Harsh Roongta

Retirement income: Systematic withdrawals now win over dividends

An investor's instinct to live off 'income' and not 'touch capital' is a common bias. Understanding it can lead to better, more tax-efficient withdrawal strategies

Your credit is easier to steal than your money: How online lending works

A simple 'Buy now, pay later' click can trigger a full loan without consent. Weak verification, no alerts, and instant disbursals are fuelling identity fraud in India's digital lending ecosystem

Programmable currency: Ensuring donors' money is used right and wisely

Vidyawati still had to visit the school to check whether the credit had actually come through, losing a day's work in the process

Loan rates should mirror unfinished homes' higher risk, highlight gap

Requiring banks to hold more capital for under-construction loans and less after completion would make their higher risk evident through the resulting interest-rate differential

Draft rules to be notified making dealer liable once vehicle is sold

once a car is handed over with due intimation, the dealer would be deemed the owner and held liable for any incidents during possession, According to the draft rules

Increase cap on overseas investments through MFs for better returns

The advantages of investing overseas through Indian mfs are clear: a stable regulatory framework, competitive fund choices, and the ability to invest small amounts systematically

Remove friction in fee payment for advice to improve access to guidance

In the portfolio management services (PMS) space, most clients prefer paying fund managers directly from the invested corpus, as it lets them track returns from a single pool

One nation, one KYC: Sebi shows the way, other regulators should follow

Other regulators should follow Sebi's lead in explicitly stating that once a client completes KYC with one intermediary, they shouldn't have to repeat the process with another

How tax systems unfairly penalise even honest, hardworking taxpayers

The digital tax era promised ease - pre-filled returns, real-time data, and seamless reporting

Virender Sehwag or Mr Average: Steadiness trumps aggression in investing

Many investors can choose average over exceptional for most of their money. This will give them peace of mind and the freedom to take risks with the rest

Why splitting fixed deposits across multiple banks doesn't add up

So, the next time someone tempts you with a slightly higher FD rate from a lesser-known bank, point them not to DICGC's fine print but to hybrid funds

Allow gig workers the option to choose between EPF and NPS schemes

If millions of gig workers are forced into EPF without the option of NPS, complaints about the system's inefficiencies will intensify as its shortcomings inevitably emerge

Turkiye, Azerbaijan boycott: Passport as an instrument of peaceful protest

Withholding economic benefits - like tourism revenues - can impel nations to pause and reflect. Even if it doesn't lead to immediate change, it conveys the sentiment of Indians

Why competition in money matters can be damaging to your financial journey

Unnecessary competitiveness shifts our focus from our own destination to imagined races. It turns a fulfilling long-term journey into a relentless sprint that leaves us tired and anxious

Name-based search: Key to unlocking unclaimed assets across sectors

A dedicated authority - focused on returning these assets - would be better positioned to overcome the psychological resistance that regulators have, to enabling searches based on names

Allow advance power of attorney for mentally incapacitated individuals

Clearly define the authority of the PoA holder, which should get activated upon confirmation of mental incapacitation by an independent medical panel

Instant tax credit: An idea whose time has come for better compliance

A system that allows buyers to pay taxes directly to the government while paying would enhance trust, improve tax compliance, and accelerate tax collection

EPF is in urgent need of an overhaul for flexibility and portability

Employees must be allowed to pause or reduce ontributions, and the promised portability between EPF and NPS should be enabled

Give retirees the choice of variable annuities to hedge against inflation

Truth be told, the government can also benefit from a successful variable PPP. If private-sector employees adopt it, government employees could follow

Budget 2025-26: Is the new Income-Tax Bill a step towards 'Nyaya'?

The reduction in TDS rates and rationalisation of TCS provisions are welcome steps