This week: 8 new articles on gratuity, PF transfer, ELSS lock-in, emergency fund, and SGB — plus June 15 advance tax deadline
Eight new articles: gratuity formula, PF withdrawal tax trap, ELSS 3-year SIP lock-in, PPF rules, emergency fund framework, SGB tax after Budget 2026, personal loan vs credit card, and Z2O Ch2 begins. Plus: advance tax instalment due June 15 — 8 days away.
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What matters in personal finance this week — for salaried employees in India.
Eight new articles this week
Salary and employment:
- [Gratuity calculation: formula, eligibility, and the 5-year rule](/salary/gratuity-calculation-formula-eligibility-india) — The formula is (basic × 15 × years) / 26. At ₹50,000 basic after 10 years, that is ₹2.88 lakh. The article explains how continuous service is counted, why 4 years 8 months often qualifies, and what counts as basic salary in the formula.
- [Should I withdraw or transfer my PF when I change jobs?](/salary/withdraw-or-transfer-pf-when-changing-jobs-tax) — Withdrawal before 5 years of continuous service is taxable. Rohan's ₹2.8 lakh EPF becomes ₹2.24 lakh after tax if withdrawn — vs ₹4.99 lakh if transferred and left to compound. Step-by-step guide to transferring online through the EPFO portal.
Tax:
- [How is gratuity taxed: the ₹20 lakh lifetime exemption](/tax/how-gratuity-is-taxed-20-lakh-exemption-tds) — Most employees' gratuity is fully tax-free, but the ₹20 lakh exemption is a lifetime limit across all employers. If you received ₹9 lakh from a previous employer, only ₹11 lakh is exempt from your next gratuity.
Investing:
- [PPF account: interest rate, rules, and how to open one](/investing/ppf-account-interest-rate-rules-withdrawal-india) — 7.1% tax-free, government-guaranteed, EEE status. ₹1.5L/year for 15 years grows to approximately ₹40.7 lakh — fully tax-free. How partial withdrawals work, what happens at maturity, and why VPF beats PPF on returns for salaried employees.
- [Emergency fund: how much to keep and where to park it](/investing/emergency-fund-how-much-where-to-keep-india) — 3 to 6 months of expenses (not income). Keep 1–2 months in a savings account for instant access; the rest in a liquid mutual fund (T+1). What not to use: equity funds, PPF, your credit card limit.
- [ELSS: how the 3-year SIP lock-in actually works](/investing/elss-mutual-funds-3-year-lock-in-sip-tax-redemption) — The lock-in is per unit, not per SIP start date. A 24-month SIP started in January 2024 won't be fully redeemable until December 2027. All ELSS gains are LTCG — taxed at 12.5% above ₹1.25L annual exemption.
- [Sovereign Gold Bonds: interest, tax at maturity, and what Budget 2026 changed](/investing/sovereign-gold-bonds-sgb-interest-tax-maturity-india) — No new SGB tranches in FY 2026-27. The capital gains exemption at maturity now applies only to original subscribers — secondary market buyers pay LTCG.
Credit cards:
- [Personal loan vs credit card: which is cheaper for emergency borrowing](/credit-cards/personal-loan-vs-credit-card-emergency-borrowing-cheaper) — Credit card wins for 30 days (zero interest in grace period). Personal loan wins for 3+ months (14% vs 42% APR saves ₹6,000+ on ₹1 lakh). Never use a cash advance from a credit card.
Zero to One — Chapter 2 begins:
- [Which tax regime is better for salaried employees in FY 2025-26?](/personal-finance/which-tax-regime-better-salaried-fy-2025-26) — Lesson 1 of Chapter 2. For Deepika on ₹12L with standard deductions, new regime tax = ₹0; old regime = ₹1.08L. But at higher salaries with a home loan and maximum 80C, old regime can win. The article shows how to calculate both.
Urgent: advance tax instalment due June 15 — 8 days away
The first advance tax instalment for FY 2026-27 is due Monday, June 15, 2026 — 8 days from today.
Who needs to pay: Salaried employees whose total tax liability for FY 2026-27 (after TDS from employer) is expected to exceed ₹10,000. This typically means employees with FD interest, rental income, freelance earnings, or capital gains not covered by TDS.
How much: 15% of estimated total annual tax liability.
How to pay: Log in at incometax.gov.in → e-Pay Tax → Use Challan 280, select "Advance Tax (100)."
Missing the June 15 instalment attracts 1% simple interest per month on the shortfall under Section 234C — avoidable.
[Full advance tax guide with worked example →](/tax/advance-tax-salaried-employees-fy-2025-26)
One thing to do this week
If you changed jobs in the last 12 months and received any EPF payout, check:
EPF withdrawals from accounts with less than 5 years of service are added to your salary income and taxed at your slab rate. If you did not declare this when you filed your last ITR, you may need to file a revised return. The deadline for revised returns for FY 2024-25 is December 31, 2025 — if that has passed, consult a CA.
Ek Crore is a personal finance publication for salaried employees in India. All articles are for informational purposes only — not financial or tax advice.
Content on Ek Crore is for educational purposes only. Nothing here is financial advice. Always consult a SEBI-registered advisor, CA, or qualified professional before making investment or tax decisions.