Tax relief brings cheer, but savings could take a hit

Budget 2025's generous income tax benefits will ease middle-class pressure, yet the move away from tax-incentivised investments raises concerns about long-term financial planning

The right question

After 24 years, readers' worries have changed, but the real challenge is still knowing which questions to ask

Buying gold on Dhanteras is not investing

Honour the ritual, but count Dhanteras jewellery as spending. Gold you hold as insurance needs a form you can sell cheaply, and a necklace is not that form.

What changed inside India's insurance regulator?

A consultation paper from IRDAI that reads more like an investigation than a policy proposal is a surprise for anyone who follows this industry

Policyholders win 63% of complaints against insurers

IRDA data shows policyholders win at every stage, from the Bima Bharosa portal to the ombudsman to the courts. That says a lot about insurer behaviour.

The final layer is human

An investing app can pick the fund but it cannot keep you from selling it at the bottom.