7 Money Moves to Make Before March 31 — Tax Season Checklist for India
7 Money Moves to Make Before March 31 — Tax Season Checklist for India
March 31 is the deadline that sneaks up on every salaried person in India. If you haven't started your tax planning yet, here's what you need to focus on right now.
Max out Section 80C (₹1.5L) — EPF contributions count, so check your gap before investing more. ELSS is the best option if you want equity exposure with a short lock-in.
NPS for the extra ₹50K — Section 80CCD(1B) gives you ₹50,000 deduction on top of 80C. Most people miss this completely.
Health insurance (80D) — ₹25K for self + ₹25K–₹50K for parents. If you're already paying premiums, just make sure you're claiming the deduction.
Advance tax — If your liability after TDS exceeds ₹10,000, the March 15 deadline matters. Missing it means 1% per month interest penalty.
Tax-loss harvesting — Sitting on loss-making investments? Selling them before March 31 can offset your capital gains.
Don't panic-buy insurance — A bad ULIP bought in a rush is worse than paying slightly more tax.
Organize your documents — Form 16, AIS, investment proofs. You'll thank yourself in July when filing ITR.
I put together a detailed guide with all 7 moves, penalty calculations, and Budget 2026 changes here:
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