Page 2 - Personal Finance

Don't be fazed by one-year return; ELSS long-term record is robust

Choose them for their strong wealth creation potential and short lock-in period, especially if you remain on the old tax regime, but don't judge them on past-year returns alone

Kerala government holiday list 2026: Key dates of bank and office closures

State confirms key dates for banks and financial institutions when they will remain closed, including festivals and annual accounting closures

Overseas investments via GIFT City funds: Strong rules, simpler taxes

Taxes on capital gains and dividends are paid at the fund level; investors do not pay

Travel insurance: If an airline cancels a flight, it pays, not the insurer

Policies typically reimburse cancellations for reasons such as medical emergencies, death of an immediate family member, or natural disasters

Sanchar Saathi decoded: Why the gov wants it installed on your phone

DoT's directive requires the app to be visible and functional on first use, even as the minister stresses that activation remains optional.

Maternity coverage: Buy early, cross waiting period before need arises

With waiting periods and sub-limits, experts advise early planning and careful policy checks to manage delivery expenses

Hiding foreign assets? Black Money Act provisions carry heavy penalties

Tax department warns of penalties, details how to revise returns by December 31 deadline

Equity, bond issuance form a major source of fundraising for corporates

Non-bank sources now contribute nearly half of commercial-sector funding, led by record corporate bond issuances, steady equity fundraising and rising credit flows from NBFCs

Cakes 'n' bakes: India goes the whole hog on new Christmas indulgences

India's festive baking is evolving from being a nice community ritual to premium indulgence; Craft, nostalgia and personalisation now define the country's Christmas cake culture

Prepay your education loan or invest early? Here's what experts advise

Experts explain when it's wiser to cut debt quickly and when early investing builds more wealth

Super top-ups in health insurance: Match deductible with base sum insured

When base and super top-up are from different insurers, the second insurer may offer reimbursement, not cashless

Allocate 30-70% of your equity portfolio to large-cap funds, say experts

Large-cap funds have shown steady performance, with recent results pointing to improving earnings momentum across leading companies. Experts say valuations look appealing for long-term investors

Term insurance: Pick insurer with consistently high claim settlement ratio

A strong persistency ratio signals customer trust, better service and fewer disputes, while a high claim settlement ratio shows how reliably an insurer honours claims-key checks before buying term cov

Rigorous due diligence key when buying property via bank e-auctions

While properties can be purchased in such auctions at a discount to market value, they carry the risk of hidden liabilities

Treading with care at a new frontier: RBI cautious on banks' M&A funding

Mint Road's proposals on banks' M&A funding are cautious even as entrants root for more elbow room, and weigh business models

Partial hospital bill payout: Boost policy cover to secure full claims

In particular, avoid room rent caps that lead to proportionate deduction

Rich IPO valuations: Track post-listing performance before investing

Better price points, aligned to fundamentals, tend to emerge once the initial hype fades

SPARSH portal for defence pensioners: Here's how to get your PPO online

The Defence Ministry's digital pension platform lets retirees access, view, and download their Pension Payment Order with just a few clicks.

Exit a fund only if risk appetite changes or tracking error widens

Experts say investors should not exit smart-beta funds due to short-term underperformance as factor strategies are cyclical and tend to recover

SEBI warns on digital gold: Should you cash out or hold? Experts explain

'Safety must come before convenience,' say experts, urging investors to rethink unregulated digital gold after SEBI's latest caution