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Prime Minister Narendra <keyword id="19899684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi" source="keywords">Modi</keyword> on Friday said the government is making necessary <keyword id="20861068" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="policy-changes" source="keywords">policy changes</keyword>, like removal of <keyword id="20279287" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Angel-Tax" source="keywords">Angel Tax</keyword>, to promote the <keyword id="19945816" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="fintech" source="keywords">fintech</keyword> sector, even as he asked the <keyword id="19962476" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="regulators" source="keywords">regulators</keyword> to take additional measures to check cyber frauds which can have a crippling impact on startups. Lauding the fintechs for democratising <keyword id="19976433" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="financial-services" source="keywords">financial services</keyword>, Modi said the sector, which has attracted USD 31-billion investment in the last 10 years, has played a key role in denting the parallel economy. The Prime Minister was addressing the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024, jointly organised by the Payments Council of India, the National Payments Corporation of India and the Fintech Convergence Council. He said the domestic economy and the capital market are in a celebratory mood at a time when the nation is also going through a festive period. Modi underlined that the government is making all necessary changes on the policy level to assist the fintech sector and gave examples of doing away with Angel Tax, allocating Rs 1 lakh crore to encourage research and innovation in the country and implementing the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. Broadly, fintech refers to entities utilising technologies for providing financial services. Expressing the need to put an end to <keyword id="19901142" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyber-fraud" source="keywords">cyber fraud</keyword>, he urged the regulators to take major initiatives to boost digital literacy. It is equally important to ensure cyber fraud does not come in the way of the growth of fintech and startups in the country, Modi said. In his speech, the Prime Minister also cautioned about the dangers of a parallel economy for the world. Fintech, he said, has played an impactful role in denting such a system and credited the emergence of transparency. He said that digital technology has introduced transparency in India and gave the example of the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer used in hundreds of government schemes that has prevented leakages in the system. "Today, people can see the benefits of aligning with the formal banking system," he said. Modi further said the trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile have broken down the mentality of 'Cash is King' and made way for approximately half of the <keyword id="20004116" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-transactions" source="keywords">digital transactions</keyword> in the world taking place in India. "India's <keyword id="19900911" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="upi" source="keywords">UPI</keyword> has become a major example of fintech in the world," he said, adding that it has enabled 24X7 banking services in every village and city in all weather conditions. Underlining the role of fintech in democratising financial services, the Prime Minister gave examples of readily available loans, credit cards, investments and insurance. He said that fintech has made access to credit easy and inclusive, and gave the example of PM SVANidhi scheme that has enabled street vendors to avail collateral-free loans and further expand their business with the help of digital transactions. "Sustainable <keyword id="19900794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-growth" source="keywords">economic growth</keyword> is India's priority today," he said and emphasised that the government is creating robust, transparent and efficient systems to strengthen financial markets with advanced technologies and regulatory frameworks. About 800 speakers, including policymakers, regulators, senior bankers, industry captains, and academicians, from India and other countries are participating in the fest.

Removed Angel Tax, taking policy measures to promote fintech sector: PM Modi

For 10 years, Joe Gallegos Jr. lived the life of an LA actor, driving from audition to audition across the sprawling city in the hopes of landing a role. Things were going well — he'd landed a role in "A Cowgirl's Story," a military drama starring Bailee Madison, the "Dance Moms" star Chloé Lukasiak, and Pat Boone, and he was starting to read for bigger projects.That all changed a few years ago when a film role brought him back to his native New Mexico. He was close to family for the first time in years, and the film industry there was burgeoning. When the movie wrapped, instead of sprinting back to Los Angeles, Gallegos realized he didn't have to go back. The pandemic had shifted from in-person to on-tape. He's since earned acting credits in TV shows like "Pulse," a medical procedural on Netflix; and "Duster," a JJ Abrams drama on HBO Max — both of which filmed in New Mexico. The money he's made from those gigs and a few independent projects made it possible for Gallegos to buy a townhouse in downtown Albuquerque — something he'd never come close to being able to afford in La La Land."It's been a good decision because, as an actor, I can be literally anywhere in the world now," he told me.Lately, creative workers are increasingly chasing their Hollywood dreams in production hubs far from Hollywood. LA continues to hold the lion's share of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hollywood-losing-dominance-tv-movies-employment-chart-2024-10">film and TV jobs</a> in America, but after a long grind of jobs slowly slipping away, the exodus from the city has accelerated in recent years. A recent analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics figures conducted by Patrick Adler and Taner Osman of Westwood Economics &amp; Planning Associates found that the figure was 22% in August, down from about 33% two years earlier.So what's making actors, executives, and studios look beyond the Hollywood sign? Some factors aren't new. Most notably, states have long used financial incentives to try to lure film investment away from California. But those incentives helped establish an infrastructure across the US — with top-notch sound stages being built in cities as varied as Dallas, Atlanta, and Miami — that was ready and waiting when the pandemic-era rise of remote work gave those seeking a lower cost of living a real choice in deciding where to live. Add it all up, and it seems that the glitz and glam of Hollywood is struggling to keep up with simple dollars and cents.The filmed entertainment industry's center of gravity is shifting further from Hollywood at a time of upheaval. The decadelong shift to streaming was exacerbated by the pandemic, which stalled, then boosted, production as people stayed inside and became couch potatoes. Peak TV came to a halt in 2022 when networks, studios, and streamers couldn't make the financial math for all those new streaming shows work. And filming was shut down once again in 2023 because of the Hollywood actors and writers strikes.When projects slowly got back on their feet, fewer of them were turning their lights on in LA. FilmLA, which issues permits for production in the region, found that Greater Los Angeles' share of US-produced TV and film projects declined from 23% in 2021 to 18% last year. The number of people employed in the traditional entertainment industry in LA, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hit a 30-year low in June. At the same time, jobs related to video gaming, live events, and the creator economy rose in the city as people's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.emarketer.com/content/digital-media-makes-up-nearly-two-thirds-of-consumers-total-time-spent-with-media">media diet</a> shifted toward social video and away from traditional TV and movies.The biggest reason that productions are looking elsewhere is cost. The wage gains made by the actors and writers have increased budgets for talent, leading producers to hunt for ways to drive down outlays in other areas — including locations. Thirty-seven states offer perks for film and TV production — typically in the form of tax credits equal to a percentage of a production's in-state spending, or cash rebates — and at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/watch-out-hollywood-states-want-a-piece-of-the-moviemaking-action-1">least 18 states have implemented or expanded</a> film tax incentives since 2021. Georgia boosted its incentive program in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ajc.com/blog/buzz/top-grossing-films-shot-georgia-since-2008/joqaWPplc0L2mKzwmcNMwK/">2008</a>, helping attract big-budget films like Disney's Marvel franchise and the Netflix hit "Stranger Things." Atlanta's share of entertainment employment is still relatively small — just 2%, according to the Otis Report on the Creative Economy, a closely-watched research study — but that has doubled over the past decade and shows no sign of slowing.As productions move out of Los Angeles, it becomes easier for others to follow. Tiffany FitzHenry, an executive producer known for "Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot," has seen the Atlanta area evolve since relocating there from LA in 2009."We have training for not just below the line but people in producing, packaging, financing," she told me, adding that the shift in major studio movies to the city had brought with it the structures needed to sustain a more permanent workforce."The biggest movies have been made here for the past 15 years," she said. "We have all the toys and tools at our fingertips."Other states are getting in on the action. Kentucky passed an incentive program in 2022 offering fully refundable production tax credits worth up to $75 million total or $10 million a project. Its second-largest city, Lexington, recently hired the entertainment marketer Lisa Brin, a Lexington native, to help persuade studios to shoot there. Brin said Lexington had attracted 30 film and TV projects so far this year, representing more than $2 million in local spending. In addition to the financial incentives, the city touts production spaces like Lex Studios, a facility with three sound stages, a growing crew base, and a willingness to pull strings as they did for a recent production that requested a major street to be closed for a shoot.In addition to luring productions, these areas are also trying to make it more appealing for creatives to stick around once the cameras shut off. Georgia and Kentucky are among states that have invested in training programs to foster homegrown talent and initiatives like FilmLex as a resource hub to help productions. For transplants, it's cheaper to live and raise a family outside LA as well as New York, the second-biggest entertainment market. And while jobs and the cost of living might be the primary reasons people move, the proliferation of cultural amenities in many smaller cities makes it easier for them to stay. 26 Keys, a production founded by Noah Hawley, an Austin native who created FX's "Fargo" series, is taking steps to build up Austin's entertainment cultural capital, with plans for a library, events like industry happy hours, and film screenings, working with organizations like the Austin Film Society and South by Southwest. "I just don't think there's a real sort of hub that's trying to connect them," said Maddy Bilder, a project director at 26 Keys. "That's what we're hoping to do here."It's not just other parts of the US that are drawing film crews away from LA; other countries are trying to win over Hollywood as well. Hungary, with a 20-year-old tax rebate and access to culture and an expanding stage system, was recently the setting for Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things." Australia <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ausfilm.com.au/media-releases/ausfilm-celebrates-passage-of-australias-30-location-offset/">nearly doubled</a> its location tax credit to 30% this summer after big-budget titles like the Sony Pictures rom-com "Anyone but You" and the Universal Pictures comedy "The Fall Guy," which starred Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, were shot there. Roughly 60% of Netflix's and Amazon's commissions in the first half of this year were on continents other than North America, according to Ampere Analysis."I know of producers, senior production people, moving to places like Australia or working in Hungary," said Tyler Mitchell, the CEO of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-ron-howard-brian-grazer-impact-production-crew-staffing-platform-2023-3">Impact</a>, a LinkedIn-like platform for Hollywood. "In the UK, Australia, the governments have supported a lot of education, training, to make sure as they built up production facilities, they had enough crew to service sound stages. So there is more of a talent base globally in places like Ireland, Budapest, South Africa, and the UK. I've heard of more productions in Saudi Arabia looking for crew than I ever have."Actually being on a set is only one part of entertainment production. Development, preproduction, and postproduction are responsible for a huge portion of what ends up on screen. But here, too, the need to physically be in the mecca of moviemaking is waning. Technology is giving rise to a Tinseltown version of remote work.Self-tapes, where actors use ring lights and film themselves at home to connect with casting directors, have become commonplace. Many meetings to pitch projects that shifted to Zoom early in the pandemic have stayed on video. On the postproduction side, file sharing and editing platforms like Pix and ScreenIt Pro enable production companies like 26 Keys to review content locally rather than fly to editing rooms in LA."A lot of pitch meetings are happening over Zoom, four years later," Bilder said.While the power of Los Angeles is dispersing, no single "new Hollywood" is coming to take its place. The end of Peak TV has contracted employment all over — the total number of jobs in the industry, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hollywood-losing-dominance-tv-movies-employment-chart-2024-10">at 447,000</a>, declined 9.1% from 2013 to 2024. Even as markets like Atlanta and Miami grow, their homegrown entertainment encampments have a long way to match the hundred-year history of LA — the most valuable parts of the supply chain, like casting big stars, greenlighting, and packaging, are still concentrated in the city."There's high stakes there. This is an area where trust matters," said Adler, the principal at Westwood, which conducted research for the Otis report. "You built it through face-to-face interaction, repeated exchanges. That's why casting for top roles still happens in LA, even if they end up being shot elsewhere."For those who are just starting out or who work on the creative side, too, Hollywood is still where careers are made and nurtured. FitzHenry wishes there were more directors and producers with packaging and marketing skills in Georgia. "It's a skill set that hasn't been outside of Hollywood," she said. "Currently, the only way to learn is for a producer to adopt and teach you. I was lucky to work with highly skilled producers, which I learned in LA, like an oral tradition. That's a lot of relational capital that needs to be established." Keisha Perry, a longtime entertainment attorney in Atlanta whose clients have included Cedric the Entertainer's production company and the movie "The Waterboyz," said that being a local attorney had made it easier to connect with the growing number of productions taking place in the South but that she still traveled to LA regularly."The reality is, a lot of the decision-makers are in LA," she said. "There are those people who feel as though if you're not in LA, your legitimacy can be questioned."Further evidence of LA's staying power is in the industries like video games, marketing, and the creator economy that are concentrated there because of the city's legacy in entertainment, which has endured through the rise of radio, then TV, then streaming. That may not necessarily lead to more TV shows and films being made there, but it underscores The Town's cultural importance.Gallegos estimates that he still gets half his work from outside New Mexico, helped by representation he has in LA. "The reality is, major roles are not cast here and often not shot here," he said. For all the perks, he misses the excitement of being in LA. "There's stuff happening 24/7. I'm a trained dancer, too. I could always jump into something." Then there's the nagging feeling that virtual auditions don't count. "Sometimes I think I'm sending things out into the void that don't get watched."Despite the similar professional gaps she sees, FitzHenry remains deeply rooted in Atlanta. She's found an affordable, friendly place to raise her kids and a tight-knit professional community that pulls together to help bring projects to the state, things she never experienced in LA."There's a sense people really care about each other," she said. "There used to be that mentality of, you have to be in Hollywood to be in the business. I think that's changing."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/lucia-moses">Lucia Moses</a> is a senior correspondent covering the intersection of tech and Hollywood for Business Insider's Media team.

