Tag: Income Tax Slab for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26)

Income tax is a direct tax which follows a progressive slab rate, where the rate of tax increases as the taxpayer’s income rises. The Income-tax Act, 1961 provides for two tax regimes: the old regime, which allows various deductions and exemptions, and the new regime, which offers lower tax rates without exemptions.

Budget 2025 Updates

The new Income Tax Bill has been tabled by the Honorable Finance Minister in the Lok Sabha. It aims to simplification and better presentation of the provisions.

As per the budget 2025, the income up to Rs. 12,00,000 will have zero tax liability for the FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27) under the new tax regime. Here’s how:

The revised tax slabs under the new regime for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27) are as follows:

Annual Income Tax Slabs	income Tax Rates
Upto Rs. 4,00,000	NIL
Rs. 4,00,001 – Rs. 8,00,000	5%
Rs. 8,00,001 – Rs. 12,00,000	10%
Rs. 12,00,001 – Rs. 16,00,000	15%
Rs. 16,00,001 – Rs. 20,00,000	20%
Rs. 20,00,001 – Rs. 24,00,000	25%
Above Rs. 24,00,000	30%

With the revised tax structure, individuals earning up to Rs. 12,00,000 will have no tax liability due to the increased rebate of Rs. 60,000. For salaried individuals, the tax liability will be zero for incomes up to Rs. 12,75,000, due to the Rs. 75,000 standard deduction.

Note:

• The marginal relief on rebate is still applicable. 
• The rebate is not available for income that is taxed at special rates (e.g., capital gains under section 112A).

An illustrative image on changes made in Budget 2025 is given below.

What is an Income Tax Slab?

In India, the Income Tax applies to individuals based on a slab system, where different tax rates are assigned to different income ranges. As the person’s income increases, the tax rates also increase. This type of taxation allows for a fair and progressive tax system in the country. The income tax slabs are revised periodically, typically during each budget. These slab rates vary for different groups of taxpayers.

Income Tax Slabs for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26) Under New Regime

The Budget 2024 introduced significant changes to the tax slabs under the New Tax Regime, which will be applicable for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26). Taxpayers can now benefit from revised tax slabs, along with an increased standard deduction and an enhanced family pension deduction.

Here’s a breakdown of the revised income tax slabs for FY 2024-25 under the new regime:

Note:

• Rebate: Tax rebate up to Rs.25,000 is applicable if the total income does not exceed Rs 7,00,000 (not applicable for NRIs). Therefore, no tax for an income up-to Rs.7,00,000.
• Standard Deduction: The standard deduction for salaried employees is Rs. 75,000 under the new regime.
• Deduction under Family Pension: The deduction on family pension received has been increased from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000.
• NPS Contribution: The deduction limit on employer’s contribution to NPS is 14% for FY 2024-25.

As a result of the above changes, a salaried employee in the new tax regime can save up to Rs. 17,500 in taxes. 

The new  regime is the default tax regime.  If individuals want to choose the old regime then they have to file Form 10-IEA. The highest surcharge rate is 25% under the new regime as opposed to 37% in the old regime.

Revised Income Tax Slabs Under the New Regime: Key Changes and Their Impact

The slab rates is modified by the government for FY 2024-25. This has resulted in certain relaxations. The gist of changes made in the slab rates is given below:

Income Tax Slabs for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26) Under Old Regime

There were no changes made to the tax slabs under the old regime in the budget 2024. The tax slabs under the old regime are as follows:

Income tax slabs for individuals aged below 60 years & HUF

NOTE: Surcharge and cess will be applicable.

Old vs New Tax Regime Slabs Comparison for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26)

Income Tax Slab Rate Calculation for AY 2025-26 (FY 2024-25)

Individuals with net taxable income less than or equal to Rs 5 lakh will be eligible for tax rebate u/s 87A under the old tax regime, i.e. tax liability will be NIL.

Important Points to note if you select the new tax regime:

• Please note that the tax rates in the New tax regime are the same for all categories of Individuals, i.e. Individuals, Senior citizens, and Super senior citizens. 
• Individuals with net taxable income less than or equal to Rs 7 lakh will be eligible for tax rebate u/s 87A, i.e. tax liability will be NIL under the new regime.

