Budget 2025: Increase in TDS threshold from Rs 2.4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh under section 194-I. Do note this is relevant for persons other than individuals and Hindu Undivided Family (HUF). If the rental amount is Rs 50,000 or more then you need to pay TDS on rent. Read below to know more.

Budget 2025: No Section 87A tax rebate on special rate incomes like short term capital gains, long term capital gains, and others, said Budget 2025. Experts say Section 87A tax rebate on special rate income is only available in the old tax regime and not in the new tax regime. Read below to know more about Section 87A tax rebate.

Budget 2025: ULIPs to which exemption under clause (10D) of section 10 does not apply, is a capital asset and any profit and gains from the redemption of ULIPs to which exemption under clause (10D) of section 10 does not apply, will be charged to tax as capital gains, clarified Budget 2025. Read below to know more about Unit Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs).

With a promise to further simplify the current tax law by introducing a new Income-tax Bill next week, the taxpayer-friendly Budget included key changes in personal taxation designed to simplify compliance, modernise tax administration, and stimulate economic growth. The government continues to incentivise the new tax regime, making no changes to the existing income tax slabs under the old tax regime for individual taxpayers.

Edelweiss Mutual Fund CEO Radhika Gupta highlighted market volatility, midcap losses, and global uncertainty, while praising the Budget 2025 tax cut. She emphasized its focus on boosting consumption by increasing the tax exemption limit from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 12 lakh.

Income tax relief in 2025: The finance minister has announced an increase in the tax rebate under Section 87A to Rs 60,000 from Rs 25,000 under new tax regime currently. The change in rates and slabs will benefit all such assessees who opt for the new tax regime in the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26.

With the Finance Minister announcing the tax relief of up to 12 lakh under the new tax regime, the market experts said that this measure leaves more money in the hands of people which in turn could boost broking, AMCs as investments could increase with higher disposable income, which should go back to the economy.

An expert advises investors to reassess their asset allocation strategies amid market volatility and macroeconomic uncertainties. Instead of reacting impulsively to budget announcements, they should align investments with long-term goals and risk tolerance. A disciplined approach can help navigate short-term fluctuations while ensuring financial stability and growth in an unpredictable economic environment.

Budget 2025 proposes raising the TDS threshold on interest earned from fixed deposits by non-senior citizens from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 per annum, effective April 1, 2025. TDS is deducted by banks on interest exceeding specified limits, with current rules imposing a 10% rate if PAN is available and 20% if not.

Budget 2025: Customs tariff under first schedule to the customs tariff act, 1975 has been reduced to 20% on HSN code 7113 (jewellery and parts thereof). Experts say this will bost jewellery consumption in India. The customs tariff on Platinum Findings has been reduced to 5% from earlier 25%. Read below to know more.

The new tax regime allows a salaried individual to claim a standard deduction of Rs 75,000 from the salary income. There is no hike in the standard deduction limit in the Budget 2025.

Budget 2025: Now the Finance Minister has removed the aggregate threshold limit of Rs 10,000 for deducting TDS on Winnings from lottery or crossword puzzles and winnings from horse races and now it will apply in respect of a single transaction over Rs 10,000. Read below to know more about TDS on lottery, horse racing and crossword puzzle income.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to extend the time limit for filing updated tax returns from 24 months to 48 months in the Union Budget 2025.

The simplification of rules will help taxpayers easily file their income tax returns without any calculation as they can claim the value of any two houses as zero. The deemed calculation of house will apply only if the taxpayer has a third house.

Maruti and Trent surged 7% each to intraday highs of Rs 13,150 and Rs 6,144, respectively, on the NSE. Their total traded volumes stood at Rs 7.07 lakh and Rs 8.13 lakh, respectively.

Budget 2025: TDS threshold limit for dividend income is hiked to Rs 10,000 from Rs 5000 at present. This amendment was announced in Budget 2025 and is effective from April 1, 2025. Section 194 requires that the principal officer of an Indian company or a company which has made the prescribed arrangements for the declaration and payment of dividends

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that NPS Vatsalaya subscribers would receive the same tax benefits under Section 80CCD(1B) as regular NPS subscribers. NPS Vatsalya is a pension scheme for minor children aimed at developing early saving habits for retirement. The proposal is pending parliamentary approval.

Budget 2025: The Finance Minister has announced that now assessment for search cases will include virtual digital assests (VDA) which includes crypto, non-fungible tokens (NFT), and others. This assessment after an income tax search procedure can go back up to six assessment years.

There were rumours that the government might hike the amount of standard deduction available to give tax relief to the middle class. However, hopes of the middle class have been dashed.

No hike has been announced in the Section 80C deduction limit in Budget 2025. Deduction under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act is available under the old tax regime only. For the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26, an eligible taxpayer will be able to claim the same maximum deduction of Rs.1.5 lakh under Section 80C.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed exemptions for withdrawals from the National Savings Scheme (NSS) post-August 2024, with digitalized processes in place by 2026.

Section 87A tax rebate: Tax Rebate under Section 87A is given to reduce your taxable income to nil. It is a better option to give tax relief through the tax rebate than changing the tax slabs. This is because to get this tax rebate under section 87A you need to file Income Tax Return (ITR).

The Union Budget 2025-26 increased the income tax basic exemption limit to Rs 4 lakh under the new tax regime, benefiting all taxpayers.

Income tax slab changes: The new tax regime is the default tax regime. The highest tax rate of 30% is applicable from net taxable income above Rs 15 lakh. However, the new tax regime offers limited deductions to the taxpayer. Given below are the income tax slabs proposed for the upcoming financial year 2025-26 and the current financial year 2024-25.