Leaving Los Angeles: Why the film industry is ditching Hollywood

<ul><li>Integrated platform to be set up under insolvency and bankruptcy board to benefit stakeholders</li><li>IBC has recovered Rs 3.3. lakh crore for creditors, 28 cases worth Rs 10 lakh crore also dismissed </li><li>Additional tribunals will be notified</li></ul><keyword id="19912360" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister-Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> is set to present the Union <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword> in the parliament at 11 am today and has arrived at the parliament with the paperless Bahi-Khata, a practice first followed by the minister while presenting the <keyword id="6360189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget" source="Orion">Union budget</keyword> for 2021-22. This will be the seventh time FM Sitharaman will be presenting the <keyword id="6358021" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="Orion">budget</keyword>, inching past the record of former <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Finance Minister" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Finance Minister">finance minister</keyword> Morarji Desai, who had 5 full-fledged and 1 interim budget presentation to his credit. President <keyword id="20109163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="draupadi-murmu" source="keywords">Draupadi Murmu</keyword> had described this budget as historic, in terms of the reforms and announcements it will lay forth. Earlier in the day, the FM had met the president with a copy of the budget. The budget will set forth the tone for Modi's third tenure, and will be an important cornerstone for his vision for India's Amritkal, leading India towards becoming a developed nation, or Viksit Bharat. Sitharaman will begin her budget speech at 11 am in the Lok Sabha. You can watch the presentation live on the official Youtube channels of the government. After her speech, all budget-related documents will be available at indiabudget.gov.in <h2>FM Sitharaman tables <keyword id="20387181" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2024-25" source="keywords">Union Budget 2024-25</keyword></h2>FM Sitharaman, "India's inflation continues to be low, stable, moving towards 4% target. We need to focus on Gareeb, Mahila, Yuva and Annadata (Poor, Women, Youth and Farmers). Budget to focus on employment, skilling, MSME and middle class. Allocations of Rs 1.48 lakh crore have been made for education and skilling in this budget". Productivity and Resilience in Agriculture <ul><li>Aim to develop climate resilient crop varieties. Over next 2 years, 1 crore farmers will be initiated into natural farming through structural support. 10,000 need based bio-resource centers will be established. </li><li>Financing for shrimp farming, processing and export will be facilitated through NABARD </li><li>Rs 1.25 lakh crore set aside for agriculture and allied activities. </li></ul> Employment and Skilling <ul><li>Scheme A: One month wage to all those entering the formal workforce across all sectors. The scheme is expected to benefit 210 lakh youngsters</li><li>Job creation in manufacturing: Incentives given to both employee and employer in the first 4 years of the employment, basis their EPFO contribution.</li><li>Support to employers: The govt. will reimburse Rs 3,000 per month for 2 years for each additional employee hired by employer. The scheme is expected to benefit 50 lakh people</li><li>Establish working women hostels and creches to facilitate women participation in workforce</li></ul>Infrastructure Development <ul><li>Bihar and Andhra Pradesh to receive additional monetary support in the current financial year. Development of new airports, roadways and sports infrastructure to be undertaken in Bihar.</li><li>Grants for backward regions in Andhra Pradesh will be provided</li><li>3 crore additional houses in rural and urban India have been made under PM Aawas Yojana.</li><li>Women led development schemes have received an allocation of over Rs 3 lakh crore.</li><li>Credit support to MSMEs during stress periods</li><li>SIDBI to open new branches in MSME clusters within 3 years and offer direct credit to them. 24 new branches to be opened this year, covering 168 MSME clusters</li><li>To enable MSMEs and artisans to sell products in international markets, hubs to be set up under public-private partnership model. </li><li>Encourage moderation of stamp duties, also consider lowering duties for properties purchased by women.</li><li>Infra investment in economy to stand at 3.4% of GDP</li></ul>Tourism <ul><li>Development of Vishnu Path, Mahabodhi temple corridor</li><li>Support development of Nalanda as a tourist center</li><li>Development of Orissa as a popular tourist destination.</li></ul>Research, Innovation and New Gen reforms <ul><li>Expanding space economy by 5x in the next 10 years via a venture fund of Rs 1,000 crore</li><li>Land management and urban planning to incentivised for timely completion</li><li>Digitisation of terrestial maps will be undertaken</li><li>Establishing land registry and linking to farmer registry as well </li><li>E-shram portal to be integrated with other relevant portals for seamless services </li><li>Shram Suvidha and Samadhan portal will be revamped to enhance ease of compliance</li></ul>Investments Introduction of NPS Vatsalya: Investments can be made on behalf of child. Once they turn 18, this can be converted into a normal NPS account. Budget Estimates 2024-25 Total receipts (sans borrowings) Rs 32.07 lakh crore Tax receipts; Rs 25.83 lakh crore Fiscal deficit at 4.9% of GDP Solar Energy Increase in list of exempted capital goods used for manufacturing solar products No extension in exemption of custom duty for foreign products used for solar manufacturing Income Tax A comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act, of 1961 is in order Merger of two exemptions for charities of donations TDS rate on e-commerce operations to reduce to 0.1% Provisions for reassessment to be simplified. Also read: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2024-25-changes-to-tax-slabs-increased-standard-deduction-and-other-changes-to-direct-taxation/articleshow/111951205.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Budget 2024-25: Changes to tax slabs, increased standard deduction and other changes to direct taxation</a> Simplification of capital gains STCG on specified financial assets to be at 20% Other financial and non-financial assets to be taxed at applicable rates Long term capital Gains on financial and non-financial assets to be at 12.5% Annual limit on exemption raised from Rs 1,00,000 Rs 1,25,000 Listed financial assets will be considered long-term if held for more than 12 months. Other taxation highlights Angel Tax to be scraped away Simpler tax regime for foreign shipping companies Security transaction rates on trading in future and options to be increased Standard deduction to increase to Rs 75,000 from Rs 50,000 under new tax regime Deduction for pensioners enhanced from Rs 15,ooo to Rs 25,000 Tax slabs under new regime revised. Employee can save up to Rs 17,500 in income taxes annually. Total revenue foregone is about Rs 8 lakh crore.

