contradiction between Trump's public praise for Micron and his accounts' trading decisions.

Warren Buffett confirmed his decision to build Berkshire Hathaway's substantial stake in Alphabet, stating he acted independently of CEO Greg Abel. 

EPFO members are urged to upload a recent profile photo on the Unified Member Portal to complete e-nominations and online claims. Here's why it matters and how to do it.

Gifting stocks can trigger tax implications depending on the relationship between the donor and recipient. Transfers to close relatives are often tax-exempt, while gifts to others exceeding 50,000 are taxable. 

A trust can help families preserve art, jewellery and heirlooms across generations by setting clear rules on ownership, access, conservation, display, monetization and succession.

Health insurance covers major hospitalisation costs, but many medical expenses, such as doctor consultations and medicines, are often paid out of pocket. Experts say financial preparedness and understanding policy coverage can help families avoid unexpected healthcare costs.

Negative or muted SIP returns in the initial years are not uncommon, especially for equity mutual funds. Experts say investors should judge a fund over a full market cycle and switch only if there are signs of structural issues.

Moving abroad does not end your tax obligations in India. From excess TDS and capital losses to property sales and future tax planning, here's when NRIs should file an ITR.

NPS PRIDE-Disha lets subscribers compare pension funds using XIRR based on regular contributions instead of only point-to-point returns. The platform uses historical NAV data since 2008 to help investors make more informed fund selection and switching decisions.

The ITR due date is near and taxpayers are urged to gather important documents, including interest certificates, to ensure accurate reporting of income. Here is a step-by-step guide to download interest certificate from SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, PNB and India Post.

EPFO has introduced automatic PF transfers for eligible members. However, the facility works only if certain conditions are met.

The Sensex has fallen 9.37% so far in 2026, reviving concerns over whether investors should wait for markets to recover. Four decades of historical data offer insight into how Indian equities have behaved during major corrections.

After analysing the list of large-cap funds, no fund was found to have touched a Sharpe ratio of 1. Among the large-cap funds, WhiteOak Capital Large Cap Fund recorded the highest Sharpe ratio at 0.64.