Planning to exchange old jewellery for new? Know the income tax rules

Planning to exchange old jewellery for new? Know the income tax rules

When you sell your old piece of jewellery to buy a new one, you are meant to pay capital gains tax on the sale. It is vital to note that the sale of gold, even for the purpose of buying a new ornament, is seen as the sale of an old asset. In Budget 2024, … Read more

NRI taxation: Can benefit from reinvesting real estate capital gains?

NRI taxation: Can benefit from reinvesting real estate capital gains?

I’m a US citizen holding an OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) card. I own three apartments in India that I purchased in the early 2010s. I plan to sell two of them—one in December and the other in February 2025. Against the sale of these two apartments, I plan to buy two new apartments. Can … Read more

Thematic and sector funds are all the rage. But recent returns mask the true risk.

Thematic and sector funds are all the rage. But recent returns mask the true risk.

“Which mutual fund should I invest in?” It must have been the 20th time my sister had called to ask me this. As usual, I tried explaining the basics but was quickly interrupted this time. “Don’t waste my time, just tell me where most people are investing.” This was understandable. She had recently received a … Read more

America’s rich never sell their assets. How should they be taxed?

America’s rich never sell their assets. How should they be taxed?

What is income, really? Ask an economist and they might describe “Haig-Simons” income—the value of a person’s consumption of goods and services, plus the change in their net worth over a certain period. A lawyer might refer to Section 61(a) of the IRS Code 26, which defines “gross” income as “all income from whatever source … Read more

Should PMS investors switch to focused funds after new tax changes?

Should PMS investors switch to focused funds after new tax changes?

Portfolio management services (PMS) are navigating new challenges after the Union Budget for 2024-25 increased tax on long-term capital gains (LTCG) and short-term capital gains (STCG). As stocks are held in the investor’s demat account in PMS, every buy and sell decision of the PMS manager has a tax impact for the investor, unlike a … Read more

From tackling unemployment to fostering innovation: How budget 2024 can propel India to next phase of growth

From tackling unemployment to fostering innovation: How budget 2024 can propel India to next phase of growth

The overarching theme of the Union Budget 2024-25 strikes a fine balance between addressing the pressing bottlenecks impacting economic growth, boosting the startup ecosystem, and laying the groundwork for a future-ready India. Tax relief, employment and green energy transition have emerged as some of the most important areas, sending a message of resilience, foresight and … Read more

Budget and taxes: A balancing act between short-term challenges and long-term growth

Budget and taxes: A balancing act between short-term challenges and long-term growth

The Union budget for 2024-25 has proposed several changes in the capital gains tax structure, some of which are surprising moves that the mutual fund industry and the wider market community were not prepared for. One of the most significant was the hike in long-term capital gains tax from 10% to 12.5%. The budget’s proposal … Read more

A fundamental analyst’s take on the Budget

A fundamental analyst's take on the Budget

First things first. Keywords and slogans, like defence and railways, that dominated the previous budgets were missing this time. This was a Budget for coalition partners, towards which Nirmala Sitharaman has loosened the purse strings. A special financial support of ₹15,000 crore will be extended to Andhra Pradesh via multilateral agencies for development. New airports, … Read more

20% levy on short-term capital gains has given young F&O traders a tax incentive

20% levy on short-term capital gains has given young F&O traders a tax incentive

NEW DELHI : Ahead of the Union Budget 2024-25, rumours were rife that tax on futures and options (F&O) would be increased to curb the increasing retail participation in the derivatives market. But while the Centre didn’t touch F&O, barring a nominal increase in securities transaction tax (STT), it increased tax on short- and long-term … Read more

Income tax filing: Last minute mistakes to avoid and details to check when filing your income tax returns

Income tax filing: Last minute mistakes to avoid and details to check when filing your income tax returns

Filing your taxes at the last-minute could lead you to miss out on disclosing some transactions or failing to gather all the required documents on time. For instance, if you invest in cryptocurrency, you have to disclose those transactions scrip-wise.  Karan Batra, founder of Charteredclub.com, said crypto exchanges don’t have a standard format for statements, … Read more