Union Budget 2024-25 key highlights: Angel tax to be scraped

<keyword id="19945815" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="startups" source="keywords">Startups</keyword> in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> have high expectations from this year's upcoming <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword>. Early-age startups hope for the removal of angel taxes, while <keyword id="20677283" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-tech-startups" source="keywords">health tech startups</keyword> expect increased <keyword id="19913964" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="funding" source="keywords">funding</keyword> for the sector. Startups function as engines of economic growth, playing a crucial role in generating new jobs, ideas, products, and services. As of December 2023, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had recognised 1,17,254 startups. These startups have reportedly created over 12.42 lakh direct jobs, significantly impacting the economy. Eklavya Gupta, CEO and Co-founder of Recur Club, stated, "We are confident that India's business credit landscape is on the brink of a major digital overhaul. FinTechs are at the forefront of this change, deploying innovative technologies and utilising in-depth data analytics to streamline and expand <keyword id="20974354" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-access" source="keywords">credit access</keyword>." He added, "While the current allocation of Rs 10,000 crore is an excellent initial step, realising the full capabilities of India's SME and startup ecosystem will necessitate greater investment, especially in credit guarantee schemes." Vinod K Singh, Co-Founder and CTO of Concirrus, expressed his expectations from the budget: "As the Union Budget 2024-25 approaches, we hope the government will address the pressing issue of the 'angel tax.' Eliminating this tax will enhance capital formation and attract vital <keyword id="19895633" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investments" source="keywords">investments</keyword>. Streamlining the duty structure and reducing high tariffs on electronic inputs are also crucial to bolstering the startup ecosystem and driving innovation. Expanding the Fund of Funds and introducing low-interest loans would be beneficial." Rajiv Lamba, co-founder and CEO of AI-enabled customer feedback platform Surveysensum, added, "Just as the government has prioritised financial inclusion, it should now focus on <keyword id="22405441" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technological-inclusion" source="keywords">technological inclusion</keyword> to propel India to the next stage of growth. By training youth in AI, the government can make a strategic investment in the nation's technological future. Given the rapidly evolving job market, a substantial increase of 20 to 25 percent in budget allocation should be considered for AI-based skill development and entrepreneurship." He further emphasised, "Incentivizing investment in <keyword id="20328842" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-startups" source="keywords">AI startups</keyword> and R&amp;D initiatives can boost local innovation in the AI space. The last budget introduced a deep tech fund of Rs 1 lakh crore with a 50-year interest-free loan period; the government should now establish a clear and transparent mechanism for access to this fund." Raja S, founder and MD of Hearzap, highlighted the expectations of health tech startups: "Health tech startups are eagerly anticipating increased funding that could usher in transformative advancements. This crucial investment holds the promise of extending cutting-edge healthcare solutions to rural and underserved areas, effectively bridging existing gaps in care. The upcoming budget ensures that every individual in our diverse population, from the youngest to the oldest, can access essential health services, including specialised care." Discussing taxation for startups in India, Vvihan Gulati, Director of Mediagraphics PR, commented, "Removing the angel tax is a highly anticipated move that would benefit early-stage startups and their investors. It would foster a more favourable environment for innovation and growth, allowing startups to attract much-needed capital without the burden of excessive taxation. This change could significantly enhance the ease of doing business and contribute to the overall growth of the startup ecosystem in India." The Union Budget 2024 will be tabled on July 23 by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. With this, she will become the first Finance Minister to deliver seven consecutive budgets, surpassing Morarji Desai. She presented the interim budget on February 1 of this year.

Startups demand angel tax elimination, incentives on investments in upcoming budget

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla">Tesla</a> stands to benefit from any removal of consumer tax credits on electric vehicle purchases.</li><li>The move could hurt competitors more, CEO Elon Musk said.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> supports a Trump plan to end tax credits of up to $7,500 for electric vehicle purchases.That might sound confusing: Why would the CEO of Tesla want to end a program that makes it cheaper for people to buy EVs?Well, according to Musk, it would devastate Tesla's rivals. And Tesla wants to keep its strong lead in the US EV market, which recently slipped under 50% for the first time."I think it would be devastating for our competitors and for Tesla slightly," Musk said in a July earnings call, predicting the impact of the tax credits ending. "But long term probably actually helps Tesla, would be my guess."On Thursday, Reuters reported that Trump plans to end the EV tax credit, with support from Tesla representatives. In a related post on X, Musk called for an "end all government subsidies, including those for EVs, oil and gas."Tesla has had a longer time than some of its rivals to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-list-government-subsidies-tesla-billions-spacex-solarcity-2021-12">benefit from government subsidies</a>. Its market lead is well established, and it has led an EV pricing war that has squeezed its rivals, making it harder for them to survive if consumer demand falls even further.Put simply: Tesla wins if ending the tax credit pressures smaller rivals enough to stall their growth or even fold.<h2 id="91842e59-2373-4c08-abdd-17185b0bea0d">Tesla sells more EVs than anyone else, and more profitably</h2>In the third quarter of 2024, Tesla <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://digitalassets.tesla.com/tesla-contents/image/upload/IR/TSLA-Q3-2024-Update.pdf">reported</a> a pre-tax profit margin of 18%, well above the industry average of around 9%. Ford, the only competitor to break out its EV-specific finances, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://s201.q4cdn.com/693218008/files/doc_financials/2024/q3/Press-Release-Ford-2024-Q3-Earnings.pdf">reported</a> a -104% margin for its Model e unit.Yet many of Tesla's vehicles are also priced well below many competitors. The Model 3 starts at $42,490 (after a cheaper option disappeared earlier this year). That's well below the average EV price in the US, which held steady at nearly $57,000 in October, according to Kelley Blue Book data.In an effort to juice sales, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-can-make-cars-cheaper-than-competitors-2024-6">Tesla has drastically cut prices</a> on many of its cars over the past year, instigating an industry-wide price war that has cut into its own margin in pursuit of maintaining its industry-leading market share. Of the nearly 600,000 EVs sold in the US in the first half of 2023, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.coxautoinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Q2-2024-Kelley-Blue-Book-Electric-Vehicle-Sales-Report.pdf">half</a> were made by Tesla. Ford, in second place, accounted for just over 7% of EVs sold in the same period."While losing the EV tax credit could also hurt some demand on the margins in the US, this will enable Tesla to further fend off competition from Detroit as pricing/scale/scope is an apples to oranges when compared to the rest of the auto industry once the EV tax credit disappears," Dan Ives, a longtime bullish analyst at Wedbush, told clients in a note on Thursday.<h2 id="c6cefac7-9186-47f8-8f0a-f2fb65808785">Tesla is ahead of the curve in building a US manufacturing presence</h2>Eliminating the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-state-electric-car-vehicle-tax-credits-rebates-qualify">consumer tax credit</a>, part of President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, would need congressional approval. It's not yet clear if Trump and the incoming Republican-controlled Congress would also target other IRA tax incentives, like those supporting domestic manufacturing of cars, batteries, and other components. Competitors like BMW, Honda, and Hyundai have <a target="_blank" href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/20/tracking-the-ev-battery-factory-construction-boom-across-north-america/">raced</a> to scale up factories state-side to take advantage of those credits.Tesla has been ahead of this curve in manufacturing, too, with six US factories churning out cars and batteries. That work has paid off, and many Tesla models are regularly named as the most "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cars.com/american-made-index/">American-made</a>" compared to competitors, many of which rely on factories in Mexico. In fact, only one other American automaker even cracked the top 10 in 2024.Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said in a July earnings call that the company has taken advantage of manufacturing credits, but "we always drive ourselves to say, OK, what if there is no IRA benefit? And how do we operate in that kind of an environment? Like Elon said, we definitely have a big advantage as compared to our competition on that front."In October, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group representing Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, and others, <a target="_blank" href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2024/11/auto-trade-group-to-gop-tax-writers-keep-bidens-ev-credits-00189430">urged</a> Congress to keep the tax credits.The tax credits, including those for commercial leasing and manufacturing, are "critical to cementing the US as a global leader in the future of automotive technology and manufacturing," they said in an October letter to Congress published by <a target="_blank" href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/f/?id=00000193-277d-dea7-afbb-b77f708f0000">Politico</a>.The group, which does not include Tesla, did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment.While Musk supports cutting the EV tax credit, reports of its potential demise appear to have spooked investors. Tesla shares fell about 5% following the Reuters report, while Rivian shares fell 11%.Musk and other Tesla leaders have long said autonomous vehicles are the future of Tesla, not just EVs, and encouraged potential investors to think much more long-term.Additional reporting by Benjamin Zhang.

