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First-time stock market investors can avoid costly mistakes by focusing on diversification, asset allocation, disciplined investing and long-term wealth creation. Check out the five most common investing mistakes experts warn against and practical steps to build a stronger investment portfolio.

The late filing fee is only one consequence of missing the ITR deadline. Delayed filing can also result in the loss of capital loss set-off benefits, delayed refunds and additional interest, increasing your tax burden in future years.

Market volatility often fuels fear and greed, prompting costly investment mistakes. Goal-based investing shifts the focus from market moves to life milestones, helping investors stay disciplined.

Mid-cap funds have rewarded long-term SIP investors, with 12 schemes generating annualised returns of more than 18% over the past decade. A comparison of three-, five- and 10-year returns also shows that recent winners are not always the best long-term wealth creators.

Report REIT and InvIT income in your ITR for AY 202627. Know the tax treatment, choose the right form and keep essential documents ready to avoid mistakes before the 31 July deadline.

Sebi's reforms and online bond platforms have made direct bond investing more accessible than ever. But should investors choose individual bonds over debt mutual fundsor use both?

Income tax refund delays for AY 202627 may occur due to incorrect bank details, pending e-verification, PAN issues, tax mismatches or errors in return filing. Here are common causes of delays, how to track your refund status and the key checks to complete for faster processing.

As more NRIs return to India to care for ageing parents, experts say early planning is crucial to manage healthcare costs, lower incomes, taxes, overseas assets and retirement savings.

Gold and silver prices today, 28 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.

Paytm has partnered with ClearTax to offer income tax return filing starting at 11 through its app. Here's what the plan includes, who can benefit, and the precautions taxpayers should take before filing.

The ITR filing deadline for AY 2026-27 remains 31 July, with experts expecting no extension. Over 4.1 crore returns have already been filed. Taxpayers should file and e-verify returns on time to avoid penalties, interest and loss of key tax benefits.

The July 31 ITR deadline is just days away. Avoid these five common filing mistakes that could lead to tax notices, refund delays or additional tax demands.

8th Pay Commission: Fitment factor debate has intensified as employee unions seek a multiplier above 3. While a higher fitment factor could significantly increase salaries and pensions, experts say the Centre will balance employee expectations with fiscal sustainability before final recommendations.

The proposed MF-only PMS framework is positioned as a bridge between self-managed mutual fund investing and traditional PMS, allowing investors to access professional portfolio management at a lower entry threshold of 25 lakh while remaining within regulated investment products.

ITR: India has seen 4x growth in billionaires in five years. As many as 576 people reported gross total income of 100 crore or more, FY26 income-tax filings showed, MoS Pankaj Chaudhary said today.

The CBDT has issued a guidance note to operationalise India's crypto-asset reporting framework in line with the OECD's global standards. While there is no change in crypto taxation, experts say investors should focus on accurate record-keeping as information sharing becomes more structured.

Want to complete filing your income-tax returns before the 31 July deadline? Here's how taxpayers can calculate their ITR dues under new tax regime and old tax regime for financial year 2026 / AY 2027.

Mid- and small-caps often face criticism during market corrections, but 20 years of data show they have consistently outperformed large-caps in strong market years. Investors bullish on India's growth story should not ignore these segments despite their volatility.

DA hike: Here are the key Dearness Allowance-related demands made by employee groups from demand for an inflation-linked wage model to calls for implementation of DA merger and a new calculation formula for the component.

EPFO has delayed the launch of its UPI-linked claim settlement facility to August as it focuses on resolving glitches in the upgraded CITES 2.01 portal. The new system aims to enable faster credit of eligible PF claims through UPI once the platform stabilises.

The 8th pay commission panel is scheduled to hold state and union territory visits and meetings in Delhi, Chennai, and Puducherry in August and September this year as part of its consultation process. Check the full list of cities, dates and other details here

A study found that the BOI Large & Mid Cap Fund and BOI Multi Cap Fund from the same AMC have a portfolio overlap of 79.4%, despite belonging to different categories. This highlights that investing in multiple equity mutual funds across categories may not always lead to better diversification.

Experts say investors aged 25-30 should focus on goal-based asset allocation rather than chasing returns. Here's how to allocate equity, debt and gold, and the mistakes to avoid.

Whether you can opt for presumptive taxation under section 44ADA of the Act depends on the nature of your freelance income. If your freelance work qualifies as a specified profession you may opt for the presumptive taxation scheme, as gross receipts of 1 lakh are within the prescribed thresholds.

The Mumbai ITAT deleted a 17.41 lakh penalty after accepting a CA firm's affidavit that an incorrect revised ITR was filed due to a clerical error. The Tribunal held that, in the absence of evidence of deliberate misreporting, penalty under Section 270A could not be sustained.