The tax slabs under the new tax regime across different years is shown below.

What is Surcharge?

In case the income exceeds a certain threshold, the additional taxes are to be paid over and above existing tax rates. This is an additional tax on the High Income Earners.

Surcharge rates are as below:

10% of Income tax if total income > Rs.50 lakh and < Rs.1 crore,

15% of Income tax if total income > Rs.1 crore and < Rs.2 crore,

25% of Income tax if total income > Rs.2 crore and < Rs.5 crore,

37% of Income tax if total income > Rs.5 crore                  
*In Budget 2023, the highest surcharge rate of 37% has been reduced to 25% under the new tax regime. (applicable from 1st April 2023)

• Surcharge rates of 25% or 37% will not apply to the income from dividends and capital gains taxable under sections 111A (Short Term Capital Gain on Shares), 112A (Long Term Capital Gain on Shares), and 115AD (Tax on the income of Foreign Institutional Investors). Therefore, the highest surcharge rate on the tax payable for such incomes will be 15%.
• The surcharge rate for an Association of Persons (AOP) consisting entirely of companies will also be limited to 15%.

Additional Health and Education cess at the rate of 4% will be added to the income tax liability.

Exemptions And Deductions Not Claimable Under The New Tax Regime

The following are some of the major deductions and exemptions you cannot claim under the new tax regime:

Salary:

• Professional tax and entertainment allowance on salaries
• Leave Travel Allowance (LTA)
• House Rent Allowance (HRA)
• Allowances to MPs/MLAs 
• Helper allowance
• Children education allowance
• Other special allowances [Section 10(14)]

House property:

• Interest on housing loan on the self-occupied property or vacant property (Section 24)

Other sources:

• Minor child income allowance

Business or profession:

• Additional depreciation under section 32(1)(iia)
• Deductions under section 32AD, 33AB, 33ABA
• Various deductions for donation for or expenditure on scientific research contained in section 35(2AA) or 35(1)(ii) or (iia) or (iii)
• Deduction under section 35AD or section 35CCC
• Exemption under section 10AA for SEZ units

Chapter VI A deductions:

• The deduction under Section 80TTA/80TTB 
• Section 80C, 80D, 80E and so on, except Section 80CCD(2) and Section 80JJAA
• Exemption or deduction for any other perquisites or allowances including food allowance of Rs 50/meal subject to 2 meals a day
• Employee’s (own) contribution to NPS
• Donation to Political party/trust, etc

What are the Exemptions and Deductions Available Under the New Regime?

Under the New tax regime, you can claim tax exemption for the following:

Salary:

• Transport allowances in case of a specially-abled person.
• Conveyance allowance received to meet the conveyance expenditure incurred as part of the employment.
• Any compensation received to meet the cost of travel on tour or transfer.
• Daily allowance received to meet the ordinary regular charges or expenditure you incur on account of absence from his regular place of duty.
• Perquisites for official purposes
• Exemption on voluntary retirement 10(10C), gratuity u/s 10(10) and Leave encashment u/s 10(10AA)
• Budget 2023 introduced a standard deduction of Rs 50,000 under New Tax Regime applicable from FY 2023-24. This has been increased to Rs.75,000 in Budget 2024 applicable from FY 2024-25 

House property:

• Interest on Home Loan on let-out property (Section 24)

Other sources:

• Gifts up to Rs 50,000
• Budget 2023 also introduced deduction under Section 57(iia) of family pension income. In Budget 2024 Limit of maximum Deduction under Family Pension has been increased from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000. 

Chapter VI A deductions:

• Deduction for employer’s contribution to NPS account [Section 80CCD(2)]
• Deduction for additional employee cost (Section 80JJA)
• Budget 2023 further introduced deduction of amount paid or deposited in the Agniveer Corpus Fund under Section 80CCH(2)
• The deduction on employers contribution to pension Scheme as per Section 80CCD (2) has been increased from 10% of salary to the 14% of salary in Budget 2024.

