Livemint

ITR Form 1 (Sahaj) is for small taxpayers with income up to 50 lakh. Over 1.7 crore ITRs were filed for 2025-26, urging timely submissions before the July 31 deadline to avoid penalties and delays in refunds.

With the new EPF rules and Labour Codes redefining contributions by employees and employers towards provident fund, we asked experts to explain how this impacts your monthly investment in the financial instrument. Here's what they said

Income Tax Return filing has become more than a tax obligation. A timely and accurate ITR strengthens your financial identity, improves loan eligibility, supports visa applications, speeds up refunds and builds long-term financial credibility with lenders, insurers and financial institutions.

The new tax regime features lower rates with fewer deductions, leading many salaried taxpayers to think they can't reduce tax liabilities. However, there are tax-saving provisions available. Here are five ways to lower your tax outgo.

The PFRDAs latest initiative aims to provide NPS subscribers with more flexible periodic payouts during the decumulation phase while continuing to support corpus appreciation through the RIS. While the subscriber gets periodic payments, the remaining corpus stays invested and continues to grow.

8th pay commission: Here's how union representatives, employees, pensioners, government departments and stakeholders can submit data to the 8th pay commission (CPC). Today, we take you through the full step-by-step process.

SK Hynix shares surged 12.8% on Wall Street debut, raising $26.5 billion in the largest U.S. share sale by a foreign company. SK Hynix dominates the high bandwidth memory market and has partnered with Nvidia, capitalizing on the expanding AI sector.

After SpaceX's IPO valuation surpassed $2 trillion, investors eye OpenAI as the next major IPO. CEO Sam Altman won't consider going public below $1 trillion, raising questions on whether OpenAI can match SpaceX's investment return despite their differing business models.

Term insurance serves as a fundamental part of financial planning, providing affordable life coverage. It's essential to determine how long coverage is needed based on financial responsibilities and existing assets before purchasing a policy.

Diversifying equity portfolios geographically can be beneficial, especially with China-focused ETFs, which track Chinese companies. While easier for Indian investors through US-listed ETFs, risks such as geopolitical tensions remain.

Dearness Allowance: From DA hike to restoration of Old Pension Scheme, pension revision, gratuity, minimum wage and more Check the demands made by Joint Coordination Committee of Punjab Government Employees and Pensioners.

A Bengaluru ITAT ruling has clarified which expenses can be included in the cost of acquisition while computing capital gains tax on a property sale. The order allows home loan interest and maintenance deposits but requires verification of travel expenses.

HDFC Flexi Cap Fund made a series of portfolio changes in June, introducing four new stocks, increasing holdings in 18 companies and trimming stakes in 25 others. It also made a complete exit from Ramco Cements during the month.

Job switches, career breaks and early withdrawals can all affect the tax treatment of your EPF corpus. Here's a breakdown of the key rules employees should know.

Retail investors pumped more money into mid-cap and small-cap funds than flexi-cap funds in June for the first time since Dec 2023. Experts say improving earnings visibility, stronger returns and attractive valuations drove the shift, while cautioning against reading too much into one month's data.

The Income Tax Department has released the ITR-7 Excel utility for AY 2026-27, enabling eligible entities to prepare returns offline and upload them through the e-filing portal. Here's who can use the form, how the process works and the applicable deadlines.

Many policyholders get nasty surprises during hospitalisation. This is mainly due to several limitations buried in the policy terms and conditions, resulting in high out-of-pocket expenses.

New parents can strengthen their child's financial future through term insurance, health cover, emergency savings and SIP investments. Early investing helps build a 1.2 crore education corpus while protecting the family from unexpected financial risks and rising education costs.

EPFO's new Service History feature lets members view their complete employment and PF records in one place. The update can help subscribers identify missing service records and trace old PF accounts before filing claims.

The governments hub-and-spoke model will allow airline passengers to check in baggage and complete customs and immigration formalities at spoke city airport (Tier-II and -III cities), and take onward flight from the hub city airport (Delhi or other major cities) to international locations.

Public and private banks across India will remain closed today, 11 July, for the second Saturday holiday. Bank operations will remain suspended nationwide, but online banking services will remain accessible for transactions.

The Karnataka High Court has requested the Union government to respond to a petition challenging tax exemptions for gifts between spouses, which currently excludes same-sex couples. Details here.

With EPS 2026, the pension system for organized sector employees is reformed for transparency and efficiency. It mandates a 36-month wait for withdrawal benefits, enforces a 20-day claim processing deadline, and supports higher pensions, while preserving existing benefits for current members.

Trump's financial disclosures reveal he executed 21,285 stock trades in 2025, averaging one trade every five minutes. His portfolio has outperformed the S&P 500, with a 37.3% return since his inauguration. Here's a look at the US leader's portfolio .