Why Musk supports Trump getting rid of EV tax credits

<div type="image" title="For the unversed, trading in futures and options can be akin to setting their hard-earned money on fire" height="900" width="1200" msid="114064202" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;For the unversed, trading in futures and options can be akin to setting their hard-earned money on fire&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Once upon a time, there thrived a wild, wild land. Here, it was all about super high monetary stakes, lightning-fast trade deals, and bucketloads of money shifting hands every single second. This wilderness lured millions of individuals with the promise of super duper high returns. But, at what cost? Welcome to the unforgiving, ultra-risky wild west of <keyword id="19991165" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-equity-markets" source="keywords">Indian equity markets</keyword> called the <keyword id="145718" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Futures-and-Options" source="Orion">futures and options</keyword>. Here, everyone seems to just fly right through the bright red-flagged warnings of financial risks to earn even a fraction of these promised returns. Most burn themselves in the process, but carry on nevertheless, as if nothing ever happened. <h2>Chasing the cloudy profits</h2>The data conclusively proves that every 9 out of 10 individuals only lost their hard-earned money in this land. But hey, what do the numbers know? Some hide their losses out of shame, some out of fear. The proponents, meanwhile, proudly boast unusually high returns on their investments, some open social media channels while others encourage their friends and family to take the plunge. Naturally, news of this unstoppable and humongous en-masse migration to the F&amp;O (futures and options) town has reached sheriff <keyword id="19901201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SEBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SEBI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="SEBI">SEBI</keyword>, galvanising them into action. After all, it was time to put a leash on this madness and save the common man. The inhabitants of this town doubled in the last 2 years, from 51 lakh in FY22 to 96 lakh in FY24—99.8% of whom were small and mid-income traders. But profits? Well, that's a different, rather completely absent story. <h2>Que Sera Sera, much?</h2>A recent report by SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) that studied profits and losses made by traders in the equity derivatives segment between FY22-24 exposed the mad mania of futures and options trading in India, especially since the pandemic. Per the report, 91.1% of individual traders, or about 73 lakh traders had only lost money trading in futures and options in FY24. Between FY 22-24, over 1 crore traders, or about 92.8% of individual traders, had lost Rs 2 lakh each. But once bitten, twice shy? Well, not in this case. More than 75% of individuals, who had only made losses trading in F&amp;O in FY22 and FY23, continued to trade vigorously in FY24 as well, without any changes in the bottom line, which remained deep in red and negative. So, then all these traders must be uber-rich, with tons of cash and not much care to spare? Nope. 76% of traders in the F&amp;O space in FY24 had an annual income of less than Rs 5 lakh. 2 years ago, their share stood at 71%. And their choice of poison? Options! In FY24, 60% of traders made losses trading in futures, but a whopping 91.5% burnt their funds trading in options. Mind you, futures are riskier than options. With futures, which require significant capital investment, the buyer and seller both are contractually bound to adhere to the pre-determined strike price of the futures or options contract, irrespective of whether the prevailing prices are higher or lower (and thus, resulting in losses for either the buyer or seller). With options, since this adherence ain't necessary, individuals end up taking debt to take highly leveraged positions while trading here. <h2>Scale of the explosion</h2>Anyone who trades even infrequently will tell you that a demat account is the mitochondria or powerhouse of the trading cell. As of August 2024, India had over 17.1 crore <keyword id="20957284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demat-accounts" source="keywords">demat accounts</keyword>, which are a prerequisite for trading in the markets. India is the 9th biggest country in the world, in terms of total demat accounts. Did you know that our demat accounts are at par with the entire population of Bangladesh? Talk about scale! Just 4 years ago, in March 2020, this number was a mere 4 crore. Naturally, the total F&amp;O turnover on both <keyword id="20004725" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NSE" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NSE">NSE</keyword> and BSE has hit the roof, and also broken it. As of October 4, 2024, the total futures and options turnover on NSE stood at a massive Rs 4,78,27,27,750.30 crore. Good luck counting the thousands! <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Total Turnover (Both Futures and Options) (In Rs Crore) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2020-21 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">64,36,03,951.51 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2021-22 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,69,52,33,134.47 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2022-23 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">3,82,23,26,468.06 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2023-24 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7,99,27,67,152.43 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Source : NSE Another metric that underlines the meteoric growth of trading in India is the collection of STT or <keyword id="20930760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Securities-Transaction-Tax" source="keywords">Securities Transaction Tax</keyword>. As of September 2024, India's STT mop-up had gone past Rs 26,000 crore. Traders have to pay STT whenever they buy or sell any security in the market. So, more trading brings in more STT, and hence, more revenue for the government, so they're not really complaining. After all, this is certainly what they'd call enviable growth. As of August 2023, our STT collection stood at about Rs 21,599 crores. And in FY20-21, India's STT collection had been Rs 16,000 crore. If only our salaries also managed to grow at this rate! <h2>So, what's happening?</h2>Two things. One, it's the big bulls who are raking in all the moolah. And it's the younger lot (those aged under 30) who are propping them up for this. In FY24, 43% of individual traders in the market were less than 30 years of age. In just one year, this number has swelled by 12 percentage points from just 31% of individual traders. But who says ageing is bad? Wrinkles and silver hair seemingly have a propensity of incurring lesser losses in the market. In FY24, only 79% of traders aged above 60 years made losses, as compared to 93% of those aged below 30. Small and mid-income traders, which make up 98% of the total trader base, witnessed average losses per person of Rs 65,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh in FY24 in futures and options, respectively. The winner here? Clearly, the big bulls, who declared an annual income of over Rs 1 crore, ended up with average profits of Rs 96,000 per person this year. <h2>What’s the sheriff up to?</h2>The government has finally swung into action, hiking the STT rate for F&amp;O during this year’s budget. Effective October 1, 2024, the STT on futures stands at 0.02%, up from 0.0125%. For options, it was upped to 0.1% versus 0.0625% previously. Small margins, but huge impact oncoming. Says Puneet Sharma- CEO and Fund Manager at Whitespace Alpha, “SEBI aims to enhance market stability while safeguarding investor interests, reflecting the regulator's intent to balance risk management with market participation”. But this might come with its own share of challenges, too. “Stricter norms around leverage, transparency, and capital adequacy could limit the ability of investors to determine their own risk appetite, thereby stifling innovation in trading strategies. Over-regulation in an environment that thrives on strategic flexibility and creativity could dampen the market’s dynamism, affecting India's competitiveness in the global derivatives landscape”, he observes. SEBI recently came out with a set of guidelines that aim to thwart <keyword id="19972907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="keywords">retail investors</keyword>' participation in futures and options and hinder them from taking undue risks. Here's a quick recap of what's to come for the residents of the F&amp;O town Margin Requirements: To battle the high volatility and chaos which is generally seen on expiry days(i.e the last mandated date, post which an option becomes invalid), SEBI will put in place an extreme loss margin (ELM) of 2% for all open short options on the day of expiry. Translation? Traders will need to pony up more cash upfront, leaving them with fewer funds to take on risky bets. It ain't a choice: No more of one expiry every single day! Going ahead, an exchange like BSE or NSE will just be able to offer weekly expiries, that too, only on one benchmark index, as opposed to an entire buffet it currently offers. At present, NSE offers weekly options contracts for its financial index, bank and midcap indices. But say goodbye to this, and hello to derivatives on only 1 index per exchange. Raising the bar: Effective November 30, 2024, the minimum contract value for index derivatives will be upped to Rs 15 lakh, from the present Rs 5-10 lakh. The hope is that by making it ultra-expensive to enter these trades, investors will be dissuaded from taking on risky trades. Pay upfront: Starting February 2025, those trading in options will have to pay the entire options premium upfront, even before their trades are executed. This is because options generally carry very high leverage, and paying a significant sum upfront can force traders to think twice. Invigilation Pro Max: Starting April 1 2025, to make sure that the number of positions for equity index derivatives does not slyly slip over the mandated limit, especially on expiry days when trade volumes are huge, the exchanges will have to take a minimum of 4 position snapshots randomly. The question is, will these injections of sobriety be enough to calm down the steroid-fed bull of the futures and options market in India? Well, only time and market turnover will tell! For more insights into the financial markets and business news, stay tuned to our site and social media handles. And don’t forget to subscribe to Business Insider India’s newsletters for your weekly dose of Simply Put! Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. We recommend readers consult certified, qualified and registered advisors for professional and personalised financial advice.

