The most common mistake is investing without assessing suitability and long-term implications.
In 2025-26, the government allocated Rs 6,81,210 crore for defence budget.
'The new Bill introduces no policy or rate changes, leaving financial planning strategies largely unaffected.'
'The considerations for choosing between the old and new tax regimes remain essentially unchanged.'
An armymen's trust has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the central government to remove the disparity in the pensionary benefit and to extend the old pension scheme benefits to the personnel of the armed forces under both the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of defence.
'Stay invested but progressively reduce risk. Beyond a point, the objective should shift from maximising returns to avoiding unpleasant surprises.'
'There is a challenge in repositioning yourself, maybe reinventing yourself.'
EPF doesn't just build your retirement fund -- it also provides free life insurance up to Rs 7 lakh under the EDLI scheme.
Those who have long retirement horizons of 15 to 20 years and seek higher long-term returns may opt for MSF. Investors nearing retirement (under 10 years) or those with low risk tolerance should stay away.
The continued MF buying has pushed the equity holding of MFs to over Rs 50 trillion for the first time.
The 'restore old pension' campaign is being spearheaded by the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS), a federation with over 13 lakh government employees as its members.
Raising social security pension amounts, increasing financial assistance given under the 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers and providing LPG cylinders at Rs 400 each are some of the promises made by the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samiti for the upcoming assembly elections in Telangana.
Over 25 crore workers across India are set to strike against new labour codes and privatisation, potentially disrupting banking, postal, and other essential services.
'The tragedy underscored 'serious and widespread' weaknesses in the EPFO's monitoring system and its ability to detect and act against defaulting establishments.'
Switching to the UPS could be a game-changer for your retirement planning, especially if you value guaranteed benefits and higher government contributions, observes Ramalingam Kalirajan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the record turnout in the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls indicates people's trust in the NDA government. He predicted victory for the NDA, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and lauded the Election Commission for conducting successful elections.
The proposal is currently with the finance department and is expected to be placed before the Cabinet in the coming days.
Shivakumar said, "Mahayuti leaders should visit my state to see how Congress' welfare guarantees are benefiting people."
India has managed high government debt-to-GDP, a slowing domestic revenue engine, lower household savings and a more hostile geopolitical environment separately in the past. But together, they threaten to undo the growth narrative on which today's optimism rests, warns Debashis Basu.
India is growing fast, but to keep growing strong, the government must make more things at home, create jobs, and spend money wisely, suggests Rajiv Memani, regional managing partner, Africa-India Region, EY.
An ECI statement issued from New Delhi put the voter turnout at 68.76 per cent. The female turnout (74.03 per cent) was significantly higher, compared with males (64.1 per cent).
Bihar recorded its highest-ever voter turnout of 67.14 per cent in the second and final phase of the assembly elections. The election is seen as a referendum on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kishanganj recorded the highest polling percentage at 76.26.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
Ask rediffGURU Naveenn Kummar your insurance mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
The government has fixed a target of 1 lakh (100,000) subscribers under the pension scheme for senior citizens through the Life Insurance Corporation, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.\n\n
While the DMK depends on a 'silver sieve' of welfare schemes to stay in power, its support is slowly draining away under the weight of poor governance, corruption, and voters who are no longer satisfied with benefits alone and now want basic administration to work, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the validity of the Employees Pension (Amendment) Scheme of 2014 but quashed the threshold limit of Rs 15,000 monthly salary for joining the pension fund. The 2014 amendment had capped the maximum pensionable salary (basic pay plus dearness allowance) at Rs 15,000 per month. Prior to the amendment, the maximum pensionable salary was capped at Rs 6,500 a month.
The National Pension System (NPS) added 21.5 per cent fewer fresh subscribers under the corporate segment in 2023 compared to the preceding year. Government officials and experts attribute it to the higher exemption limit of income tax of Rs 7 lakh announced in the FY24 Budget that no more requires employees under this income bracket to opt for NPS for tax-saving purposes. Data collated from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) reveals that the corporate component is voluntary in nature and saw 158,212 new subscribers in 2023 compared to 201,517 during 2022.
Pension plans purport to provide for an individual at a stage when he/she is presumed to be inept of earning his/her livelihood. Hence the savings need to be planned, managed and executed with an extra degree of caution.
Furnishing of Aadhaar is still mandatory for final settlement of pension
Retail investors are moving away from a buy-and-hold approach and towards more informed short-term positioning, recent investment patterns show.
Around 20 lakh pensioners to benefit from govt new pension scheme.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
State debt is rising because revenues are disappointingly weak. Ten states have debt ratios exceeding 30 per cent. In 2023-2024, states were borrowing simply to meet day-to-day expenses, points out Debashis Basu.
Justice Surya Kant is set to become the 53rd Chief Justice of India, bringing extensive experience and a record of significant verdicts on key issues.
The committee has termed the Employee Provident Fund Organisation's data on number of pensioners subscribed to the Employee's Pension Scheme, 1995 as 'inflated and imaginary'. Top officials of the labour ministry and the provident fund organisation were unable to explain how calculations for pensionary liability were arrived at without knowing the number of pensioners in the country.
EPF nominations decide inheritance -- here's what happens if you don't file.
Goyal also announced hiking of tax free gratuity to Rs 30 lakh from existing Rs 20 lakh for employees having service of more than five years.
The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Centre on Tuesday for failing to take any decision for years on the pension payable to retired regular captains of the Army in accordance with the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme and imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on it.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Milind Vadjikar your insurance, stocks, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
The new Income Tax Bill, passed by Lok Sabha on Monday, has retained the provisions regarding ITR filing for TDS claims and tax exemptions for anonymous donations made to all religious-cum-charitable trusts, as in the existing tax laws. The original Income Tax Bill, which was brought in Parliament in February, had done away with this exemption and the ITR filing flexibility for claiming TDS refunds.
