Showing posts with label Income tax slab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Income tax slab. Show all posts

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Improve your Credit Score

Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd; CIBIL is India’s first Credit Information Company, also commonly referred as a Credit Bureau. We collect and maintain records of individuals’ and non-individuals’ (commercial entities) payments pertaining to loans and credit cards. These records are submitted to us by banks and other lenders on a monthly basis; using this information a Credit Information Report (CIR) and Credit Score is developed, enabling lenders to evaluate and approve loan applications. A Credit Bureau is licensed by the RBI and governed by the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act of 2005

How to Improve your Credit Score 
You can improve your Credit Score by maintaining a good credit history. This will be viewed favorably by lenders and it can be done with 6 simple rules:
  1. Always pay your dues on time
    Late payments are viewed negatively by lenders
     
  2. Keep your balances low
    Always prudent to not use too much credit, control your utilization
     
  3. Maintain a healthy mix of credit 
    It is better to have a healthy mix of secured (such as home loan, auto loan) and unsecured loans (such as personal loan, credit cards). Too many unsecured loans may be viewed negatively.
     
  4. Apply for new credit in moderation
    You don’t want to seem Credit Hungry; apply for new credit cautiously
     
  5. Monitor your co-signed, guaranteed and joint accounts monthly 
    In co-signed, guaranteed or jointly held accounts, you are held equally liable for missed payments. Your joint holder’s (or the guaranteed individual) negligence could affect your ability to access credit when you need it
     
  6. Review you credit history frequently throughout the year 
    Purchase your CIR from time to time to avoid unpleasant surprises in the form of a rejected loan application
Factor Affecting Credit Score

There are 4 major factors that affect your score
  1. Payment history
    Making late payments or defaulting your EMIs or dues (recently or consistently) shows you are having trouble to pay your existing credit obligations and will negatively affect your score.
     
  2. High utilization of Credit Limit
    While increased spending on your credit card will not necessarily affect your score in a negative manner, an increase in the current balance of your credit card indicates an increased repayment burden and may negatively affect your score.
     
  3. Higher percentage of credit cards or personal loans (also known as unsecured loan)
    Having a balanced mix between the secured loans (such as Auto, Home loan) and unsecured loan (such as Personal loan, Credit Card) is likely to have a more positive affect on your score.
     
  4. Many new accounts opened recently
    If you have recently been sanctioned multiple loans and credit cards, then lenders will view your application with caution because this behavior indicates your debt burden has increased increase, which will negatively impact your score.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Have You Disclosed Other Source of Incomes?

The due date for filing personal income-tax returns for the financial year 2012-13 is 31st July 2013.

There are a few more sources of income which one MUST disclose. The disclosure can be done either to our employer (so that they are taken care of in Form 16) or while filing our returns.

Some of the very important disclosures are:

1
Interest earned from Savings Bank Account
Interest earned from savings account is tax free up to Rs 10,000/-. Any interest earned above that is taxable and should be declared.

2
Interest earned from Fixed Deposits
Interest received from fixed deposits is taxable as per ones income tax slab.

Most of the times banks deduct 10% TDS when the interest accrued is more than Rs 10,000/- (unless one submits a Form 15 G/H). However, the actual tax liability will be more or less, depending upon the tax bracket one falls under after all incomes and deductions are claimed.

3
Interest earned from Recurring Deposits
Interest received from recurring deposits is taxable as per one’s income tax slab.

Banks do not cut any TDS on interest earned on recurring deposits and hence it becomes even more important to declare this source of income.

4
Interest earned on Postal deposits and National Savings Certificates (NSCs)

Interest earned on Postal deposits and National Savings Certificates (NSCs) is taxable and needs to be declared.
5
Cash Gifts
Cash gifts received for more than Rs 50,000/- should be declared as they are taxable (unless for specific occasions like marriage, will etc)

6
Capital Gains/Losses
Any Capital gains/losses made from trading equities, selling mutual funds, gold etc should be declared even though they may be non-taxable (e.g. for equities long term capital tax is NIL).