SIMPLY PUT: SEBI is on a mission to take on the wild, wild west of futures and options in India. Here’s why, what, and how

My grandparents' vacation cabin in Lake Tahoe is the stuff of legend.In the '90s, when my parents were just friends, my dad "accidentally" invited himself on a ski trip with my mom and her parents. It was an epic winter when the blizzards created berms as tall as the houses. By the time spring came, my parents were dating.My grandparents' little house in South Lake Tahoe, which they bought for $113,000 in 1984, quickly became a haven for my family.I dreamed of getting married there and taking my own kids to the cabin someday. But in May, my mom called to tell me this could be the last year we have the home.A tax on vacation home-owners might make our place in Tahoe too costly to keep.A measure on the ballot today proposes an annual tax on every property occupied less than 51% of the year. If it passes, second-home owners would owe $3,000 in 2026 and $6,000 every year after.In ski towns and cities across the US, home prices have skyrocketed, and young people struggle to pay rent or buy a house. Meanwhile, the wealthy have flocked to mountain retreats where they can vacation and work from home. One of the measure's architects told BI that it will combat this trend by incentivizing second-home owners to rent to local residents, bringing down the cost of housing by increasing the available supply.Supporters project city revenue gains of $4 million to $8 million in the first year and $10 to $20 million every year after that. The money would go toward rebuilding roads, creating more public transit, and paying the administrative costs of implementation.Framers of the Tahoe tax measure took inspiration from Berkeley, California, which adopted a vacancy tax this year. The Hawaiian island of Oahu and the Colorado ski towns of Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge are also considering vacancy taxes.But some say it's unclear whether the tax will actually lower housing prices for locals.<div type="image" title="View of the mountains around South Lake Tahoe" height="3279" width="4896" msid="114990171" hostid="261" sizebytes="935262"></div>The opposition in South Lake Tahoe is made up of some of its institutionalized powers, including the local Chamber of Commerce, the South Tahoe Association of Realtors, and the restaurant and lodging associations. In interviews, they told BI that a tax would drive second-home owners away, depriving local businesses of their spending while having no impact on housing affordability for locals. The city's report on the economic outcomes of the tax said it may not actually incentivize homeowners to rent or sell to locals.Some long-timers feel squeezed: How do they afford to live in these places, and what measures would actually fix the problem? Is it a tax — or is it, say, zoning changes that allow more homes to be built?Similar battles over housing affordability are happening across the country. I just happen to have a front-row seat to this one.Since the city of South Lake Tahoe was incorporated in 1965, it's been populated by a healthy mix of year-round and seasonal residents.Middle- and upper-middle-class mountain enthusiasts from the Bay Area flocked to the city, which, with 21,000 residents per the most recent census data, is more densely populated than any other town around the lake.This part of Tahoe has long been a relatively more affordable alternative to the ski havens of Colorado and Utah. As of October 2024, the median sales price for homes in South Lake Tahoe was $750,000, according to Realtor.com. By comparison, it was $958,000 in Park City, Utah, $1.4 million in Aspen, and $1.6 million in Vail."It's one of these places where you have folks from really different socioeconomic backgrounds," said Amelia Richmond, who favors the tax and leads a group of other supporters called Locals For Affordable Housing. "It's one of the reasons I think mountain towns are so cool."But that environment doesn't exist without both year-round and seasonal residents in town. Fifty-six percent of Tahoe's 9,125 housing units are filled by renters, while 44% are owner-occupied, according to the US Census' American Community Survey.Because Measure N will appear on the local ballot, most second-home owners directly affected by the tax can't vote. Nearly half of the property-owning population — my family included — is left watching debates over the tax play out among local residents, who are split on where they stand.<h2 id="90a60f06-f278-4362-9ebf-345a4dac61c6">Locals are divided on the tax</h2>Steve Teshara, who has held several roles, including CEO, at the Tahoe Chamber of Commerce, said the tax would hurt the local economy by driving out second-home owners.He pointed to evidence from a previous measure, which banned Airbnbs and other short-term rentals in certain parts of town. That measure was also intended to stabilize area home prices and rents."It has an immediate effect when visitors are not able to spend as much money or when visitors just aren't here anymore," Teshara said.The previous measure effectively reduced the supply of Airbnbs from 3,350 units in January 2018 to 2,635 units in July 2024, according to the short-term rental data company AirDNA. However, it didn't make the expected dent in housing costs, data from the Realtors' Association shows. Median sale prices continued to increase overall, from $440,000 in 2018 to $750,000 in 2024.<div type="image" title="View of Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe with a light dusting of snow" height="4153" width="5538" msid="114990167" hostid="261" sizebytes="1763634"></div>Teshara believes the housing crisis must be solved in the long term, pointing to the local government's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cityofslt.us/2332/Affordable-Housing-Properties-Other-Deve">affordable housing construction projects</a>. He is a fan of indirect measures currently in place, like vanpooling, which shuttles people who live further away — where prices are lower — through the mountains to work.Richmond, the pro-tax organizer, said that business from year-round residents is more important to many shops and restaurants than purchases from occasional visitors."How many beers do you have to buy to make up that difference when you're up just once a quarter?" she said. "Local economies are actually robust when you have a healthy middle class that can spend small amounts of money on a regular basis."<h2 id="139d1f43-575b-4368-9419-52d99a68446e">Taxing second home-owners may not make them rent to locals</h2>The city of South Lake Tahoe conducted an independent study on the tax's economic outcomes if it were to go into effect.The findings supported Richmond's assertion that the measure could modestly boost sales tax revenue if second homes vacated by owners were converted into permanent residences or long-term leases.But the report also cautioned that the measure's impact on housing availability will depend largely on how second-home owners react if the tax is adopted — behavior that's nearly impossible to predict.Second-home owners could sell their properties, like my family is considering. But because of current home prices, buyers would likely be people who don't see an additional $6,000-a-year expense as a deterrent. While the city could collect additional tax revenue from a wealthier population of second-home owners, that wouldn't make it any easier for locals to buy.Homeowners could also decide to rent and become landlords instead of selling, as Richmond hopes. But that may be a longer shot, the city report found.Based on the previous leasing programs in the area, "it appears that financial incentives are not particularly effective to motivate owners of vacant property in South Lake Tahoe to rent out their homes for longer terms," the report said.<div type="image" title="A view of South Lake Tahoe in 1974" height="3458" width="5142" msid="114990163" hostid="261" sizebytes="1062714"></div>Some second-home owners told Business Insider they would refuse to rent to tenants.Sherri Maslyar, who has owned a home in South Lake Tahoe with her husband since 2013 and visits monthly, said she heard a horror story about a neighbor's long-term tenant who defied the landlord's no-pets rule and ruined parts of the house. She said she would rather pay the tax than risk renting her home to someone untrustworthy."That's not what we bought the house for," she said.<h2 id="534b0195-f639-4a7b-8fb1-9c677eca426d">Tahoe's character — and prices — have changed over the years</h2>The median income in South Lake Tahoe grew 65% from $40,972 to $67,686 between 2000 and 2022, according to census data. In the same period, median home prices in the area ballooned by 288%, from $189,000 to $732,500.Zillow's rent data, which only goes back to 2020, shows that typical rents in South Lake Tahoe grew from $2,101.52 in October 2020 to $2,653.05 in October 2023. The typical rent as of September 30 was $2,682.50.The neighborhood where our family's cabin sits was once populated by eclectic A-frames and modest one-story structures, whose kitschy exteriors tended to match the eccentricities of their owners. Now, vaguely chic rustic McMansions with smooth angles and wood finishing are common.<div type="image" title="Line of wooden bears carrying &quot;howdy&quot; and &quot;welcome&quot; signs" height="3435" width="5617" msid="114990174" hostid="261" sizebytes="1760630"></div>Part of why building more houses or apartments — which might stabilize prices — has been so difficult is due to strict development laws. In Lake Tahoe, all development projects must be approved by the Tahoe Regional Planning Association (TRPA), whose primary objective is conservation, not housing construction.Jeff Cowen, TRPA's public information officer, told BI the agency's main goals were environmental, adding that "we have to consider community impacts of our regulations." It doesn't have a stance on the tax.One thing opponents and proponents of Measure N agree on: TRPA's mandate has made it difficult to build new housing in Tahoe to address the housing shortage. But they disagree on whether radical and rapid changes should be made to make Tahoe affordable right now.<h2 id="7b8ad7f8-c9b9-4a00-b5a4-14745b01c7cc">It might be the end of Tahoe as we know it</h2>A place that was once accessible as a seasonal destination for a middle-class family risks becoming a playground for the very rich if changes in the Tahoe market continue to make buying a home there relatively unaffordable.I am benefiting from generational wealth stemming from my grandparents' choices, and I will always be grateful for the investment they made.My family isn't sure what we'd do if the tax passes. One option is to rent to a long-term tenant, but we'd likely lose the freedom to come and go seasonally. Another is to sell the house.<div type="image" title="A middle-aged Asian American couple and their 10-year-old daughter standing in front of an old car in a ski resort parking lot." height="537" width="800" msid="114990172" hostid="261" sizebytes="23164"></div>Either way, we'd be saying goodbye to the home as we've known it for the past four decades.It's hard to imagine giving up my ties to a place that has such emotional value — that is very much the second home my grandparents intended it to be. And if the tax doesn't do what proponents hope it will, I'd be losing Lake Tahoe for nothing.All I can do now is wait and see.