The e-Nivaran facility allows taxpayers to raise and track income tax grievances online through a structured process. Both registered and unregistered users can raise complaints, which are routed to the concerned department, and can be tracked using a unique acknowledgement number.

An employee earning a basic salary of 25,000 can accumulate an estimated EPF corpus of 1.12 crore over 30 years. Monthly contributions, annual salary hikes and the power of compounding together build long-term retirement wealth through the Employees' Provident Fund.

SC says compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act cannot be awarded merely because a vehicle was part of the sequence of events. Claimants must establish a credible causal link between the use of the vehicle and the death or injury.

India's push to reduce external dependence presents a long-term investment opportunity. Experts suggest focusing on structural reforms, strong management, and business fundamentals, rather than short-term policy announcements, for sustainable earnings growth

Tax experts caution against viewing an HUF as a simple tax-saving hack because transferring assets to it changes their ownership. 

The EPF reform is more than a payroll change. It gives employers an opportunity to redesign retirement benefits by combining EPF's stability with NPS's growth potential and tax efficiency.

EPFO's corpus has swelled to 28.4 trillion and claim settlements hit a record in FY25, but rising pension payouts, persistent grievances and thinner investment yields pose fresh challenges.

Funding your spouses PPF account can help you claim a Section 80C deduction of up to 1.5 lakh, provided the contribution comes from your own income. Tax treatment, ownership rules, clubbing provisions and practical points every taxpayer should know before investing.

Experts explain whether FCNR deposit interest remains tax-free after returning to India and whether a five-month stay in India triggers tax residency under current rules.

As the July 31 ITR filing deadline nears, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged tax officials to let honest taxpayers correct genuine mistakes. She also outlined the 5Rs of responsive tax governance and called for greater tax certainty and lower litigation.

Market volatility is inevitable, but experts say investors can avoid emotional decisions by planning ahead. From setting investment rules to building an emergency fund, here's how to prepare your SIP before markets turn turbulent.

The Labour Ministry has completed bank verification for 1.18 lakh dormant EPFO accounts under its auto-refund pilot. The system is expected to be ready by August-end, allowing eligible subscribers to receive their PF money without filing a claim.

Gold and silver prices today, 24 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. 

ITR filing deadline 2026 is just five days away for salaried taxpayers, pensioners and investors. Here's who must file by 31 July, key due dates, essential verification steps, filing checklist and practical tips to avoid last-minute errors and refund delays.

Experts say pausing a SIP should be driven by financial emergencies such as job loss or medical expenses, not market volatility. Here's when it makes sense to hit pause and when staying invested could work in your favour.

A healthy credit mix can improve your credit profile by showing responsible borrowing behaviour. Here's how secured and unsecured loans, timely repayments and low credit utilization influence credit scores constructively and help borrowers access better financial opportunities.

The 8th Pay Commission is holding stakeholder meetings and consultations. Central government employees can track key developments and submission deadlines before recommendations on salaries, pensions and allowances are finalized.

A missing property document can lead to legal disputes over inheritance. Estate planning is essential for ensuring asset distribution aligns with one's wishes and minimises conflict among heirs after the owner's death. Here are the key components of estate planning. 

In August 2026, RBI has marked 14 holidays for banks, during which in-branch services will not be available. UPI, ATM and other such essential services remain functional on holidays. Check full RBI's bank holiday calendar for next month here.

EPFO employees will experience faster settlements for provident fund, pension, and insurance claims, with a 20-day processing rule. Delays incur a 12% penal interest. Here's how employees can submit their complaints. 

EPFO members have begun receiving the annual interest of 8.25% for FY2025-26 in their provident fund accounts, starting July 15. Interest is credited annually, and updates may take time to display, but any delays do not affect the amount earned.

Transferring money to a low-income spouse to reduce tax liability can backfire, as income may be taxed in your hands under clubbing provisions if invested. Details here.

EPF withdrawals are tax-free if an employee completes five years of continuous service. Withdrawals before five years may be taxable, except in certain cases such as ill health or employer closure. TDS rules depend on the withdrawal amount. 

The same real estate exposure can result in different post-tax returns. REIT mutual funds and listed REITs offer a shorter holding period for long-term capital gains than direct property, while differences in income taxation and TDS can further impact investor returns.

Missing the ITR due date can have consequences beyond a late filing fee. Delayed filing may lead to interest on unpaid taxes and the loss of key tax benefits, such as carrying forward capital losses. Knowing the applicable deadline can help taxpayers avoid unnecessary costs.