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Small-cap equities led the asset-class performance in H1 FY27, delivering 23% returns, ahead of mid-caps at 13% and the Nifty 50 at 2%. Gold and silver declined 10% and 15%, respectively, reversing their strong gains in H1 FY26.
India has 1,687 individuals with a net worth of 1,000 crore or more, with most being self-made. As founders become HNIs, the focus shifts from creating wealth to protecting, diversifying and transferring it. Here are four key principles for building lasting family wealth.
Health insurance covers may seem sufficient now, but inflation can raise surgery costs. Inflation-protection features adjust the sum insured at renewal, but often rely on CPI instead of actual medical inflation, which can be higher.
Postal employees have sought payment of the 2025-26 Productivity Linked Bonus before Durga Puja, while employee unions want the 8th Pay Commission to review the 7,000 bonus calculation ceiling.
The Department of Pension & Pensioners Welfare has not yet announced the 2026 dates for submitting Digital Life Certificates. Heres what pensioners, especially those aged 80 years and above, need to know about the October 1 provision, Jeevan Pramaan and the annual Life Certificate requirement.
Indian resident parents can use the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) to fund the purchase of overseas property by an NRI or OCI child, subject to FEMA rules. Here's what to know about the $2,50,000 annual limit, gifts, loans, TCS and documentation.
Central government employees await the next DA hike, with inflation data indicating a possible 3% increase to 63%. Employee unions expect an announcement in early October, ahead of Dussehra. Here's how the revised DA is calculated and when the Centre may announce it.
Hybrid long-short SIFs differ in how they balance equity, debt and short positions.
The Mumbai ITAT deleted a 3.95 lakh penalty imposed on a ship captain who had failed to file his ITR on time. The taxpayer later filed his return in response to a reassessment notice, but the income declared was accepted without any addition.
Gold and silver prices in India witnessed a sharp drop during early trading hours on Tuesday. Check retail rates of the precious metals in top metro cities of the country.
A recent ITAT ruling has clarified that money received by a taxpayer while acting as a power-of-attorney holder does not automatically become his taxable income. The tribunal deleted a 1.25 crore addition after finding that the taxpayer had received the amount on behalf of three property owners.
The proposed three-day nationwide bank strike from 28 to 30 September was deferred after talks between the IBA and UFBU. Check if banks are open in your city today, 29 September.
Portfolio overlap between mutual funds is not necessarily a problem, particularly when schemes have different strategies, risk profiles or portfolio roles. However, excessive overlap can leave investors with concentrated exposure despite holding multiple funds.
A 1,000 monthly SIP can grow substantially over a decade as returns compound. We look at diversified equity mutual funds that delivered the highest 10-year SIP returns, with Quant Small Cap Fund leading the list. Heres how the funds compare.
8th Pay Commission: The official terms of reference outline what central government employees and pensioners can expect from the panel. We will likely get official recommendations sometime next year.
Sectoral mutual funds have seen a sharp divergence in returns over the past two years, with some sectors delivering strong gains while others slipped into the red. Here's what drove this divergence, and what should investors consider before making sectoral bets.
From 1 October, households need biometric Aadhaar verification to keep accessing LPG subsidies, affecting 14.2 kg refills. Also, revised NPS charges and changes to ATM transactions for SBI customers will be implemented.
Bank strike deferred: Check if banks across India, including State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Yes Bank and the cooperative banks will remain open on Tuesday-Wednesday i.e. 29-30 October.
Motilal Oswal Private Wealth has suggested a 50:40:10 allocation across mid- and small-cap, hybrid, and large-cap, and global equity funds. It favours lump-sum investments in hybrid funds and a staggered approach for pure equity funds over the next 23 months.
Credit card debt: Can banks ask families to repay it after a cardholder dies? What if theres no will? Read out to find out.
Tax audit reports are filed using Form 3CA-3CD or 3CB-3CD, but the choice depends on specific conditions. With the deadline extended to 21 October, taxpayers should know which form applies to them and what they should do if they make an error.
Housing sales fell 2% in H1 2026, even as new launches rose 7% and the average ticket size edged up 2% to 1.41 crore. The data suggests buyers have more homes to compare, but there is no broad-based fall in prices yet. City-level trends vary sharply.
FAST-DS 2026 allows eligible taxpayers to disclose certain previously undisclosed foreign assets or income. Those making a valid declaration must follow a prescribed payment process. Heres what taxpayers need to know about ITNS 289 and the steps involved in making the tax payment.
The CBDT has extended the ITR and tax audit deadlines for a specific category of taxpayers for AY 2026-27. The move gives eligible taxpayers additional time to complete their audit-related compliance and file their returns. Heres what taxpayers need to know.
Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, West Bengal and more Today we take a look at the full list of states that have announced DA and DR hikes this year, besides paying arrears for employees and pensioners.
The CBDT has extended deadlines for certain taxpayers' audits for the assessment year 2026-27. Check new dates.
While institutional money sticks to AAA paper, retail investors are being funnelled into lower-rated debt. Nobody engineered this, but it needs fixing.
Can you withdraw 100% of your corpus in the National Pension System? Check annuity rules, death benefits and more.
For Gen Z, buying a home is increasingly a question of affordability rather than aspiration. Property prices have risen faster than incomes in several cities, while the supply of homes below 50 lakh has fallen sharply.
Five hybrid funds feature among India's 10 largest equity and hybrid mutual fund schemes by AUM, together managing around 4.35 lakh crore. Here's where investors' biggest mutual fund pools are sitting and how these schemes have performed over three, five and 10 years.
What does a health insurance plan promise? How reliably has the insurer delivered on claims? Here is how you can find a plan that best fits your familys needs.
A risk questionnaire captures what investors think they will do in a crisis. Their transactions reveal what they actually do. That history can help build a portfolio they can stick with.
The Supreme Court declined to issue an interim stay on the government's move to impose MDR on UPI transactions over 2,000. Details here.
Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia calls for an inheritance tax in India, asserting that true opportunity should arise from individual accomplishments instead of family wealth. Details here.
Tax audit deadline is September 30 for applicable taxpayers. Before filing, taxpayers should reconcile their books with GST returns, AIS, TIS and Form 26AS. Mismatches can arise from timing differences, duplicate or incorrect reporting, while unresolved TDS discrepancies can affect tax credits.
Tamil Nadu's CM S. Joseph Vijay will launch the gold ring scheme for newborns at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on September 28. Full details here.
Seven aggressive hybrid funds delivered 12% or more in five-year SIP returns, led by Bank of India Aggressive Hybrid Fund at 16.50%. However, performance varied widely among the categorys largest schemes, with HDFC Aggressive Hybrid Fund returning 5.99% and ICICI Prudential delivering 12.26%.
Gold and silver prices in India witnessed a sharp drop during early trading hours on Monday. Check retail rates of the precious metals in top metro cities of the country.
The Chennai ITAT deleted an 85.30 lakh tax addition on cash gifts after the taxpayer produced gift deeds, ITRs and financial statements, while all five donors confirmed the gifts. The tribunal said the initial burden under Section 68 was discharged.
Mobile retailers have called for a 'No UPI Day' protest on October 2, during which customers may not be able to use UPI for making payments at mobile shops. Here's why the protest is happening and what are their demands.
An 89-year-old retired principal said 20.33 lakh deposited in his bank accounts represented hostel fees collected for an education society, with only 2,251 left as surplus. The ITAT has sent the case back to the tax officer to verify the records and determine who actually owned the money.
The September 30 deadline for taxpayers to submit tax audit reports is approaching, with no extensions granted yet. Here's the penalty for late filing.
The nationwide bank strike scheduled for September 28-30 has been deferred after IBA and UFBU reached an agreement. The decision offers temporary relief to customers of banks such as SBI & HDFC Bank, while discussions will now focus on a five-day banking week and unresolved issues.
The proposed three-day bank strike from September 28 to 30 has been deferred after the IBA and UFBU reached an understanding. SBI and other public sector bank branches are expected to operate normally on Monday, while private banks such as HDFC Bank will remain open.
Manufacturing mutual funds have outperformed their benchmark over the past year, with the top schemes delivering strong returns. But higher returns do not tell the full story. How much volatility did investors take on and did the additional returns come with higher risk?
SEBI has approved changes to its vault manager rules, bringing physical bullion underlying gold and silver ETFs under a common framework. The move strengthens requirements around how this bullion is stored, secured, segregated and accounted for.
A nationwide bank strike from September 28 to September 30 could disrupt cheque clearing and cash transactions as unions demand a five-day workweek. However, many banking services are expected to remain operational, allowing customers to manage funds and pay bills without visiting branches.
Has your CA submitted your tax audit report? The process does not end there. Taxpayers need to check the report on the income-tax e-filing portal and complete certain steps after submission. Here's what you need to know about accepting and verifying the report.
Taxpayers with nil estimated tax liability can avoid TDS on certain incomes by submitting a declaration to the payer. Heres who can submit Form 121, which incomes are covered, what details are required and what the payer must do after receiving it.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister S. Joseph Vijay will launch the 'Thaai Maaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam' scheme for newborns in Madurai on September 28, providing 1-gram gold rings to eligible babies delivered in government hospitals, promoting institutional deliveries and maternal health.

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