My family bought a vacation home in Lake Tahoe for $113,000. A new tax could push us out. 

<ul><li>No changes, or announcements for the old tax regime</li><li>FMlowered the tax burden by increasing the standard deductions in the new regime </li><li>Tax slabs also revised under the new regime</li></ul> <keyword id="7706673" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister-Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="Orion">Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> presented the Union <keyword id="18656923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024-25" source="Orion">Budget 2024-25</keyword> in the parliament recently, unveiling the Narendra Modi-led government’s budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. While the government announced some changes to direct taxation, including revised tax slabs for the new tax regime, most experts called the budget lackluster. Nitin Chaudhary, Founder of NC Financial Advisory Services highlights his disappointment, noting that this Budget has actually been not at all impactful as it was expected to be. "It is more of a Budget for Coalition rather than any common man and tax payer. Neither there was any major drastic change in allocation as such and nor there was any major relief and tax benefits that was passed on to the tax payer. There is a slight change in the tax slab rate owing to which there will be a very limited benefit to the tax payer in terms of tax outflow", continued Chaudhary. <h2>Changes in new tax regime</h2>In a bid to make the new tax regime more lucrative, the FM proposed to hike the standard deduction limit to Rs 75,000 from earlier Rs 50,000, exclusively under the new tax regime. Similarly, the deduction available for family pension is also proposed to be increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000. More than two-thirds of taxpayers have availed of the new <keyword id="6354751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="income-tax" source="Orion">Income Tax</keyword> regime, as per <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>. The FM announced a review of the comprehensive tax regime. Per FM, under the new regime, taxpayers will be able to save up to Rs 17,500 as taxes, annually. The government has revised the tax rate structure for the new regime, which are now as follows - <h2>New income tax slab rates</h2> <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#000000;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Income slabs </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#000000;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tax rate </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">0 to 3L </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Nil </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">3 to 7L </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7 to 10L </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10 to 12L </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">15% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">12 to 15L </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">20% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Above 15L </td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">30% </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Prior to the changes announced today, the new tax regime was structured as follows: <h2><table class="redcator-table-advance" style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; box-shadow: none; width: 850.594px; font-family: Merriweather; letter-spacing: 0.121826px; padding-bottom: 10px !important; background-image: inherit !important; background-position: inherit !important; background-size: inherit !important; background-repeat: inherit !important; background-attachment: inherit !important; background-origin: inherit !important; background-clip: inherit !important;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Income Slab (In Rs)</td><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Tax Rate</td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Up to 3,00,000</td><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">No Tax</td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">3,00,001 - 6,00,000</td><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">5%</td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">6,00,001 - 9,00,000 </td><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">10% (Tax Rebate up to Rs 7 lakh)</td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">9,00,001 - 12,00,000</td><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">15%</td></tr><tr><td class="se-table-selected-cell" style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">12,00,001 - 15,00,000 </td><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">20% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Above 15,00,000 </td><td style="border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); padding: 5px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">30%</td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> </h2>Says T Manish, Research Analyst, SAMCO Securities, "FM announces revised tax rate under new tax regime, apart from the above slab revisions, the Standard deduction from 50,000 to 75,000 for individuals opting for new tax regime. This would result in savings of around Rs. 17500 in net taxes in the hands of individual. This would benefit directly to the companies in FMCG segment such as HUL, ITC, Dabur, Nestle and second order beneficiaries would be suppliers to these FMCG giants such as Polyplex, Uflex. Further, increased saving would also boost the inflow to wealth management (AMC’s)in the form of SIP's, and to Stock broking companies through brokerage". <h2>Capital gains simplified</h2>FM also moved to rationalise and simplify short-term capital gain (STCG) tax. Going ahead, STCG on specific financial assets will be charged at 20%, while the remaining financial and other non-financial assets will be charges as per applicable rates. This threshold was set at 15% previously. The long-term capital gains tax on financial and non financial assets was raised from its earlier threshold of 10% to 12.5%. However, the exemption limit under LTCG has been enhanced. This means that now, all long-term capital gains tax earned during the year to the tune of Rs 1,25,000 will be tax exempt. This limit was earlier set at Rs 1,00,000. Specified listed financial assets will be considered long-term provided they have been held for more than 12 months. As Anand Rathi, Co-founder of MIRA Money notes, the FM aims to send a clear message to the investors: avoid short term trading and leveraging. This is reflected in the increased security transaction taxes on futures and options, which is a positive step. However, the increase in short term capital gains tax from 15% to 20% is a notable drawback for many traders. "Previously, if your capital gain was 2 lakh rupees, 1 lakh was exempted, and you had to pay 10% on the remaining 1 lakh, amounting to 10,000 rupees. Now, with the same 2 lakh rupees capital gain, you would pay 12.5% tax on the remaining 75,000 rupees after the exemption, which is beneficial", Rathi explained. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111946291" title="Union Budget 2024-25 key highlights: Angel tax to be scraped" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Higher tax on F&amp;O trading</h2>In a bid to stop fund inflows into speculative trading, the securities transaction tax (STT) on trading in futures and options was increased. While STT on options was increased from 0.062% to 0.1%, while the STT on futures was raised from 0.0125% to 0.02%. While this might seem as a major setback to those trading in futures and options, experts opine that this is unlikely to significantly trading volumes in the segment. Note that this change is set to come into effect starting October 1, 2024. Says Deepak Ramaraju, Senior Fund Manager, Shriram AMC, "Hike in short-term capital gains and long-term capital gains have been sentimentally negative for the equity markets. This has resulted in short-term selling pressure. However, this can be the beginning of reforming the capital markets and curbing retail participation in the F&amp;O segment. We can expect more measures in the F&amp;O space in the days to come". <h2>Other tax changes</h2><ul><li>The TDS rate on e-commerce operators has been reduced from 1% to 0.1%</li><li>Angel tax, the tax levied on the capital raised via the issue of shares by unlisted companies has been abolished.</li><li>TDS payable on insurance commission reduced from 5% to 2%, starting 1st October, 2024.</li><li>TDS payable on rent paid over Rs 50,000 to be reduced from 5% to 2%. </li></ul> SEE ALSO: <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111953230" title="Union Budget 2024-25: Mobile Phones to get cheaper, as FM Nirmala Sitharaman reduces basic customs duty to 15%" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111952160" title="Sitharaman announces cut in customs duty on gold, silver to 6%" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div>

Budget 2024-25: New tax regime sweetened by FM, hikes standard deduction to Rs 75,000