Similarly, any losses should be declared as these help in offsetting gains for subsequent years

7
Exempt Income
Exempt Income (e.g. Interest earned on PPF/EPF accounts) should be declared for auditing purposes only. This is a tax free income

8
Dividend Income
Dividend income is tax free in the hands of the investor. However this should be declared while filing income tax returns


Saturday, July 14, 2012

Know Your Income Tax Deduction

80C

Nature of Deduction:
This section has been introduced by the Finance Act, 2005. Broadly speaking, this section provides deduction from total income in respect of various investments/expenditures/payments in respect of which tax rebate u/s 88 was earlier available. The total deduction under this section is limited to Rs.1 lakh only.

80CCC

Nature of Deduction:
Payment of premium for annunity plan of LIC or any other insurer Deduction is available upto a maximum of Rs.10,000/-
Remarks:
The premium must be deposited to keep in force a contract for an annuity plan of the LIC or any other insurer for receiving pension from the fund.The Finance Act 2006 has enhanced the ceiling of deduction under Section 80CCC from Rs.10,000 to Rs.1,00,000 with effect from 1.4.2007.

80CCD

Nature of Deduction:
Deposit made by an employee in his pension account to the extent of 10% of his salary.
Remarks:
Where the Central Government makes any contribution to the pension account, deduction of such contribution to the extent of 10% of salary shall be allowed. Further, in any year where any amount is received from the pension account such amount shall be charged to tax as income of that previous year. The Finance Act, 2009 has extended benefit to any individual assesse, not being a Central Government employee.

80CCF

Nature of Deduction:
Subscription to long term infrastructure bonds.
Remarks:
Subscription made by individual or HUF to the extent of Rs. 20,000 to notified long term infrastructure bonds was exempt for the financial year 2010-11 and 2011-12. However, the exemption is no longer present from financial year 2012-13.

80D

Nature of Deduction:
Payment of medical insurance premium. Deduction is available upto Rs.15,000/ for self/ family and also upto Rs. 15,000/- for insurance in respect of parent/ parents of the assessee.
Remarks:
The premium is to be paid by any mode of payment other than cash and the insurance scheme should be framed by the General Insurance Corporation of India & approved by the Central Govt. or Scheme framed by any other insurer and approved by the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority. The premium should be paid in respect of health insurance of the assessee or his family members. The Finance Act 2008 has also provided deduction upto Rs. 15,000/- in respect of health insurance premium paid by the assessee towards his parent/parents. W.e.f. 01.04.2011, contributions made to the Central Government Health Scheme is also covered under this section.

80DD

Nature of Deduction:
Deduction of Rs.40,000/ - in respect of (a) expenditure incurred on medical treatment, (including nursing), training and rehabilitation of handicapped dependant relative. (b) Payment or deposit to specified scheme for maintenance of dependant handicapped relative. W.e.f. 01.04.2004 the deduction under this section has been enhanced to Rs.50,000/-. Further, if the dependant is a person with severe disability a deduction of Rs.1,00,000/- shall be available under this section.
Remarks:
The handicapped dependant should be a dependant relative suffering from a permanent disability (including blindness) or mentally retarded, as certified by a specified physician or psychiatrist. Note: A person with severe disability means a person with 80% or more of one or more disabilities as outlined in section 56(4) of the “Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act.

80DDB

Nature of Deduction:
Deduction of Rs.40,000 in respect of medical expenditure incurred. W.e.f. 01.04.2004, deduction under this section shall be available to the extent of Rs.40,000/- or the amount actually paid, whichever is less. In case of senior citizens, a deduction upto Rs.60,000/- shall be available under this Section.
Remarks:
Expenditure must be actually incurred by resident assessee on himself or dependent relative for medical treatment of specified disease or ailment. The diseases have been specified in Rule 11DD. A certificate in form 10 I is to be furnished by the assessee from a specialist working in a Government hospital.

