With Income Tax Act 2025 in force, your tax choice can quietly cost you big money if you're not paying attention. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains how
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions
The Income Tax Department conducted searches at multiple locations in Kolkata, including the residence of TMC MLA Debashis Kumar and Miraj Shah, a proposer of Mamata Banerjee's candidature. The TMC alleges the raids are politically motivated.
The remarkable rise of smallcaps reflects the emergence of a broad set of specialised businesses operating in industries where the sectoral tailwinds remain considerably stronger than macroeconomic headwinds, points out Debashis Basu.
Nayara Energy, India's largest private fuel retailer, has reduced petrol prices by Rs 5 per litre and diesel by Rs 3 per litre nationwide, marking the first such cut in over two years. This reduction follows easing tensions in West Asia and stabilised international crude oil prices, though public sector retailers have not yet followed suit.
Bharti Airtel added 7.64 trillion in value over the past five years, making it the biggest wealth creator in India's private sector, while the IT sector, including TCS, Infosys, and Wipro, collectively lost 8.5 trillion in value, according to the latest Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 report.
The best time to buy health insurance is when you don't think you need it.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) reported encouraging results for Q4FY26 with improved asset quality and earnings, but analysts maintain a cautious near-term outlook due to geopolitical tensions, monsoon risks, and specific portfolio concerns.
If we really want to curb the further depreciation of the rupee and make the rupee appreciate, we want to come out of the mindset that the exchange rate is merely a number, bring policy corrections to help reduce the outflow of foreign exchange by imposing suitable tariffs to discourage imports and bring self reliance, discipline FPIs, and correcting rules governing royalty outflows, suggests Dr Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-Convenor, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
For members, the message is simple: don't be misled by headlines about '100% withdrawal'. The basic purpose of the EPF remains unchanged -- to help employees build a financial cushion for retirement while allowing limited access to savings for genuine needs during their working lives.
Eighteen of India's 28 states exceeded the fiscal deficit ceiling of 3 per cent of GSDP in FY25, a deterioration comparable to the Covid year of 2020-21, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The report also noted a decline in states reporting a revenue surplus, with Bihar, Mizoram, and Telangana moving into deficit.
India has successfully negotiated the protection of its steel export interests under the free trade agreement with the UK, ensuring 85 per cent of its outbound shipments remain outside Britain's steel safeguard measures. This consensus addresses a key sticking point ahead of the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) coming into force on July 15.
Notwithstanding the economic complementarities and the host of agreements for deepening economic relation on a host of areas, both sides share common viewpoints on the foreign policy domain and seek common grounds to serve as a counterweight to China, notes Dr Rajaram Panda.
A senior tax assistant in the Income Tax department was sentenced to six months in jail and fined Rs 4000 in a bribery case by a special CBI court in Thane.
Three former AIADMK ministers, Dr C Vijayabaskar, M R Vijayabaskar, and M S M Anandan, along with their supporters, have joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), prompting the DMK to label the move as 'washing machine' politics, referencing allegations of corruption against the defectors.
A clarification by the ministry of external affairs that the passport is not a proof of citizenship has once again brought to the fore the need for a legal framework to provide citizens with a single document to establish they are Indians.
The grieving parents of Sarthak Mattoo, who died in an alleged hit-and-run incident in southwest Delhi, have made an emotional video appeal for justice, questioning the pace of the police investigation and demanding strict action against those responsible.
Your children may always love you but should you expect them to to finance your retirement in today's economy?
AI firm Pramaana Labs, with a significant Indian workforce, has successfully raised $27 million in seed funding led by Khosla Ventures. The company aims to use these funds to advance its unique technology that converts complex knowledge into machine-verifiable truth, addressing the accountability gap in AI across regulated sectors like tax, healthcare, and financial compliance.
The investigation pertains to alleged irregularities in CMRL's financial transactions and its links with Veena's now-defunct company Exalogic Solutions Private Limited.
WhatsApp is finally letting you hide your phone number behind a custom username. While it's a massive win for privacy, cybersecurity experts warn it could unleash a wave of identity scams. Here is what you need to know.
'Investors shouldn't let fear dictate their decisions. The most important step is simply to begin investing.'
Amid the buzz over a split in the ranks of Lok Sabha MPs of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray through "Operation Tiger", Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the "operation" has been successful. His deputy and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde said he never leaves an operation incomplete.
A key mistake would be continuing to rely on provisions of the Income-Tax Act, 1961, where the new law now applies, and vice versa.
A farmer in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, received tax notices for Rs 14.66 crore due to a fraudulent firm operating in his name in Delhi, prompting an official investigation.
A new white paper released by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government reveals that Tamil Nadu's direct debt has nearly doubled to an alarming 10 trillion in the past five years, exposing significant fiscal strain and a substantial debt burden on every citizen.
Pakistan has increased its defence budget by 17.6 per cent to PKRs 3,000 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, as announced by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The federal budget, estimated at PKRs 18,771 billion, targets 4 per cent GDP growth, with significant allocations for debt service and pensions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted economic stability and ongoing discussions with the IMF, while the opposition protested Imran Khan's incarceration during the budget session.
In the rush to complete tax-saving investments at the end of the financial year, many taxpayers choose instruments that do not match their long-term financial goals.
A US federal judge has ruled that the USD 100,000 fee imposed by former President Donald Trump for H-1B visa applications was unlawful, as it lacked congressional approval. The ruling states the fee was a tax, exceeding the administration's authority and impacting skilled global talent.
Beijing clearly intends to extend the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor to Bangladesh as part of its larger Maritime Belt and Road Initiative to boost its Indian Ocean presence.
Punjab's Finance Minister announces record tax enforcement outcomes for the financial year 2025-26, driven by intelligence-led actions and robust revenue protection, including significant penalties imposed and recovered from fraudulent networks.
A farmer in Uttar Pradesh, India, was shocked to receive tax notices for millions of rupees due to a fraudulent firm operating under his name in Delhi. An investigation has been launched to address the identity theft and tax evasion.
Wimbledon begins June 29 with Serena Williams returning after four years, Novak Djokovic chasing a 25th Slam, and a reshaped field after Carlos Alcaraz's injury.
Rising income feels like success but unchecked lifestyle inflation traps urban professionals into financing a more expensive version of living paycheck-to-paycheck -- buying material upgrades instead of true future financial freedom.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner heads to Wimbledon under scrutiny after his French Open disappointment, but coaches and experts believe the world No. 1 remains the favourite to retain his title despite fitness concerns.
FMSCI President Arindam Ghosh announced plans to bring Formula 1 back to India by 2030, and a round of the World Rally Championship and MotoGP by 2028, following a meeting with the Sports Ministry. The federation is focused on developing Indian drivers and promoting motorsports in the country.
A Deputy Commissioner of the Commercial Tax Department in Karnataka was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 6 lakh from a businessman related to an Input Tax Credit case.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
'The real Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata are the citizens of our country.' 'The Delhi government will make the film tax-free in the city so that every citizen is able to watch it.'
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the central government have introduced a package of measures, including tax exemptions for FPIs on government securities and a concessional foreign-exchange swap facility, aiming to attract up to $50 billion in foreign capital. This initiative is designed to strengthen India's balance of payments and potentially cover the projected BoP gap for FY27.
