Page 4 - Your Money

Test reports, signatures: Documents you need for medical insurance claim

Ask the hospital for a detailed and itemised bill as insurers need to see exactly how many syringes and medicines were used to deduct non-payable items

Critical financial mistakes that can derail long-term retirement planning

Invest at least 25%of your post-tax income exclusively for retirement

Exit load to tax impact: Mistakes to avoid when redeeming mutual funds

Withdrawing money too early breaks the compounding process that helps your money grow over the long term

Save and indulge: How to build a money plan that works for your lifestyle

Automation is the best strategy for saving money: If you have to make a conscious decision to save every month, you will fail

Home loan to daily essentials: How to prepare financially for job loss

Your emergency fund must increase as your monthly bills increase, say experts

How to reset your personal financial plan when major life changes occur

Before modifying investments or changing your lifestyle, calculate the cash you can access within 24 hours

What is a financial review and how often should you such an audit

Sit down with your spreadsheets or finance apps and check your structural alignment

What is debt consolidation financial strategy, who should consider it

It provides psychological relief but can lead to a much deeper debt trap if spending habits do not change

Achieve your wealth goals, follow this roadmap for the next five years

Calculate how much you can invest each month and then decide everything you want to achieve in the next five years

Making an insurance claim in crisis: Shifting from panic to protocol

Filing a successful claim involves following a strict chronological sequence that leaves the insurer with no valid reason to deny you

File full and accurate details in tax return forms to claim deductions

Providing incomplete or inaccurate information can have penal consequences

How cryptocurrency investors can avoid tax and regulatory trouble

Use registered platforms, report every trade and maintain a complete audit trail

Avoid a costly early exit: Steps before surrendering an insurance policy

Assess the policy's returns, risks and liquidity restrictions, and ensure that you can sustain the premiums throughout its term

Use short-term insurance to cover time-bound financial liabilities

They should be used as top-ups, not as the base cover for providing long-term protection to the family

RBI Ombudsman Scheme: Know complaint timelines, compensation, appeal rules

The RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026, introduces higher compensation, shorter complaint timelines and a streamlined grievance process for customers of regulated entities

Aggressive hybrid funds offer equity exposure with lower volatility

Check both equity and debt portfolios before investing

Map spending pattern, pick credit cards that align with it to boost savings

Relying on generic cards that offer flat, low reward rates can reduce your savings

Long-duration bonds: Match investment horizon with the bond's tenure

Check post-tax returns, and preferably hold till maturity to reduce interest-rate risk

Use slowdown in housing sales to negotiate a better property deal

Compare nearby projects, negotiate the overall deal and not just the base price, and choose developers with strong delivery records to secure better value

Months and years: How to match investment choices with your time horizon

Tip: Keeping excess funds in fixed deposits may not be beneficial for the long term due to inflation and other factors