Livemint

The Employees' Provident Fund offers a secure retirement savings option for Indian salaried individuals offering an 8.25% interest rate for FY26. Here's how EPF subscribers can retrieve their UAN via the EPFO portal or Umang app.

Only four of the 23 value mutual funds delivered double-digit returns over the past year, while nine schemes posted losses. Experts explain why the numbers don't tell the full story and what investors should look for instead.

The 8th Pay Commission is in discussion to recommend pay hikes and salary structure for central government employees and pensioners. Chaired by Ranjana Prakash Desai, it aims to benefit around 1 crore individuals and will submit recommendations by November 2025.

Dearness Allowance: A fixed percentage of pensioners' monthly pension payments is aimed at mitigating inflation. However, unlike DA in salaries for central government employees, the component is known as Dearness Relief or DR.

Newly married couples should review health insurance plans, assess coverage needs and plan for maternity benefits. This guide highlights common mistakes, including relying only on employer cover and overlooking parents healthcare needs, to help couples make smarter financial decisions.

A retired PSU employee successfully challenged a 2 lakh tax demand after ITAT Pune ruled that a leave encashment exemption cannot be denied because it was omitted from Form 16. The Tribunal held that statutory tax benefits are determined by law and not by how the employer reports them.

The Finance Ministry has told Parliament that the Income Tax Department has strengthened the e-filing portal to handle peak traffic during the return filing season, with infrastructure capable of processing up to 1 crore ITRs a day.

The proposed national cooperative life insurer is about more than adding another playerit could shift India's insurance journey from expanding access to building financial resilience.

Article 265 of the Indian Constitution states that no tax can be levied or collected except by the authority of law. In simple terms, every tax must be backed by a valid law passed by Parliament or a state legislature, preventing arbitrary taxation by the government.

PIB Fact Check has dismissed viral claims that the Centre's draft Telecom Rules, 2026 will shut down TVs or raise cable and DTH charges by four to six times. It clarified that the draft rules contain no fee hike provision and are currently open for public consultation.

RBI has opened premature redemption for SGB 2019-20 Series VIII at 14,170 per unit from July 21. Before opting for an early exit, investors should understand the eligibility conditions, redemption process and the capital gains tax rules under the Income-tax Act, 2025.

As GIFT City opens global investment opportunities for Indian residents, a key tax question remains unresolved: Do investments in IFSC funds qualify as foreign assets for Schedule FA reporting?

EPS-95 pensioners demand for a hike in the minimum pension from 1,000 to 7,500 per month remains unresolved. The Minister of State for Labour and Employment acknowledged that, though several stakeholders have sought a pension hike, no decision has been made on the matter yet. 

The Code on Wages, 2019 prescribes when employers must pay salaries and settle final dues after an employee leaves a job. Here's what the law says about salary payment timelines, delayed wages and employee rights.

The government has ruled out changes to equity LTCG tax for now. Investors should understand STCG and LTCG rules, holding periods, tax rates, SIP taxation and redemption strategies to manage equity investments better.

The Centre has clarified that eligible compassionate ground appointees who applied before January 1, 2004, but joined service later, can opt for the Old Pension Scheme. The benefit is limited to a specific category of employees and does not extend to all NPS subscribers.

Account Aggregators are giving lenders a richer picture of borrowersand potentially faster, cheaper loans. But the data trail can become harder to see once it reaches the lender.

Both FPIs and domestic investors continue to pay 12.5% LTCG tax on Indian equities. The exemption announced through the Income-tax Ordinance, 2026, applies only to FPIs investing in Government Securities (G-Secs).

NHAI has introduced Digital Local Pass and the MargMitra Help Centre on the RajmargYatra app. Commuters can now buy Local Passes online without visiting toll plazas, while MargMitra offers FASTag support, complaint tracking and other highway services in 22 Indian languages.

Gold and silver prices today, 21 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.

Pune ITAT has ruled that a 65.21 lakh payment received under a voluntary retirement scheme was a non-taxable capital receipt and not taxable salary or income from other sources. The tribunal also held that an incorrect claim in the ITR cannot override the true legal nature of the receipt.

Taxpayers should always verify an Income Tax notice before responding. Using the PAN or Document Identification Number (DIN) on the official e-filing portal helps identify genuine notices, avoid scams, protect personal information and ensure timely compliance.

Over 16,649 crore lying in old LIC policies or inactive EPF accounts, says the Centre. Recovering dues requires checking past insurance, provident fund records, updating KYC and contact details, and responding to official reminders.

The 8th Pay Commission is reviewing NPS and UPS benefits under its mandate, while employee unions continue to demand the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. Here is how the Gazette notification differs from employees' key pension demands.