How Can I Reduce My Taxes Using  Provisions Related To Tax Slabs?

Did you ever know that your tax liability can be reduced if you make use of a few provisions related to tax slabs? Check this out!

In Case Of  Capital Gain Income

When the tax payer has capital gains income (Any Long Term Capital Gains and Short Term Capital Gains of Listed equity shares) and income other than capital gains is below basic exemption limit, the unused basic exemption limit (Basic Exemption Limit minus Income other than Capital Gains) can be reduced from capita gains income. Lets understand this concept using an example: 

Illustration:

Mr. A has an income from Long Term capital Gains from sale (Date of sale – 31/07/2024) of listed equity shares- Rs. 3,00,000. His income other than income from capital gains is Rs.1,20,000. He pays taxes under new regime. 

Tax Calculation:

In this situation, the Long Term Capital Gains is taxed under section 112A. As per the provisions of the section, an exemption of Rs.1,25,000 is allowed. So, the remaining taxable Capital Gains is Rs. 1,75,000. 

Since he has chosen new regime, Basic exemption Limit is Rs. 3,00,000. Basic Exemption Limit minus income other than capital gains – Rs.3,00,000 – Rs.1,20,000 = Rs1,80,000.(Unused Basic Exemption Limit)

We can use this unused basic exemption limit against the taxable capital gains fully. therefore, taxable capital Gains is NIL. This way , we can make use of the Basic Exemption Limit to reduce taxable Capital Gains income.

In Case Of Income Other Than Capital  Gains

We can make use of the concept of rebate to reduce the tax incidence on tax payer. If the income of the tax payer is within a certain limit, a rebate is allowed to reduce the tax liability. To learn more about rebate – click here.

For FY 2024-25, rebate allowed under old regime is Rs. 12,500 when the total income falls within Rs.5,00,000. For new regime, a rebate of Rs.25,000 is allowed for total income within Rs.7,00,000. 

Therefore, if you plan your income, investment deductions, etc., at the beginning of the financial year, and make your income fall under the aforesaid tax slabs, you can claim the rebate and reduce your tax liability.

What if your income goes sightly above the tax slabs , because of which rebate cannot be claimed? 

We have a concept of marginal relief on rebate through which we can sill reduce the tax incidence. Learn more

Read more at: Strategic Tax Planning for FY 2024-25: Navigating Regimes and Deductions

Old Tax Regime Vs New Tax Regime – Analysis of Deductions

A comparative analysis of deductions available in new regime and old regime is given below:

Here’s a detailed list of exemptions and deductions available under the Old vs New Regime.

Old Tax Regime Vs New Tax Regime – Which is Better?

The new tax regime can largely benefit middle-class taxpayers who have a taxable income of up to Rs 15 lakh. The old regime is a better option for high-income earners.

For super-senior citizens, since there is a relaxed Basic Exemption Limit of Rs.5,00,000, old regime is beneficial for them, in case they are middle class earners.

The new income tax regime is beneficial for people who make low investments. As the new regime offers six lower-income tax slabs, anyone paying taxes without claiming tax deductions can benefit from paying a lower rate of tax under the new tax regime. For instance, the assessee having total income before deduction up to Rs 12 lakh will have higher tax liability under the old system if they have investments less than Rs. 3,12,500. Therefore, if you invest less in tax-saving schemes, go for the new regime.

That being said, if you already have in place a financial plan for wealth creation by making investments in tax-saving instruments; medical claims and life insurance; making payments of children’s tuition fees; payment of EMIs on education loan; buying a house with a home loan; and so on, the old regime helps you with higher tax deductions and lower tax outgo.

In light of the above and considering the new income tax regime, if taxpayers want to opt for the concessional tax rates, they may evaluate both regimes. Hence, it is advisable to do a comparative evaluation and analysis under both regimes and then choose the most beneficial one, as it may vary from person to person. Read a detailed breakdown on this topic here.

When Can I Opt for Old vs New Regime?

Can I claim 80C deductions and opt for a new income tax slab regime?

