What changed for your money
Rules about loans, credit reports, tax and fraud change often. Here’s what changed recently, what’s coming, and what it means for you. Each item links to a guide with the details.
Items marked “being verified” are still being checked against the official text.
17 Sep 2026: EPF wage ceiling raised to ₹25,000 (being verified)
The salary limit for compulsory Provident Fund rose from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month. If your basic pay is up to ₹25,000, PF is now compulsory on your full basic. That can lower your take-home pay a little while adding to your PF savings. → CTC, gross and take-home · Salary calculator
1 Jul 2026: New RBI Ombudsman scheme
The RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 replaced the 2021 scheme. Complain to the lender first and wait 30 days. You then have 90 days to file with the RBI Ombudsman; before July 2026 you had a year. Compensation limits went up, and credit bureaus are now covered. → How to complain about a bank, NBFC or loan app · Complaint dates
1 Jul 2026: Credit reports update weekly
Lenders now report to credit bureaus as of the 9th, 16th, 23rd and last day of each month, instead of fortnightly. Late payments show up faster, and so do repayments and corrections. → Credit score basics
1 Apr 2026: New Income-tax Act in force
The Income-tax Act, 2025 replaced the 1961 Act. “Tax Year 2026–27” replaces the old previous year / assessment year pair. In the new regime, taxable income up to ₹12 lakh is tax-free after the rebate. → Salary calculator
1 Apr 2026: Gold-loan rules fully in force
You can borrow up to 85% of your gold’s value on smaller loans. Your gold must be returned within 7 working days of repayment, or the lender pays ₹5,000 a day. You must get notice before any auction. → Gold loans
1 Jan 2026: No prepayment charges on floating-rate loans
Banks and NBFCs can’t charge for early repayment of floating-rate loans to individuals (not for business) sanctioned or renewed from 1 January 2026. → Paying off a loan early · Prepayment calculator
22 Sep 2025: No GST on individual life and health insurance
Premiums for individual life and health policies no longer carry 18% GST. Group policies still do. → Insurance basics
1 Oct 2025: Person-to-person UPI "collect" requests stopped
Strangers can no longer send you a person-to-person request to pull money. Scammers now use fake merchant requests and QR codes instead. → A suspicious UPI request
Coming up
1 Jan 2027: New fraud-liability rules (being verified)
For unauthorised digital transactions, you’ll have 5 calendar days to report for zero liability (up from 3 working days). The bank must prove you were at fault, and there’s a one-time compensation for smaller frauds. Until then, report within 3 working days.
1 Jan 2027: Stricter rules for recovery agents (being verified)
Advance notice before visits, recorded calls, certified agents, and by default no locking of phones bought on loan. → A loan app is threatening you · Your next EMI doesn’t fit
1 Feb 2027: Union Budget 2027–28
Tax slabs for Tax Year 2027–28 may change. We’ll update the salary calculator.