Anil Rego, CEO, Right Horizons, answers your personal income tax queries.
The per capita income of Indians as gleaned from income-tax filing is expected to increase from Rs 2 lakh in FY23 to Rs 14.9 lakh in FY47, coinciding with 100 years of the country's Independence, according to SBI Research. In dollar terms it will increase from about $2,500 in FY23 to $12,400 in FY47. Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief economic adviser, State Bank of India, said the weighted mean income was Rs 4.4 lakh in AY14. That rose to Rs 13 lakh in FY23.
India's 18 largest states, accounting for over 90 per cent of the country's gross state domestic product (GSDP), are likely to record a marginal uptick in revenue growth to 7-9 per cent this year, from 6.6 per cent clocked in 2024-25 (FY25), rating agency Crisil said in a report on Tuesday. This growth, slower than the decadal average of about 10 per cent, would lift these states' cumulative revenue to around Rs 40 trillion in FY26 from Rs 37.26 trillion in FY25.
'With new technology and stricter checks, cheating on taxes is just not worth it anymore.'
The Indian Rice Exporter's Federation (IREF) on Tuesday urged the government to provide tax incentives, interest subvention and freight support in the upcoming 2026 Budget to strengthen the sector's competitiveness while addressing sustainability concerns.
In a major relief for taxpayers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced an increase in the threshold for Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) on rent from Rs2.40 lakh per annum to Rs6 lakh per annum while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26. Presenting the budget in Lok Sabha, the Finance Minister said, "The annual limit of Rs 2.40 lakh for TDS on rent is being increased to Rs 6 lakh.
The income tax department on Saturday said it has launched a campaign to send messages to taxpayers who have not disclosed high-value foreign income or assets in their ITRs for AY 2024-25. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has launched a Compliance-Cum-Awareness Campaign for Assessment Year (AY) 2024-25 to assist taxpayers in accurately completing Schedule Foreign Assets (Schedule FA) and reporting income from foreign sources (Schedule FSI) in their income tax returns (ITR).
If you are merely letting out the property and enjoying the rent as an individual or as a company, in most cases, you will need to mention rental income under the head 'income from house property' in the income-tax return form, points out Tinesh Bhasin.
'Given that India underperformed emerging markets by 28 per cent in 2025, the worst performance in over 30 years, the timing of the sharp STT hike could have been better.'
Belying expectations, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not tinker with the personal income tax rates in the Budget for 2022-23.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea challenging the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA). The plea, filed by Wangchuk's wife, argues the detention is illegal and violates his fundamental rights.
'... that it once again shies away from renewing its commitment to strategic divestment,' points out A K Bhattacharya.
All that you must know about the pros and cons of gift deeds, tax implications, essentials, documents required, conditions, etc...
Income tax sleuths who reached Khan's residence on Jail Road in Rampur in Uttar Pradesh at 7 am on Wednesday completed their search Friday evening.
Car purchases in India are largely limited to the top 12 per cent of households with an annual income exceeding Rs 12 lakh, while even small cars have become unaffordable for the remaining 88 per cent, said R C Bhargava, chairman of Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), on Friday. "How can you get high car sales growth if 88 per cent of the country are below the levels of income where they cannot afford these cars costing Rs 10 lakhs and above?
The party has contested the reassessment proceedings, claiming they were barred by limitation.
Tax expert Anil Rego answers readers' questions about how Finance Minister Piyush Goyal's Budget affects you.
The three year lock-in period enables ELSS fund managers to invest in high conviction stocks for a long period of time because of relatively less redemption pressure, says Dwaipayan Bose
As per the Budget memorandum, the government has proposed amendment to Sub-Section 2 of Section 23 of Income Tax Act, which relates to determination of annual value of house properties.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairperson of the Al Falah group, on money laundering charges. The ED alleges that Siddiqui generated Rs 415 crore dishonestly from students of educational institutions run by his Trust.
