Understand your travel insurance policy before travelling abroad this summer. This article outlines what travel insurance covers, including trip cancellations, missed connections, and medical emergencies, and what it excludes, such as war-related disruptions and pre-existing conditions.
Recent changes to tax exemptions and allowances, including increased education, hostel, and HRA limits, have made the old tax regime more competitive against the new regime, prompting salaried employees to re-evaluate their choice for the current financial year.
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.
Taxpayers should consider ITR-U if they omitted income, wrongly claimed deductions or exemptions, or made reporting errors that led to a shortfall in tax payment.
The Budget offers a limited-time regularisation window with clear thresholds, defined payments, and immunity from penalty or prosecution.
The most common mistake is investing without assessing suitability and long-term implications.
'Stay invested but progressively reduce risk. Beyond a point, the objective should shift from maximising returns to avoiding unpleasant surprises.'
'Trading without strict position sizing, stop-loss discipline, or a clear exit plan almost guarantees losses.' 'Chasing tips, reacting to intraday noise, or assuming frequent trading improves outcomes are equally damaging habits.'
Fund managers advise conservative investors to cap midcap exposure at 10 to 15 per cent of their equity portfolio.
With medical inflation hovering at around 13-14 per cent annually, policyholders must reassess their sum insured once every two years.
While gold continues to provide safety after its strong 2025 rally, well-chosen real estate investments held with a long-term view remain attractive.
Filing a belated return is far better than not filing at all.
With winter holidays approaching, some Indian travellers will venture abroad. Many will be underprepared for medical and other travel-related risks. Trip disruptions, missed connections, and steep medical costs in developed countries can leave travellers exposed if they underestimate the coverage they need.
'Pick a sum insured that realistically covers major hospitalisation costs in your city.'
Lawful possession means having both actual control over a property and a valid legal right to keep it, usually based on a registered sale deed, lease agreement, or lawful allotment.
Before booking a flat, buyers should confirm that the project is registered with the state's Rera portal.
'The momentum is driven by rising affluence, strong demand from HNIs (high net worth individuals) and NRIs (non-resident Indians), an increased appetite for larger, well-located homes by branded developers, and support from the economy.'
'Buy early and review the sum insured regularly.'
'Combining individual or family policies with corporate cover, along with top-ups and wellness programmes, can help maintain strong health protection throughout life.'
Before signing up for a BNPL plan, read the fine print carefully and watch for red flags like unclear repayment terms, vague information on interest or late fees, and marketing that downplays the cost of default.
Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable due to their high savings, trust in authorities, and limited familiarity with online frauds.
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