80E

Nature of Deduction:
Deduction in respect of payment in the previous year of interest on loan taken from a financial institution or approved charitable institution for higher studies.
Remarks:
This provision has been introduced to provide relief to students taking loans for higher studies. The payment of the interest thereon will be allowed as deduction over a period of upto 8 years. Further, by Finance Act, 2007 deduction under this section shall be available not only in respect of loan for pursuing higher education by self but also by spouse or children of the assessee. W.e.f.01.04.2010 higher education means any course of study pursued after passing the senior secondary examination or its equivalent from any recognized school, board or university.

80G

Nature of Deduction:
Donation to certain funds, charitable institutions etc.
Remarks:
The various donations specified in Sec. 80G are eligible for deduction upto either 100% or 50% with or without restriction as provided in Sec. 80G.

80GG

Nature of Deduction:
Deduction available is the least of (i) Rent paid less 10% of total income (ii) Rs.2000 per month (iii) 25% of total income
Remarks:
(1) Assessee or his spouse or minor child should not own residential accommodation at the place of employment. (2) He should not be in receipt of house rent allowance. (3) He should not have a self occupied residential premises in any other place.

80U

Nature of Deduction:
Deduction of Rs.50,000/- to an individual who suffers from a physical disability (including blindness) or mental retardation.Further, if the individual is a person with severe disability, deduction of Rs.75,000/- shall be available u/s 80U. W.e.f. 01.04.2010 this limit has been raised to Rs. 1 lakh.
Remarks:
Certificate should be obtained on prescribed format from a notified ‘Medical authority’.

80RRB

Nature of Deduction:
Deduction in respect of any income by way of royalty in respect of a patent registered on or after 01.04.2003 under the Patents Act 1970 shall be available as :-Rs. 3 lacs or the income received, whichever is less.
Remarks:
The assessee who is a patentee must be an individual resident in India. The assessee must furnish a certificate in the prescribed form duly signed by the prescribed authority alongwith the return of income.

80QQB

Nature of Deduction:
Deduction in respect of royalty or copyright income received in consideration for authoring any book of literary, artistic or scientific nature other than text book shall be available to the extent of Rs. 3 lacs or income received, whichever is less.
Remarks:
The assessee must be an individual resident in India who receives such income in exercise of his profession. To avail of this deduction, the assessee must furnish a certificate in the prescribed form along with the return of income.

Writer Apurv Gourav is a part time Financial Planning Consultant with Birla Sun Life. He is also pursuing Certified Financial Planning. 

Friday, January 27, 2012

Income Tax Slab 2011-2012

Here is the latest income tax slab rates for Year 2011-2012. This tax table based on the latest income tax slab is a ready reference for calculating your income tax for year 2011-12.

Quick highlights
  • Base slab for general tax payers increased to 1.8 lakh from original 1.6 lakh
  • Senior citizen age reduced to 60 years from last years 65 years. Senior citizen now include people between 60 and 80 years. Also increased the base slab for senior citizen to 2.5 lakh from previous years 2.4 lakh
  • A new category called "Very Senior citizen" added for people above 80 years.

Income tax slabs 2011-2012 for General tax payers

Income tax slab (in Rs.)Tax
0 to 1,80,000No tax
1,80,001 to 5,00,00010%
5,00,001 to 8,00,00020%
Above 8,00,00030%

Income tax slabs 2011-2012 for Women

Income tax slab (in Rs.)Tax
0 to 1,90,000No tax
1,90,001 to 5,00,00010%
5,00,001 to 8,00,00020%
Above 8,00,00030%

Income tax slabs 2011-2012 for Senior citizen (Aged 60 years but less than 80 years)

Income tax slab (in Rs.)Tax
0 to 2,50,000No tax
2,50,001 to 5,00,00010%
5,00,001 to 8,00,00020%
Above 8,00,00030%

Income tax slabs 2011-2012 for Very Senior citizen (Above 80 years)

Income tax slab (in Rs.)Tax
0 to 5,00,0000%
5,00,001 to 8,00,00020%
Above 8,00,00030%