The <keyword id="19994390" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GST-Council" source="keywords">GST Council</keyword> on Saturday decided to tweak <keyword id="20452955" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tax-rates" source="keywords">tax rates</keyword> on items, including accommodation services for students and solar cookers, and took a host of taxpayer-friendly measures including waiver of interest and penalty for demand notices issued in the first three years of <keyword id="6354679" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="GST" source="Orion">GST</keyword> rollout. Briefing reporters after the 53rd <keyword id="3680839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GST-Council-meeting" source="Orion">GST Council meeting</keyword>, Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> said the Council has recommended to roll-out the biometric-based <keyword id="20433416" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aadhaar-authentication" source="keywords">Aadhaar authentication</keyword> of registration applicants on pan-India basis in a phased manner. This will help check fraudulent registration done to avail input tax credit and evade taxes. To reduce litigation, the Council decided to fix a monetary limit for tax officers to file appeals before the GST Appellate Tribunal, the High Court and the Supreme Court at Rs 20 lakh, Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore, respectively. It also recommended reduction of the quantum of pre-deposit required to be paid by taxpayers for filing of appeals under Goods and Services Tax (GST). The maximum amount of pre-deposit for filing appeal with the appellate authority has been reduced from Rs 25 crore CGST and SGST each to Rs 20 crores CGST and SGST each. This will help ease cash flow and working capital blockage for the taxpayers. "The 53rd GST Council meeting has taken a number of decisions on trade facilitation, easing compliance burden and giving relief to taxpayers in terms of easing compliance," Sitharaman said. The Minister said the next meeting of the GST Council will be held in August in which the Group of Ministers (GoM) on GST rate rationalisation under Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sumant Chaudhary, will give a presentation on the status of the work and aspects covered by the panel and work pending before the panel. "What was decided in the Council is, when we meet in the next GST Council meeting we will start a discussion on rate rationalisation... There will be a presentation by the GoM irrespective of whether the report is draft... and then Council will start the discussion on rate rationalisation in the next meeting in August," Sitharaman said. The GST Council on Saturday recommended to exempt Accommodation Services of up to Rs 20,000 per person per month from GST. This is subject to the condition that these services are supplied for a minimum continuous period of 90 days. "It's primarily meant for students," Sitharaman said. In a taxpayer friendly move, the Council has decided to waive interest and penalties for demand notices issued under Section 73 of the CGST Act (for cases not involving fraud, suppression or wilful misstatement) for the fiscal years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, if the full tax demanded is paid by March 31, 2025. GST, which subsumed 17 local taxes and cesses, was rolled out on July 1, 2017. With its introduction, prices of various products and services used by masses have moderated. As per the CBIC data, mobile phones and many household items including TV, refrigerator, washing machine and AC have become cheaper post GST. It has reduced burden on household income and improved affordability. The Council also decided to refer the standing committee's recommendation to exempt GST on fertiliser and cut rates on raw materials to the GoM on rate rationalisation. Currently, GST is levied at 5 per cent on fertilisers, while its raw materials like sulphuric acid and ammonia face 18 per cent tax. Also the Tax Collected at Source (TCS) rate for e-commerce suppliers has been cut from present 1 per cent to 0.5 per cent, which will ease the financial burden on the suppliers making supplies through E-commerce platform. Besides, services provided by Indian Railways to the general public, namely, sale of platform tickets, facility of retiring rooms/waiting rooms, cloak room services and battery-operated car services as well as intra-railway transactions would be exempt from GST. GST Council has prescribed a uniform rate of 12 per cent on all milk cans meaning steel, iron, aluminum which are irrespective of the use. The Council also recommended a uniform GST rate of 12 per cent on all carton boxes and cases of both corrugated and non-corrugated paper or paper board, which in particular, help the apple growers of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu &amp; Kashmir. All types of Sprinklers, including fire water sprinklers, will attract 12 per cent GST. Solar Cookers, whether it has a single or dual energy source, too will attract a 12 per cent tax. The Council also decided that GST anti-profiteering provisions will have a sunset date of April 1, 2025. Current cases and investigations with regard to profiteering complaints will be handled by the Principal bench of GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT), instead of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Also, the time limit to avail input tax credit w.r.t. any invoice or debit note through any GSTR 3B return filed up to November 30, 2021 for FY 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, has been fixed at November 30, 2021. Sitharaman said less than two per cent of the total 58.62 lakh taxpayers under Central GST administration has been sent tax notices and the intention of the government is to make GST assessees life easier by reducing compliance requirements. "I want to reassure the assessees that our intent is to make GST assessees life easier, we are working towards less and less compliance. On behalf of the CGST, notices are not being sent left, right and centre. Only 1.96 per cent of all active tax assessees have been sent notices from Central GST," Sitharaman said.

GST Council tweaks tax rates; Waives interest, penalty on tax dues for first 3 years of rollout

July's here, and as we inch closer to the budget, which is set to be presented around the latter half of July, there is much talk about how it will affect our pockets. Reports suggest the government is considering raising the <keyword id="20429578" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="standard-deduction" source="keywords">standard deduction</keyword> threshold from existing Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000, amidst other things. The most common wish for a salaried employee is to reduce the income tax rates across all slabs, but at the moment, this seems unlikely. That aside, we decode the common man's wish list and what they look forward to in terms of <keyword id="22225988" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="income-taxes" source="keywords">income taxes</keyword> as the Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> drafts the budget. <h2>Wish 1: Raise the standard deduction to Rs 1 lakh</h2>A standard deduction is a fixed amount that you can deduct from your taxable income right away, to reduce your overall tax liability. You do not need to furnish any proofs for this amount. Currently, this stands at Rs 50,000, under both old and new tax regimes. Raising this threshold to Rs 1,00,000 will mean more disposable income in your hands. And as per the policy experts, this is the most likely change that we can expect under the new budget. <h2>Wish 2: Increase the <keyword id="20228341" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="basic-exemption-limit" source="keywords">basic exemption limit</keyword> in new tax regime</h2>As per EY's pre-budget expectation report, an increase in the basic exemption limit from the present Rs 3,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000 would immensely benefit the common man. Earlier, this limit was set at Rs 2,50,000. Note that unless you specifically opt for the old regime, the new tax regime is considered as your default choice starting 2023. If your annual income is equal to, or falls below this basic exemption limit, you do not have to pay any income tax. <h2>Wish 3: Increase tax-free limit of LTCG gains </h2>At present, if you sell any equity mutual fund unit or share after more than 12 months of holding it, you'll have to pay a 10% long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax. However, within one financial year, long-term capital gains below Rs 1,00,000 are tax-exempt. As EY's report notes, raising this extant tax-free limit to Rs 2 lakh would be beneficial, especially in boosting long-term investing sentiment in the country. But will this come true? Only Nirmala Sitharaman knows! <h2>Wish 4: Consider some tier-2 cities as metros for HRA exemption </h2>Residents of Gurugram, Noida, Bengaluru, listen up! HRA, or House rent allowance is a crucial component of our salary, and hence, our tax planning as well. You can get HRA exemption on the lowest amount amidst these 3: 1. Actual HRA received 2. 50% of salary for metro cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai) 3. 40% of salary for non-metro cities 4. Rent paid- 10% of salary But its no secret that residents of nearby cities like Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, or rapidly developing urban hubs like Pune, Ahmedabad, Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thane bear the brunt of sky-high residential rents that takes a huge toll on their monthly income. Yet, they cannot claim 50% of their salary for HRA exemption. Since these cities has been classified as a non-metro, residents can claim a maximum of 40% of their salary as exemption. In case rent exceeds Rs 1,00,000 annually, you are also required to furnish the PAN details of landlord, along with a formal rental agreement. Consider this. You live in Delhi, and have an annual income of Rs 10,00,000. For HRA purposes, you can claim exemption of up to Rs 5,00,000, since Delhi is considered a metro. But, if you live in Ghaziabad, or Noida, the limit available to you sharply falls down to Rs 4,00,000. This budget, as reports note, considering these cities as metros for tax purposes would provide some relief to the common man's pocket. Per a recent report by ANAROCK research, the top 7 cities in the country (Mumbai metropolitan region, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi NCR, Chennai and Kolkata) saw an average price rise between 13-39% on a yearly basis. In fact, it was Hyderabad recorded the highest yearly price rise in residential property last quarter, jumping by as much as 39%. <h2>Wish 5 : Enhance exemption limits under the old regime</h2>The list is endless, but so are our wishes! Experts are also suggesting an enhancement in the existing limit for deduction towards interest on housing loan for self-occupied house. From its present limit of Rs 2 lakh, it should be taken to Rs 3 lakh. Also, the Rs 2-lakh cap on set off of house property loss against other heads in the same year should be done away with. For senior citizens, there should also be greater clarity on how funds received from <keyword id="19919089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nps" source="keywords">NPS</keyword> (National Pension System) via the systematic lumpsum withdrawal plan should be taxed. Well, we can only hope some, if not all of these wishes come true when finance minister presents the union budget in the parliament this month.

