Page 165 - Personal Finance

India passport ranking slips: Why is visa on arrival considered visa-free?

per its latest standing, an Indian passport holder can travel visa-free to 57 destinations. The country shares its rank with Equatorial Guinea and Niger.

US Visa Bulletin January 2025: Changes for Indians in EB-2, EB-3 categories

The US bulletin shows mixed movement across employment-based categories, with some progress in the Final Action Dates for applicants from India and China

Three 80C investments that still make sense for you under new tax regime

ELSS, NPS, and PPF still deserve a spot in your investment portfolio

Claim your family flat: New rules for heirs of deceased tenants in Maha

If a tenant has died, their family members (like children or a spouse) can now get the keys to the flat, but there are some rules. They have to prove they are the rightful heirs

HMPV virus in India: Does your health insurance policy cover outbreaks

HMPV is not a new virus and health officials have also advised the public not to panic

Sector-thematic NFOs: Beware lack of track record, concentration risk

With growing awareness, demand for passive funds has also risen, prompting fund houses to launch more products

Budget 2025: Key industry expectations from tax cuts to reforms

A key expectation is the introduction of higher income tax exemptions to boost disposable income for middle-income households

GSTN launches online rectification for pending ITC claims from 2017-2021

Once processed by the tax department, this rectification application will release the pending input tax credits from previous years and adjust the GST order to reflect a nil demand

What Canada holds for Indian students and workers in the post-Trudeau era

Despite frustrations with the immigration system, most newcomers reported overall happiness in Canada

You can now get FD interest rates up to 9.1% without a savings accounts

Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SSFB) Partners with Tata Digital to extend its FD Offerings on Tata Neu Platform

Uncertainty looms over launch of Irdai's ambitious Bima Sugam project

Industry players, who are also investors in the project, say it is unlikely the project will meet the announced launch date of April 2025, with few updates on its progress

Microfinance sector shows signs of stress as delinquency rates rise

The Reserve Bank of India's Financial Stability Report of December 2024 had observed that the microfinance sector is showing rising delinquencies across lenders and ticket sizes

SIP contributions cross Rs 26,000 cr for first time: What FPIs bought, sold

FPI selling remained relatively moderate in December 2024. The bulk of the outflows were concentrated in the oil & gas and automobile sectors.

Nippon Life launches its first fund from GIFT City for global investors

The firm aims to be the partner of choice for global investors seeking exposure to India and for Indian investors looking for global solutions

New Zealand eases visa rules for Indians amid global immigration crackdown

These changes simplify hiring processes for employers and relax requirements for prospective workers, making New Zealand a more accessible destination

MahaRERA freezes accounts of 1950 stalled realty projects to protect buyers

This action follows the authority's issuance of show-cause notices to approximately 10,771 projects for failing to comply with mandatory disclosure requirements.

Sectoral funds rule the roost in December 2024 but are they worth the risk?

The sectoral and thematic fund category, which witnessed the closing of 12 new fund offerings (NFOs) in December, contributed Rs 15,332 crore to the equity inflow tally

Aadhaar-based e-KYC for savings accounts in post offices is now possible

Until the full system enhancements are implemented, customers' consent for e-KYC and specimen signatures will be collected using physical forms

Steal a Coke can, get arrested: This new US Bill targets illegal immigrants

The Laken Riley Act, recently passed by the US House of Representatives, makes it mandatory to detain undocumented immigrants arrested for certain non-violent crimes like theft, or shoplifting

Only 1% of tax returns are selected for scrutiny, 99% accepted on trust

India's tax administration adopts a trust-based model, accepting over 99% of returns without scrutiny, while flagged cases undergo transparent, objective assessments