In India, intraday and F&O trading profits are taxed differently. Intraday trading is speculative business income, while F&O is non-speculative. Taxpayers must file ITR-3 or ITR-4 depending on specific conditions. Here are the deadlines.

SEBI has asked AMFI to simplify the industry's transmission norms, making it less cumbersome for nominees and legal heirs to claim rights on mutual funds after the investor's death. Here's what changed under the revised framework.

The new Aadhaar app achieved 40 million downloads so far. The redesigned app replaces mAadhaar aap and offers a wide range of Aadhaar-related services. Full list here.

By converting international gold prices into Indian rates, you can find the actual gold cost in India and better understand whether your jewellery bill reflects a reasonable price.

Balanced advantage funds can have vastly different portfolio structures despite belonging to the same SEBI category. Variations in equity, debt and cash can lead to distinct risk profiles and return outcomes, making portfolio composition an important factor to evaluate.

Confused about the Employees' Pension Scheme and its rules? This guide breaks down complex aspects, including contribution methods, eligibility, and pension calculations. With increasing cases of claim rejections, being informed is key. 

Switching jobs during a financial year can leave salaried employees with an unexpected tax liability even if both employers deducted TDS correctly. The gap arises because TDS is calculated employer-wise, while final tax is based on total annual income. Form 12B can help avoid this mismatch.

The Aadhaar biometric lock/unlock feature has gained significant adoption, with residents using it more than 1.91 crore times, according to MeitY. This security feature allows Aadhaar holders to prevent unauthorized biometric authentication using their fingerprints, iris and face data.

Many NRIs earn in dollars but struggle to build wealth as family obligations, emotional guilt and social expectations drain savings and delay financial independence.

Parents are spending 2-4 lakh on coaching before college admissions. With education inflation at 10-12%, experts warn against dipping into retirement savings or taking on debt.

PIB Fact Check has again debunked a viral WhatsApp message, first flagged in January, claiming the Government is accepting applications for free laptops under the National Student Laptop Scheme 2026. It reiterated that no such scheme exists.

EPFO has introduced automatic PF transfers for eligible members, simplifying the job-switch process. Here are the key things to check before your balance is moved to the new account.

Income-tax returns: Today, we take a look at what taxpayers should do if they receive a notice from the I-T department. Individuals can use this stepwise guide to ensure they are following the proper process.

Forming a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) can help taxpayers manage taxes efficiently as it is a separate taxable entity under income tax law, however a family must understand how it works first. Here's what experts say.

Gifts from parents to NRI children are tax-free, while interest earned on NRE accounts and deposits is fully exempt from income tax for FEMA non-residents, unlike taxable NRO interest.

EPFO: Aadhaar linking and KYC updating is mandatory to avail several EPF services. Today, we check how EPF subscribers can update their KYC information online for their account using the retirement body's official portal.

Cody Berman, author of 'Retire by 30', used house hacking to achieve financial independence by investing in real estate. By renting part of his home, he reduced his housing costs and generated passive income.

The income tax department has mandated a secondary address field in all ITR forms for AY 2026-27, requiring additional communication details from taxpayers. Here's how it can help taxpayers. 

The 8th pay commission: Meetings with employee groups is significant as their suggestions are expected to shape the panel's deliberations on remuneration, allowances, pay and pension structures for the central government workforce.

Dearness Allowance is the component of the basic salary periodically adjusted to counter increased cost-of-living due to inflation. Here's what we know about state governments' discussions on DA hikes. a

Car buyers may be eligible for an income tax refund due to 1% TCS collected on vehicle purchases exceeding 10 lakh. This amount can be lower you tax liability or get you a refund if their tax payable is less than the TCS paid. Details here.

Businesses and tax deductors must file Q1 TDS and TCS returns by July 31, 2026 using the new return forms and revised section codes under the Income-tax Act, 2025. Here's what has changed, the new forms to use, and the compliance steps to avoid filing errors.

Stable salaries, easy access to credit and early trading wins are drawing serving and retired defence personnel into a cycle of leveraged betsand mounting losses

A Mumbai ITAT ruling has held that the Income Tax Department cannot tax a property buyer merely because their name appears in a builder's seized cash records. The Revenue must prove an undisclosed cash payment with independent corroborative evidence before invoking Section 69A.

Taxpayers must file accurate income tax returns using the correct ITR form to avoid being flagged for defects. The e-filing portal aids in selection. Here's when a salaried taxpayer needs to file ITR-2 instead of ITR-1. 

AMFIs investor education initiative Mutual Funds Sahi Hai advised investors not to share sensitive information such as OTPs, passwords, and investment details with unauthorised distributors.