Guide To Personal Finance

IRCTC offers 20% off return fares for Diwali travel: Here's the fine print

Festival season rail travellers can save on return tickets with IRCTC's new scheme, but the offer applies only if you meet the booking rules and travel dates

Filed wrong ITR form? Consequences & how to fix it

'Filing a wrong ITR doesn't just stall refunds, it can trigger penalties and scrutiny if not fixed,' warns a tax expert

Bank's group coverage: Affordable, easier to acquire; but check for limits

Group insurance from banks may be affordable and easy to onboard but customers must watch for coverage limits, exclusions, and renewal risks before signing up

Sign agreement locker agreement promptly, buy cover for valuables

Customers may face service interruption if they don't sign agreement after multiple deadline extensions

Keep 2 months' expense in savings account, move rest to liquid funds

Instead of chasing past returns, choose a fund with papers of high credit quality

Corporate bond funds: Assess portfolio quality, expense ratio before entry

Expect stable accrual-based returns rather than significant capital gains

SDL-based STRIPS: Use for duration matching, not for tactical gains

Invest for more than 12 months to enjoy favourable tax treatment

Assess true cost: Add up expense ratio of FoF and underlying funds

Understand the risks of the underlying funds and whether their strategies match your objectives

Deferred annuity plans: Ensure retirement income with guaranteed return

Inflation will reduce value of payout, so invest part of retirement corpus in growth instruments

Suitable bets for cost-sensitive investors seeking market returns

Passive midcap and smallcap funds offer simplicity and low cost, but investors must weigh the risks including tracking error, volatility, and lack of downside protection

Shield your vehicle from monsoon damage with key insurance add-ons

With rains already flooding major cities, insurers advise critical add-ons like engine and battery protection to avoid costly vehicle repairs and ease claim settlement

Buyers risk losing legal remedies without registered agreement for sale

If promoter demands more than 10 per cent without a registered agreement, halt payments and file a complaint with RERA

Gold ETFs gain favour; choose ones with low cost, minimal tracking error

More investors now adhere to the principle of asset allocation. "Increasingly, they treat gold as a financial asset in their portfolio rather than just as jewellery," says Vikram Dhawan

Minimising payout on home loan: Boost credit score, prepay, cut tenure

A home loan balance transfer can help move to a lower interest rate

Maharashtra RR rate hike: Choose ongoing projects, women ownership helps

The RR rate is the minimum value at which a property must be registered during a transaction

Dealing with digital arrest: Don't panic; reach out to lawyer, police

Fake arrest warrants and legal notices are sent via SMS or WhatsApp. Some use deepfake videos to replicate a police station setting

China-focused MFs: Take limited exposure, watch out for policy shifts

The stressed real estate sector, a key driver of the economy, has not yet stabilised

MF schemes merger: Stay invested if new fund fits your goal, risk appetite

Fund houses also merge schemes to cut costs and focus scarce fund management resources on their flagship schemes

Momentum funds: Invest if you have long horizon and stomach for volatility

Momentum funds follow a thematic approach, buying stocks in an upward trend and selling when the trend reverses

Income-Tax Bill 2025: File tax return by due date to be eligible for refund

Deductions related to salary, including standard deduction and leave encashment, are now grouped under a single clause