The digital tax era promised simplicity, but ended up doubling the burden. Joint holders—added for ease—now face notices, penalties, and faceless assessments. India needs a statutory Taxpayer Rights Ombudsman, like the US, to protect honest taxpayers from systemic flaws.
📈 Steadiness trumps aggression in investing.
Too often, investors go hunting for the next big winner—like picking Virender Sehwag over Mr. Average. But investing isn’t a sport. You don’t need to be spectacular. You just need to be consistent.
This column argues for choosing steady, reliable returns over flashy, high-risk bets—helping you get close to your goal, consistently.
👉 Worth reading for anyone planning long-term goals like education or retirement.
💡 Why splitting FDs across banks doesn’t add up?
Chasing slightly higher returns by spreading your fixed deposits across multiple banks might seem smart — but it can lead to a logistical and emotional mess. From redundant KYC formalities to poor service, mis-selling, and hassles for your nominees, the hidden costs outweigh the tiny interest gain.
As the PMC Bank case shows, even insured money may not be accessible quickly or with interest.
👉 A better alternative? Hybrid funds that balance safety, returns, and liquidity without the stress.
🔗 Read the full article to understand why:
“The contrast becomes starker when compared to the National Pension System (NPS). The difference between EPFO and NPS is more than administrative — it is philosophical. While EPFO prescribes, NPS enables. EPFO casts itself as a custodian expected to act in the subscriber’s best interest, even at the cost of their agency. In contrast, NPS treats individuals as investors with choice, control and accountability.”
— Harsh Roongta, Truth Be Told column
How can travel choices become a peaceful form of protest?
In the latest Truth Be Told column, Harsh explore how Indian travellers can use their passports to quietly express dissent—through conscious economic disengagement rooted in dignity and values.
Not every race is worth running — in life or in money.
A childhood car ride taught Harsh a lesson he didn’t fully understand until much later in life.
In Harsh’ latest Truth Be Told column for Business Standard, he reflect on how the urge to compete — especially in financial matters — can quietly pull us off course.
This isn’t just about investing. It’s about resisting pressure, staying the course, and focusing on your own destination.
₹1.96 lakh crore is lying unclaimed—could some of it be yours?
That’s the scale of forgotten wealth—bank deposits, insurance, EPF, mutual funds, and shares—scattered across India’s financial system (source: https://bit.ly/42RA5kI). Most heirs don’t even know what to claim, because Indian systems (except IEPF, to a very limited extent) don’t allow a simple name-based search. The true scale of the problem remains hidden. As more people become aware of this, public pressure will grow to fix the broken claim processes. A proposed Central Unclaimed Property Authority (CUPA) could finally enable name-based search—something existing regulators have been psychologically resistant to—and reveal the true extent of the unclaimed property issue.
Name based search: Key to unlocking unclaimed assets Read More »
For details of the Listed shares with IEPF – Click here
Read the above article in text format below: As I approach the evening of my life, one troubling image often keeps me awake. In August 2016, my father suffered a massive stroke. It left him
Allow advance power of attorney for mentally incapacitated Read More »
Imagine paying for a movie on an OTT channel but being told to wait a day before watching—just to confirm payment. Sounds absurd, right? Yet, when it comes to taxes, businesses face exactly this problem. Whether it’s TDS or GST input tax credit, parties often don’t get instant credit for the taxes, creating cash flow issues, costly reconciliations, and even write offs. Big players demand full payments upfront, but smaller businesses bear the brunt of delays. What if taxes could be paid directly to the government at the time of payment, with instant credit to both parties? It could transform India’s economy, boost trust in transactions, and level the playing field. But is such a system possible? What are the complications? Read Harsh article in Business standard to find out.
Vigilance Awareness Week 2025 is being observed from October 27th to November 2nd, 2025, with the theme:
All stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the e-pledge initiative by visiting the CVC portal: https://pledge.cvc.nic.in/.