The EPFO has restored its passbook portal after a two-week outage due to a database upgrade. Members can access their accounts again ahead of 8.25% interest credit. 

Lenders consider factors beyond income when approving loans, such as repayment history and financial habits. Two individuals with identical salaries may experience different loan outcomes based on their overall financial profiles.

The ITR forms have been revised for AY 2026-27, affecting ITR-1, ITR-4 and ITR-2. Taxpayers must ensure correct filing by reviewing income sources and changes to avoid complications. The filing deadline is 31 July 2026 for individuals and non-audited entities.

Taxpayers can reset their income tax e-filing portal password using various methods if they forget it, even if they don't have access to their Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Step-by-step guide here.

Gold ETF inflows rebounded sharply to 3,443 crore in June, reversing May's outflows as investors returned after profit booking. Experts say cooling gold prices and persistent global uncertainties revived demand for the safe-haven asset.

Building a solid retirement corpus is crucial for financial planning. Popular schemes in India include EPF, PPF, and NPS, each differing in eligibility, contributions, and benefits. Details here.

Value funds, notably HSBC and ICICI Prudential, have yielded strong returns. Experts suggest that investors adopt a mixed strategy, combining value and growth stocks, to enhance portfolio performance throughout different market cycles.

Employees who changed jobs during FY 2025-26 should report salary from all employers while filing ITR for AY 2026-27. Verify Form 16, Form 26AS and AIS, report total salary correctly, and avoid tax notices, interest charges and refund delays. 

Your mutual fund's published return and your actual return are often not the same. Experts explain why investor behaviour, rather than fund performance, is usually responsible for the gap.

CBDT will upload foreign investment and overseas financial account information into taxpayers' AIS within 90 days under the AEOI framework. The move aims to improve tax transparency, simplify compliance, strengthen verification of foreign assets and encourage accurate income tax return filing.

Employee bodies have proposed contrasting approaches to determining the highest salary under the 8th Pay Commission, with some seeking a 1:12 cap between minimum and maximum pay while others oppose any such limit.

The 20x rule helps homebuyers compare property prices to rental values before deciding whether to buy or rent. Here's how the pricetorent ratio works, its benefits and limitations and how EMIs, appreciation and personal finances shape smarter housing choices.

The biggest threat to your mutual fund returns may not be the fund you choose, but the decisions you make after investing. Experts identify three costly mistakes that investors should avoid.

Gold and silver prices today, 10 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, along with other important geopolitical updates. 

EPFO has removed the need for a separate provident fund transfer request when employees with Aadhaar-linked UANs change jobs. The move is part of a wider overhaul of the EPFO's digital platform aimed at making PF services faster and simpler.

CRIF India's Sachin Seth discusses how India's credit ecosystem has matured through Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and digital lending infrastructure, and why risk-based pricing and secured credit products like gold loans are gaining traction. 

Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath has asked investors to understand the difference between direct and regular mutual fund plans. He said many investors remain unaware of the higher costs associated with regular plans and advised reviewing their portfolios to identify their existing investments.

Railway engineers have urged the 8th Pay Commission to restore pay parity, grant Group B status and improve promotions. Their demands, raised during stakeholder consultations, could shape future salary, pension and allowance reforms for 1.1 crore Central government employees and pensioners.

8th pay commission: Window for submission of data online for the 8th CPC's consideration has been extended to 31 July this year. Here's how to complete the process and some of the frequently asked questions answered

EPF interest for FY26 is being credited this month. Here's how to calculate your monthly earnings at 8.25% p.a. and stepwise guide to check your closing balance via passbook online on the EPFO website.

Heavy rains can damage your car, but not every repair is covered by insurance. Here's what comprehensive policies pay for, common claim exclusions, and mistakes that could lead to claim rejection.

A comprehensive car insurance policy may not cover every monsoon-related expense. Experts explain which add-ons are worth buying to reduce repair costs and improve financial protection. 

The West Bengal government will release 50% of estimated Dearness Relief (DR) arrears to pensioners in the Kolkata municipal area in an interim measure that aims to provide immediate relief for state govt retirees. 

The woman said she has been employed at a PSU for the past seven years and is in a comfortable financial position. According to her post, she has no outstanding debt, follows a modest lifestyle and has accumulated significant savings over time.

Since the start of the US-Iran war in February, the Nifty Defence Index has delivered positive returns of 18.7%, while the Nifty IT Index declined 12.5%. Experts advise investors to avoid short-term reactions, focus on diversified funds, and use SIP investments during periods of market volatility.

Investors who already have 3 to 5 SIPs running should review their existing portfolio before adding another fund. The expert recommends focusing on 5 key areas: goal alignment, portfolio overlap, risk balance, contribution sizing, and regular portfolio reviews.