Deductions:
A taxpayer is allowed deductions under the IT Act, in respect of specified investments/contributions made by him during the respective tax year from his gross total income. The total amount of deduction(s) is limited to the Gross Total Income and the unclaimed/unutilized amount is not permitted to be carried forward.
Few important deductions are given below:
Section 80C* | Deduction in respect of contribution to provident fund, life insurance premium, subscription to certain equity shares or debentures, repayment of principal part of housing loan, tuition fees etc. up to Rs. 100,000 |
Section 80CCC* | Contribution to pension fund up to Rs 100,000 per annum. |
Section 80CCD* | Contribution to pension fund notified by the Central Government, of actual amount restricted to 10% of salary income in the year. |
Section 80D | Payment of medical insurance premium by cheque upto Rs. 15,000 or Rs 20,000 (in case of senior citizens). |
Section 80E | Interest paid on loan taken for higher education from any financial institution or approved charitable organization. Deduction would be allowed for 8 assessment years. |
Section 80G | Donations made to charitable organizations, certain funds like Prime Minister’s National relief fund, National Defence Fund etc. |
*Aggregate deductions under Section 80C, 80CCC and 80CCD (contribution to pension fund of central government) should not exceed Rs 100,000.
Rebates:
Section 88 which dealt with rebate on payments of life insurance premia, contribution to provident fund, etc., was removed with effect from AY 2006-07. A new section (section 80C) was inserted to provide for deduction on aforesaid amounts.
Rebate of securities transaction tax (‘STT’)
A deduction of STT from the income tax payable is allowed in case where the income from sale/ purchase of securities subject to STT has been offered to tax as ‘business income’.
The rebate allowed is calculated on the basis of the average rate of tax on income from taxable securities and is allowed only when an evidence of payment of STT is furnished in the prescribed form.
For exemptions / concessions available to NRIs, refer
Appendix ‘B’.
For exemptions / concessions available to corporate assesses and sector specific concessions, refer
Appendix ‘C’.