John F. Clark 
From long-time period capital gains tax on equity investments to higher interest income exemption for senior residents to the advent of dividend distribution tax on dividends acquired from equity mutual budget, these 12 months saw many adjustments in earnings tax policies. Many of these had been added as a part of Budget 2018-19. This yr also noticed the creation of general deduction for salaried personnel. Senior citizens had also been allowed higher deductions on medical insurance rates.
Here are some of the essential adjustments in income tax guidelines:
1) Higher interest income exemption for senior residents
The authorities improved interest profits exemption restrictions on the financial institution for senior residents and put up office deposits to Rs 50,000, from Rs 10,000 in advance. In addition, for senior citizens, tax deduction at supply (TDS) will not be precipitated if hobby income is as much as Rs 50,000.
2) Dividend distribution tax on dividends from equity mutual price range
Dividends allotted using equity mutual finances, which have been earlier tax-free, attracted tax on the rate of 10%. Remember that dividends from equity mutual budget are tax-free in the arms of investors. But dividends from the equity mutual price range are paid after deducting a dividend distribution tax (DDT) of eleven.648% (such as cess), which reduces the in-hand return for investors.
3) Long-term capital profits tax on equities
From 1 April 2018, a brand new long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax regime on fairness gadgets – listed stocks or equity-orientated mutual price range – came into impact. Earlier such gains on equity have been exempt from tax. Now investors need to pay 10% tax on profits exceeding Rs 1 lakh a year. Equity retaining beyond a year is considered long-term. However, to soften the blow, the government delivered a grandfathering provision. If listed shares or fairness price range had been obtained earlier than February 1, there would be no long-time period capital gains tax levy.
4) Rs. Forty 000 general deduction
Standard deduction was introduced on this yr’s budget instead of the earlier exemption regarding delivery allowance and repayment of miscellaneous scientific charges. Unlike different deductions and exemptions, one no longer wants to offer any documents and proof to assert fashionable deduction. A salaried character or pensioner can claim a general deduction of up to Rs forty 000 from their income.
5) Higher cess
The authorities raised the cess on profits tax to four% from three% for individual taxpayers on the amount of profits tax payable.
6) Tax exemption on NPS for the self-employed
Employees contributing to the National Pension System (NPS) had been allowed to withdraw 40% of the entire corpus without any tax at the time of maturity or closure of the account. The equal advantage has now been extended to self-hired subscribers.
7) Lock-in length of 54EC bonds multiplied
Long-term income from actual estate sales is tax-loose if invested in precise bonds under Section 54EC. Till last 12 months, you had to stay invested within the 54EC bonds for at least 3 years to revel in the tax wreck, but from this year, your money can be locked in for five years.
8) Higher deduction on medical insurance charges
Senior residents now can avail of a deduction of up to Rs 50,000 for medical insurance premiums under Section 80D. Earlier the restrict become Rs 30,000. Also, the deduction for a charge towards a clinical treatment of certain ailments has been hiked to Rs 1 lakh for senior residents.
9) Govt brings NPS on a par with PF, makes it tax-unfastened
The Union Cabinet these days accepted many changes in the NPS to make it more attractive for investors. NPS may be made fully tax-free on withdrawal. Subscribers get full tax exemption on the 60% of the corpus that an investor can withdraw in adulthood. This will assist deliver the NPS on a par with other tax-saving gadgets like the PPF, wherein withdrawals are absolutely tax-free. This is probably to be effective from April 1 subsequent 12 months. (Read: NPS rule changes explained in 10 points)
Guidelines for making plans and approval of month-to-month tax audit plan
The audit plan must mirror the wishes offered inside the Large Taxpayer Office. The heads of places of work ought to ship their proposals in writing to the Head of Audit Section, earlier than the latter starts preparing the audit plan for the following month. To ensure that the making plans is accurate and that taxpayers to audit are effectively covered inside the plan, it’s far vital also to have proposals from the pinnacle of the assessment and collection section as well as from the top of enforcement and debt management, so that this cooperation will serve to clarify sure troubles, inclusive of, records maintaining method, particularly in instances when taxpayer’s data are incomplete. Information is also obtained from the legitimate in charge of the Appeal Administration, for instance, while the taxpayer to be planned for audit is beneath attraction methods.
The audit plan is ready by way of the Head of Audit Section on the twenty-fifth of the previous month and is offered to the Head of Large Taxpayers Office. After the latter has received approval from the Head of Tax Audit Directorate in tax enterprise, this plan must be approved no later than the primary day of the planned month. Still, the plan must be available for the Tax Audit Directorate days earlier than the end of the month. If there is no answer till the first of the month, the Large Taxpayers Office can consider the audit plan for the month in question as common via Tax Audit Directorate.
Using the audit selection method (IT or manual application), the plan should include the taxpayers to be audited and the number of days to be spent for each tax audit. Tax Audit Directorate can change the already selected taxpayers. Still, it can not alternate extra than 15% of the whole quantity of taxpayers selected by way of the audit phase, neither can it change the taxpayers who have been decided on by using the IT system, if such machine is in use. In such a case the Tax Audit Directorate can add different taxpayers for audit. They ought to be part of the 15% of manually selected taxpayers collectively with the alternatives made with the aid of the choice gadget.
