Investing
How is NPS taxed at retirement: the 60% lump sum and 40% annuity rule explained
18 Jun 2026·6 min read
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एक करोड़ रुपया · रुपया एक करोड़
रुपया एक करोड़ · एक करोड़ रुपया
एक करोड़ रुपया · रुपया एक करोड़
रुपया एक करोड़ · एक करोड़ रुपया
एक करोड़ रुपया · रुपया एक करोड़
रुपया एक करोड़ · एक करोड़ रुपया
एक करोड़ रुपया · रुपया एक करोड़
रुपया एक करोड़ · एक करोड़ रुपया
एक करोड़ रुपया · रुपया एक करोड़
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The first crore is the hardest. Start here.
Tax, investing, salary, insurance and credit — in plain English, for young Indians who earn well but haven't had time to figure out where it all goes.
◆ FeaturedThis WeekTopical
This week: 12 new articles on home loans, VPF, SIP maths, and tax — plus the June 15 advance tax deadline
A heavy week: home loan EMI maths, rent vs buy, VPF vs PPF, the cost of starting a SIP late, step-up SIPs, FD interest tax, LTCG harvesting, and the completion of Zero to One Chapter 2 on the old vs new tax regime. Plus: advance tax first instalment is due June 15.
14 Jun 2026 · 4 min readRead →
Recent articles
All articles →Investing
NPS Tier 1 vs Tier 2: what is the difference and which should you use?
NPS has two accounts using the same funds but completely different rules. Tier 1 is the retirement account — tax benefits, locked until 60, 40% mandatory annuity. Tier 2 is flexible with no lock-in but no tax deduction for most. Here's which to use for tax savings vs flexible investing.
18 Jun 2026·6 min read
Tax
Do I need to file an ITR if my employer already deducts TDS from my salary?
TDS and ITR are not the same thing. TDS is tax paid on your behalf; the ITR reconciles your total income and tax. Filing is mandatory if your income exceeds the basic exemption limit (₹4L new regime) — regardless of TDS. And it's the only way to claim refunds of excess TDS or carry forward losses.
17 Jun 2026·6 min read
Tax
What happens if you miss the July 31 ITR deadline: belated returns, penalties, and what you lose
Miss the July 31 deadline and you can still file a belated return until December 31 — but it costs a ₹5,000 late fee (even if you owe no tax), interest on unpaid tax, and the right to carry forward capital and F&O losses. Here's exactly what missing the deadline costs and your options after.
17 Jun 2026·7 min read
Tax
How to e-verify your ITR and what happens if you don't within 30 days
Filing your ITR is incomplete until you verify it — and you have only 30 days. An unverified return is treated as never filed, risking penalties and lost refunds. Aadhaar OTP verifies in under two minutes. Here are all five e-verification methods and what happens after.
16 Jun 2026·6 min read
Tax
Which ITR form should you file for AY 2026-27: ITR-1 vs ITR-2 vs ITR-3 vs ITR-4
Filing the wrong ITR form triggers a defective return notice. ITR-1 works for salary + interest up to ₹50L with LTCG under ₹1.25L. Sold equity above ₹1.25L? You need ITR-2. Traded F&O or freelance? ITR-3 is mandatory even for one trade. Here's the full decision table for salaried employees.
16 Jun 2026·7 min read
Tax
F&O trading losses: how they are taxed, whether you can set them off against salary, and what June 15 means for traders
F&O income is business income — not capital gains. You file ITR-3, pay tax at slab rate, and cannot set off F&O losses against salary income. SEBI data shows 93% of F&O traders lost money. Losses carry forward 8 years. And if you trade F&O profitably, today (June 15) is your advance tax instalment deadline.
15 Jun 2026·8 min read
Investing
What is the cost of starting your SIP 5 years late — in exact rupees
A 5-year delay in starting ₹10,000/month at 12% CAGR costs ₹2.10 crore by age 60 — illustration only. To make up that delay starting at 30, you'd need to invest ₹17,900/month instead of ₹10,000 — 79% more, every month, for 30 years. The early years cannot be recovered by investing more later.
14 Jun 2026·7 min read
Investing
How much should a 25-year-old invest monthly to reach ₹1 crore — and what it actually means after inflation
At 12% CAGR, a 25-year-old needs ₹2,100/month to reach ₹1 crore by 60 — investing just ₹8.82 lakh total, the rest is compounding. But ₹1 crore in 35 years is only ₹13 lakh in today's purchasing power. The inflation-adjusted target of ₹1 crore in today's money requires ₹16,000/month. All figures are illustrations.
14 Jun 2026·7 min read
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