No, the new tax regime does not allow many deductions and exemptions which are otherwise available in the old tax regime. Deductions u/s 80C cannot be claimed if the taxpayer is opting for a New tax regime

What is the meaning of rebate under section 87A under the IT Act?

Section 87 A provides that anyone who is residing in India and whose income does not exceed Rs 5,00,000 is eligible to claim a rebate(old regime). Thus full income tax rebate is available to individuals with less than Rs 5 Lakh of total taxable income under the old regime, whereas under the new tax regime, the income limit is Rs. 7,00,000. This rebate is applicable only to individuals and not companies, etc and is calculated before adding the health and educational cess of 4 %.

How much income is tax free in India?

Individual below 60 years of age are not required to pay tax upto the income limit of Rs 2.5 Lakh. Individuals above 60 years but less than 80 years of age are not required to pay tax upto Rs 3 lakh of income. Individuals above 80 years are not required to pay tax upto Rs 5 lakh of income. The basic exemption limit for all the individuals under the new tax regime is Rs 3 lakh, irrespective of age.

Do I have to mandatorily opt for a New tax regime while filing returns for AY 2025-26?

Taxpayers have the freedom to select the tax regimes, if one needs to opt for the old regime and claim deductions, exemptions, and losses must file their income tax returns by opting out of the new regime. 

If the taxpayer does not opt out, the new regime is chosen as default tax regime. 

For employees, the choice needs to be made at the beginning of the year and can be modified at the time of ITR filing. However, if you are engaged in business or profession, the option to switch to the Old Tax regime is available only once in your lifetime. We recommend that you carefully evaluate your tax outgo under both regimes and then select the one which is most beneficial to you.

Is standard deduction applicable in the new tax regime?

Yes, the standard deduction is allowed under the new tax regime for FY 2024-25. 

Standard deductions is allowed against salary income. Rs.75,000 deduction is available under the new tax regime and Rs.50,000 is available under the old regime respectively.

What deductions are allowed in the new tax regime?

One can claim a few selective deductions under the new tax regime for FY 2024-25, such as a standard deduction of Rs.75,000, interest on Home Loan u/s 24b on let-out property, employer’s contribution to NPS u/s 80CCD, Contributions to Agniveer Corpus Fund u/s 80CCH, Deduction on Family Pension Income (lower of 1/3rd of actual pension or 25,000).

Is HRA exemption available in new tax regime?

• No, HRA exemption u/s10(13A) is not allowed in new tax regime.
•  Along with that most claimed exemptions are also NOT allowed such as Leave Travel Allowance (LTA), Daily Allowance for MPs and MLAs, etc.,
• Certain deductions like Exemption on voluntary retirement 10(10C), Exemption on gratuity u/s 10(10), Exemption on Leave encashment u/s 10(10AA), daily allowance during the period of his official journey,  Transport Allowance for a specially-abled person, Conveyance Allowance etc.,

Is there any changes in the new tax regime for FY 2024-25?

Yes. The new tax regime has been revised in the Budget 2024 for FY 24-25. 

Can we save tax on the new tax regime?

Budget 2024 has proposed a revision in the Tax Slab for new tax regime for FY 24-25. As a result, taxpayers choosing the new tax regime stand to gain as much as Rs.17,500.

What is the income tax slab for AY 2024-25 for salaried person?

The income tax slab for salaried individuals is the same as that applicable to all other assessees.

Is income up to12 lakhs tax-free for FY 2025-26?

Yes, if your income is up to Rs. 12,00,000 in the FY 2025-26 you will have zero tax liability.

For an income upto Rs.4,00,000, the income earned is taxed under NIL rate. But, a rebate of Rs.60,000 is allowed for an income earned up-to Rs.12,00,000 because of which, the tax liability comes to NIL for an income upto Rs.12,00,000.

It is to be noted that this rebate is not allowed for income taxed under special rates. for eg., Long Term Capital Gains. 

Read more at: Latest income tax slab rates for FY 2023-24 (AY 2024-25)

from Mohammed S Chokhawala Clear Tax