Budget 2025:

TCS Limit in Budget 2025: FM proposes to hike the TCS limit to Rs 10 lakh from Rs 7 lakh currently.

Central KYC: The government has announced that the central KYC registry is set to be revamped in 2025. Central KYC Records Registry said in an official communique dated October 17, 2024, To enhance data security, the KYC Identifier shall now only be available to registered reporting entities (REs) when the KYC record is successfully downloaded from CKYCRR using an authentication factor

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce a new Income Tax Bill next week, modelled on the Direct Tax Code. The aim is to simplify tax compliance for taxpayers and make the Income Tax Act easier to understand, enhancing readability and removing duplication of laws.

Income tax expectations: The Union Budget 2025 will be presented today by finance minsiter in Parliament at 11 AM. There is an expecation among salaried taxpayers and middle class for income tax relief in the form of income tax rate cuts, income tax slabs. Will Maa Lakshmi bless taxpayers today as PM Modi hinted yesterday.

Capital markets regulator Sebi is planning to come out with a new combo product under which mutual funds can pair investments with life insurance, its chief Madhabi Puri Buch said on Friday.

Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund saw the steepest decline, losing 16.84% since the last Budget announcement in July 2024.

The study provides a snapshot of key trends shaping the mutual fund landscape last quarter. Equities dominate with 60.19% of total AUM, followed by debt at 26.77%, hybrid at 8.58%, and others at 4.45%. These shifts reflect evolving investor preferences and market dynamics influencing asset allocation across different fund categories.

Down market capture ratio in mutual funds.

Three new altcoins, Wall Street Pepe, MIND of Pepe, and Solaxy, are making waves in the crypto presale sector. Wall Street Pepe combines meme appeal with serious trading tools, MIND of Pepe leverages AI for market insights, and Solaxy aims to enhance Solana's scalability with layer-2 technology.

Crypto enthusiasts are eyeing three promising altcoins in their presale phases. Wall Street Pepe has raised $63 million, Solaxy is addressing Solanas congestion issues with $15 million raised, and MIND of Pepe leverages AI to predict crypto trends. Each project offers unique features and community benefits.

As of December 2024, India has 11.5 crore unique Demat account holders and 5.6 crore mutual fund investors, marking a significant rise in retail participation. This surge has fueled strong market returns, attracting more investors. The mutual fund industry has become essential in directing financial savings into risk capital formation, driven by innovation and technology.

Wall Street Pepe (WEPE) has attracted significant investor interest, amassing $6 million in its presale phase set to end in less than 20 days. The project combines meme coin appeal with valuable tools designed to empower small-scale investors, particularly against market influences from large traders. Community support and security measures further bolster its credibility.

Mind of Pepe ($MIND) has rapidly reached $3.5 million in presale within two days, driven by its unique blend of AI, blockchain, and meme culture. The AI agent stands out by offering predictive market insights and engaging in social media to influence trends, attracting significant investment interest.

Among the 12 schemes, there are five index funds, two sectoral funds, one thematic fund, a multi-asset allocation fund, a money market fund, a target maturity fund, and an ETF.

Investors are turning attention towards new crypto coins like Wall Street Pepe, Solaxy, Meme Index, and MIND of Pepe. These emerging tokens offer unique utilities and innovative features such as professional trading tools, layer-2 solutions for blockchains, and AI-driven trend analysis, attracting significant interest and presale investments.

Ahead of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)s Monetary Policy Committee meeting on February 7, 2025. Several banks including YES Bank and DCB Bank have revised their fixed deposit (FD) interest rates in January 2025 to attract more depositors.

Three new crypto coins - Solaxy (SOLX), Wall Street Pepe (WEPE), and Best Wallet (BEST) - have gained significant traction this quarter. Solaxy focuses on improving Solana's scalability, Wall Street Pepe offers valuable tools for small investors, and Best Wallet aims to revolutionize crypto wallets with integrated asset management and trading functionalities.

Three promising altcoins are highlighted: MIND of Pepe combines AI and meme coin appeal, offering unique market insights; Wall Street Pepe focuses on empowering retail investors with exclusive tools; Meme Index provides structured meme coin investing with curated investment baskets. Each project has garnered significant presale funding, indicating strong investor interest.

As of January 2025, the number of MSMEs registered on the Udyam portal has reached 5,84,06,752. MSMEs play a pivotal role in economic growth and employment. Therefore, to further boost small and medium businesses in India, the government should consider rationalising certain income-tax provisions for MSMEs and professionals in Budget 2025.

The government aims to expand the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) to provide housing to an additional 3 crore families by 2029 under PMAY-U 2.0. The scheme will offer central assistance to eligible families in urban areas for constructing, purchasing, or renting affordable homes.

SIP investments in 715 equity mutual funds have averaged a 7.1% decline over the past year. Energy and power, small cap, value, multi cap, mid cap, and flexi cap funds experienced losses ranging from 7% to 19%.

Unifi Mutual Fund plans to launch its first fund, the Unifi Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund, an open-ended scheme investing in equity and debt instruments. The fund aims for income generation and capital appreciation through active asset allocation, with a flexible exit load structure and a minimum investment of Rs 5,000. It carries a high risk rating.

Despite small cap mutual funds losing around 8.30% in the last three months, investors still invested Rs 12,551 crore in the category. Experts attribute the decline to a slowdown in earnings growth and weak market sentiment. Caution is advised with small cap allocation, highlighting the importance of maintaining balance across different asset classes.