Budget 2024: Increase standard deduction, exemptions and more, an aam aadmi's wishlist

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk is calling for deregulation and spending cuts to make the government more efficient.</li><li>The billionaire's mindset echoes previous efforts to run the US government like a business.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> is on a mission to make the US government more efficient, touting deregulation and decreased spending in public appearances as he <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-cabinet-election-x-2024-9">courts a role</a> in a potential second Trump administration.The billionaire evangelized about efficiency during a live appearance at the All-In podcast Summit in Los Angeles on Monday, suggesting he would draw on his business acumen to slash federal spending if chosen as the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-adopts-elon-musk-plan-cut-government-spending-efficiency-reform-2024-9">head of Trump's would-be government efficiency commission</a>."We do have an opportunity to do a once-in-a-lifetime deregulation and reduction in the size of government," Musk said at the summit appearance about a potential <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-wants-elon-musk-on-his-cabinet-2024-8">Trump win</a>.But two political scientists told Business Insider that Musk's desire to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://hbr.org/2017/03/the-u-s-cannot-be-run-like-a-business">run the US government like a private business</a> — an approach many private sector professionals have supported for decades — isn't as foolproof as the CEO might think.Musk did not respond to a request for comment.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-feud-relationship-timeline-2022-7">Musk has done a 180</a> in his support for Trump. The billionaire endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016, but after Trump won, accepted a role on two of the then-president's economic advisory councils. He later departed the administration, citing Trump's environmental policies.But since Musk officially endorsed Trump in July, he's repeatedly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1834104386303520822">posted</a> on X about the need for government efficiency."The idea that you can run the entire government as a business, it's just not designed that way," said Patricia Crouse, a practitioner in residence of political science and public administration at the University of New Haven. "You have to work around our system of federalism."Trump, a businessman turned politician, based much of his first presidential campaign on the notion that his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/03/27/trumps-idea-to-run-the-government-like-a-business-is-an-old-one-in-american-politics/">experience in the private sector</a> would guide his approach to politics.While perhaps misguided, both experts said it's not an entirely unfounded line of thinking. According to the academics, the government is inefficient in many ways, and accusations that federal agencies waste time and money are not always unwarranted.But the push to make the government work more like a business <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-efficiency-isnt-best-measurement-government-policy-2022-6">misunderstands a fundamental element</a> of US federalism — profit is not the end-all, be-all, political science experts said."Government is almost always more inefficient than the private sector because their motives are just different," said Christian Grose, a professor of political science at the University of Southern California.<div type="image" title="Al Gore and Bill Clinton stand at a podium holding a government report" height="1460" width="2921" msid="113345808" hostid="261" sizebytes="110754"></div><h2 id="7c8addd5-408c-4950-b159-3797e89f7a84">Profit vs. Protection</h2>Efforts to privatize parts of the US government date back decades. The modern-day push for a business-like government has its roots in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/theres-a-big-difference-between-reaganomics-and-trumponomics-2017-3">Reaganomics</a>, the economic policy put forth by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, which reduced regulation, slashed government spending, and scaled down the federal workforce.The other side of the aisle took a similar approach in 1993 when then-Vice President <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/im-a-recovering-politician-and-wont-run-for-office-again-al-gore-2022-7">Al Gore</a> launched the Reinventing Government initiative, which attempted to streamline government processes and minimize bureaucracy.Former President George W. Bush also had a business background, making his pre-presidency fortune in the Texas oil industry. Once in office, Bush cut regulations with his Faith-Based and Community Initiative, which sought to outsource some social services to faith-based groups.Grose said the pro-business mentality is present in local and state government, too, adding that private sector professionals often run gubernatorial races on such platforms.Political experts said it makes sense that business leaders like Musk would see only inefficiency and wastefulness in the government's operations."In the private sector, the motive is profit. The less efficient you are, the less profitable you are," Grose said. "But inefficiency in the private sector isn't the same."The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/privitizing-public-goods-healthcare-education-doesnt-work-opinion-2022-1">government's job isn't to make money,</a> but to regulate and keep people safe."Sometimes that's not efficient in an economic sense," Grose added.Consider, too, that the government and businesses serve very different stakeholders, Grose said. CEOs have to answer to stockholders and a board of directors — the president has to answer to every American in the country.<div type="image" title="Elon Musk and donald Trump sit at a table" height="2200" width="3300" msid="113345810" hostid="261" sizebytes="236978"></div><h2 id="77ff06c1-a7ce-42dd-87ed-6be17fc49a6d">The pitfalls of privatized government</h2>Crouse said the consequences could be dire if Trump and Musk are able to make massive cuts to federal agencies."If you decide you want to run the government entirely like a business, you're going to see things like poverty and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-job-market-unemployment-rising-federal-reserve-interest-rate-cut-2024-7">unemployment</a> increase because it becomes every man for himself," Crouse said.For all of its faults, the federal government has a fail-safe of sorts, thanks, in part, to its massive size, Crouse said. She added that outsourcing critical government services to private companies runs the risk that those services could disappear if the company went bankrupt."A business isn't really self-correcting, at least not as easily as government is," Crouse said.Crouse said that privatizing the federal government could also lead to increased corruption, pointing to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-prisons-lobby-for-their-own-existence-2016-8">for-profit prison industry</a> as one example. In 2008, two Pennsylvania judges were convicted of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-trending-news-government-and-politics-6f30f575dc739415af1e5b47b1be50f0">accepting money in return</a> for sending kids to private detention centers to increase occupancy."Businesses are out to make a profit, so they're going to do what they can to increase profits, and if the consumer gets hurt in the process of doing that, well, that's all a part of business," Crouse said.Beyond the logistical issues associated with a business-like government, Grose said he was skeptical of the sentiment at the heart of Musk's comments earlier this week, casting doubt on whether a second Trump presidency would result in "once-in-a-lifetime" deregulation.While Trump did engage in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-dodd-frank-deregulation-bill-trump-gop-obama-legacy-2018-5">some deregulation</a> during his first term, Grose said he didn't behave like a traditional business Republican, citing his tariffs and tax cuts, the latter of which helped the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/national-debt-trump">national debt surge.</a>"It's not obvious to me that he is a massive budget cutter based on past experience," Grose added.Both Crouse and Grose also expressed hesitation about taking business advice from Musk, pointing to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-looks-like-he-is-destroying-x-intentionally-2023-11">breakdown of Twitter, now X</a>, after the billionaire bought the site in 2022.Ultimately, however, both said the 235-year-old federalism that governs America simply isn't equipped to handle the pressures faced by private businesses."My fear is that it would collapse," Crouse said.

Elon Musk's ideas about government efficiency are all wrong, political scientists say

<ul class="summary-list"><li>New York will sell bonds backed by a "mansion tax," a one-time tax on properties over $2 million.</li><li>The bond sale will fund $2 billion in infrastructure improvements to the city's subways and buses.</li></ul>New York City is planning to fund upgrades to the largest public transit system in the country with bonds backed by taxes on expensive homes.The bond sales will put $2 billion toward infrastructure projects at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the city's subway and bus service, which has long struggled to find ample funds to repair and upgrade its aging infrastructure. The agency currently has <a target="_blank" href="https://new.mta.info/document/37176">$47.4 billion in outstanding debt</a>.The city plans to start selling these bonds as early as the end of this year or early next year, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-06/nyc-s-transit-system-eyes-debt-repaid-with-mansion-tax-revenue?srnd=phx-markets">Bloomberg reports.</a> Investors who buy the bonds will be repaid with money from New York's "mansion tax."The tax, which started funding infrastructure projects for the MTA back in 2019, pulls revenue from the transfer of residential properties that cost $2 million or more. The tax is an especially lucrative source of funds in New York, where a strong housing demand makes for frequent turnover . The mansion tax generated $345 million in funding for the MTA last year alone.The bond sales will go toward financing the MTA's $51.5 billion plan to improve its subway, bus, and rail infrastructure. The program is the largest investment of its kind in MTA history, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://new.mta.info/capital/2020CapitalProgram">agency's website</a>.Mansion tax bonds are not the MTA's first foray into debt backed by alternative funding sources. In the past, the MTA has sold bonds backed by the city's sales tax revenue, among other debt financing vehicles.Other cities like Los Angeles and Santa Fe have employed similar taxes on the sales of large homes to generate new revenue streams for underfunded government initiatives, including affordable housing and homeless prevention projects. Chicago introduced a similar tax on properties over $1 million earlier this year, but voters rejected it.

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