Anil Rego, CEO, Right Horizons, answers your personal income tax queries.
The income tax department has extended the date for filing audit report for 2023-24 by 7 days till October 7. In a circular, the I-T department said considering the difficulties faced by taxpayers in electronic filing of various audit reports under the Income Tax Act, the deadline is being extended from September 30 to October 7.
The Budget announcement of zero tax for earnings upto Rs 12 lakh per annum and the rejig of tax slabs across the board should prompt more than 90 per cent of individual taxpayers to embrace the new tax regime as compared to the about 75 per cent as of now, CBDT Chairman Ravi Agrawal said. Agrawal also highlighted the government's focus on "non-intrusive" tax administration through enhanced use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and simplified tax processes for common taxpayers. He emphasized the benefits of the new tax regime (NTR), which offers simple calculations and allows taxpayers to file their ITR without professional help. The CBDT chief stated that the Budget provisions related to income tax payment benefit all income earners, not just those earning Rs 12 lakh per annum, creating a positive sentiment in the economy and propelling growth. The department is also harnessing technology, including AI and data analytics, to widen and deepen the tax base, resulting in increased compliance and tax revenue. Agrawal further highlighted the positive impact of data availability and simplified tax processes on compliance rates, citing examples of taxpayers filing revised returns and paying taxes after being prompted by the department's data analysis.
The GST Council at its next meeting may consider a reduction in taxes on air and water purifiers as air quality across the country worsens and access to safe drinking water remains uneven.
'If a taxpayer opts for the new tax regime once, he can only switch back to the old tax regime once in his lifetime.'
Anil Rego, CEO, Right Horizons, answers your personal income tax queries.
By acting now, you can step into 2025 with your finances in order and without unnecessary penalties.
Maharashtra has topped the list of states with the most favourable ecosystem for the growth of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), replacing Madhya Pradesh, which has slipped to second place, according to the latest Ease of Doing Business for FPOs (EoDBF) ranking.
Minimal tax at the lower level may be ten\n>per cent. But that should start at Rs 500,000 and there should be no tax between Rs 100,000-Rs 500,000.
"The new structure will substantially reduce taxes on the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment," Sitharaman said presenting what was dubbed as 'reformist' budget for the next fiscal in Lok Sabha.
After a year of modest returns, equity investors may anticipate gains of 10-15 per cent in Samvat 2082, which began on October 21. Although valuations have moderated from their peaks a year earlier, they remain above long-term averages, potentially limiting sharp upsides.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated an inquiry into alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) against an institution founded by Ladakh-based educationist and activist Sonam Wangchuk. The inquiry follows a complaint from the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL).
Income tax raids, killer games, village elections, criminal investigations, things are rather exciting on OTT this week, as Sukanya Verma notes.
After a subdued first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26), banks are now betting big on the festive season, rolling out attractive loan offers to boost credit growth in the second half of the current financial year (H2FY26) - a trend likely to be further accentuated by the second-order effects of the good services tax (GST) cuts.
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India expects auto sales to bounce back to the glory days of 7 per cent growth by FY 27, helped by the proposed GST rate cut which is expected to bring down car prices by 3.5 to 8.5 per cent.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday asked tax officers to use simple language in income tax communications so that notices do not instil fear in the minds of taxpayers. Advising the income tax officers not to take "disproportionate" action and use enforcement measures only, as the last resort, Sitharaman said tax officers should use "power judiciously".
The tax department has created many circular traps -- flawed reporting formats, penalties for those who point out the flaws, and faceless assessors with no accountability. The result: Millions of taxpayers face needless harassment and procedural dead ends, highlights Harsh Roongta.
'LIC will reduce but not fully exit its stake in IDBI Bank, which remains an important bancassurance partner,' says LIC of India' MD and CEO R Doraiswamy.
What many don't realise is that including their spouse and children in their tax planning can enable them to reduce their tax burden legally.
