NPS New Charges From 1 October 2026: 0.20% Yearly Fee
From 1 October 2026, NPS accounts run through a bank or agent pay a ₹200 joining fee and 0.20% of the corpus a year. Who pays, who is exempt, how to avoid it.
· 5 min read
SmartFigure blog
Plain-English guides to income tax, investing, retirement, loans and savings in India.
ITR Deadline Extended to 21 November 2026 for Audit Cases
CBDT has moved the tax audit report deadline to 21 October 2026 and the ITR deadline for audit cases to 21 November. Who gets the extra time, and who does not.
· 5 min read
SIP Inflows Hit a Record ₹32,297 Crore: What It Means
India’s SIP contributions hit a record ₹32,297 crore in August 2026 and accounts crossed 10 crore. What the AMFI data shows, and what to take from it.
· 4 min read
Income Tax Refund Delayed? Why, and How to Check It
ITR filing for FY 2025-26 is over and refunds are due. Why refunds get stuck — TDS mismatch, unvalidated bank accounts, NUDGE checks — and how to track yours.
· 4 min read
SEBI’s New ETF Trading Rules From 7 September: What Changed
From 7 September 2026, SEBI moved ETF price bands to a T-1 VWAP base and made them dynamic. What changed for equity, gold and silver ETF investors.
· 4 min read
EPF Interest for FY26: Is Your 8.25% Credited Yet?
EPFO has been crediting 8.25% interest for FY 2025-26 since mid-2026. How to check your passbook, when to expect the entry, and what to do if it is missing.
· 4 min read
RBI's New OTP Rule for Foreign Card Payments From 1 October
From 1 October 2026, RBI requires an extra authentication step on foreign card payments. What changes, why some needed no OTP before, and what to check now.
· 5 min read
Silver Crosses ₹2.5 Lakh a Kilo: Should You Buy Now?
Silver has climbed past ₹2.5 lakh a kilogram in September 2026, outpacing gold. What is driving the rally, how it compares with gold, and how to invest in it.
· 4 min read
New Rules From 1 October 2026: 7 Money Changes to Know
From 1 October 2026: biometric Aadhaar for LPG subsidy, RBI FD rules, NRI property TDS by PAN, SBI withdrawal charges and NPS Swasthya. What to do about each.
· 7 min read
PPF, SSY, SCSS Rates for Oct–Dec 2026: Unchanged at 7.1% and 8.2%
PPF stays at 7.1%, SSY and SCSS at 8.2%, NSC at 7.7% and KVP at 7.5% for October–December 2026, unchanged for a tenth quarter. What it means for you.
· 6 min read
Bank Strike 28–30 September 2026: What Works, What Doesn’t
Bank unions strike on 28, 29 and 30 September 2026. Which banks are shut, why PSU banks open on Sunday 27 September, and what still works: UPI, ATMs, NEFT.
· 6 min read
Bank Holidays in October 2026: Full List by City
Banks are shut 8 to 10 days in October 2026 depending on your city. Dates for Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra and Durga Puja, weekend closures and what still works.
· 4 min read