CA Sunil Hukkeri : T G :27 july 2013
Central Processing Center of IT department is smart to detect small transactions also
CPC for electronic tax returns in Bangalore and CPC (Vaishali in Ghaziabad) for tax deducted at source (TDS) are working as the right hands of Government for detecting cases of incorrect income reported by tax payers knowingly or unknowingly. It was published by leading news paper that some of Assessee received notices for filing incorrect return of income or for not furnishing correct particulars of income like not reflecting income from other sources, claiming deduction twice and so on
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Till now the mindset of tax payers towards income tax notice was “bite will not be followed by bark” but because of above matching concept it can be read as “bite will be followed by bark”. Therefore it is always better to file return of income and also to know some provisions of income tax before the income tax notice is at your door.
File your return of Income Voluntarily before due date :-
The due date for filing return of income for assessment year 2013-14 is as follows
| I. | A company which is required to furnish transfer pricing report u/s 92E | 30th November of relevant Assessment Year. |
| II. | i. Any other company (other than company referred to in point I. above) ii.i. Any other company (other than company referred to in point I. above)ii. Any person whose accounts are required to be audited under income tax act or any other lawiii. Any working partner of a firm whose accounts are required to be audited. iii. Any working partner of a firm whose accounts are required to be audited. | 30th September of relevant Assessment Year. |
| III. | Any Other Tax payer (other than above) This includes salaried employees | 31st July of relevant Assessment Year. |
If return is not furnished within the time then file belated return:-
Belated return of income: – If return is not furnished within the time allowed under section 139(1) or within the time allowed under notice issued under section 142(1), the person may before assessment is made, furnish return of any previous year at any time before end of one year from end of relevant assessment year.
Example 1: -
For financial year 2012-13 relevant assessment year is 2013-14. In case a person who has not filed the original return of income in pursuance of section 139(1) [i.e. before 31st July-2013], a belated return can be filed under section 139(4) on or before 31st March 2015.
If a return is submitted after the due date, then following consequences gets attracted:
1. The assessee will be liable for penal interest under section 234A.
2. A penalty of Rs 5,000 may be imposed under section 271F for failure to furnish return of income before the end of relevant assessment year.
Example 2:-
If there is failure to file return of income on 31st July-2013 then it can be filed on or before 31st March 2014 along with interest if any but without penalty. But if you file return after 31st March-2014 then you are triggering the provisions of section 271F in which case penalty has to be paid.
Interest for late filing or non furnishing of income tax return. (Section 234-A)
For delay in furnishing income tax return, a simple interest @ 1% for every month or part thereof from the due date of filing of the Return to the date of furnishing of the return & in case return is not filed, it is up to the date of completion of assessment u/s 144. The interest is calculated on the amount of the tax on the total assessed income as determined under sub-section (1) of section 143 or on regular assessment u/s 143(3) as reduced by the Advance Tax, if any, paid and any tax deducted or collected at source.
Example 3:-
Interest under section 234A is not levied where tax has been deposited prior to due date of filing return even if return is filed after due date of furnishing return of income provided the return is not filed for reasons beyond the control of Assessee as was held in case CIT v. Pranoy Roy. In absence of information to file tax return this option seems to be good to save interest on tax.
If there are omissions or wrong statements in return of income then what to do.
A return can be revised provided it is filed first under section 139(1) or filed in response to notice issued under section 142(1). It means you cannot file revised return in other situations. Even the belated return filed above cannot be revised. Revised return of income can be filed within one year from the assessment year or before completion of assessment.
Example 4:-
A revised return can be filed only if omission or wrong statement in original return must be due to a bona fide inadvertence or mistake on the part of assessee. If you have filed original return knowingly false then in that case return cannot be revised [ Sunanda Ram Deka Vs CIT ]
Penalties for default in furnishing inaccurate particulars or concealing income particulars in return of income
Return of income filed concealing particulars of income or furnishing inaccurate particulars of income is liable for penalty
Minimum penalty :- 100 % of tax sought to be evaded OR
Maximum penalty: – 300% of tax sought to be evaded.
Example 5:-
Incorrect calculation of capital gains on basis of mistaken indexation cannot be treated to be an indirect concealment or a wrong furnishing of particulars [ Udayan Mukherjee v CIT 2007]
Few other examples which may help you:-
Example 6 Always be member of a recognized provident:-
An employee, who is member of recognized provident fund resigns from company having recognized provident fund before completing period of 5 years of continuous service, should join a Company which also has recognized provident fund. This will ensure that accumulated balance of provident fund with former employer will be exempt from tax, provided the same is transferred to the new employer who also maintains a recognized provident fund and balance period of 5 years is under gone under new employer.
The balance in recognized provident fund due or payable to salaried employee will be EXCLUDED FROM HIS TOTAL INCOME in the following situations.
a) Continuous period of service for 5 years :-
If accumulated balance includes any amount transferred from his individual account in any other recognized provident funds maintained by his former employer then, in computing the period of 5 years, the period for which the employee rendered continuous service to his former employer is also to be included.
b) Continuous service of 5 years not fulfilled beyond the reach of employee :-
If continuous service of 5 years is not rendered due to ill health or by reason contraction or discontinuance of employers business or due to some other reason beyond the control of employee.
c) Retirement and joining with company having recognized provident fund: -
After retirement if employee obtains employment with any other employer ensure that accumulated balance of provident fund with previous employers get transferred to his individual account in any recognized provident fund maintained by new employer.
IF PROVIDENT FUND balance becomes taxable due to not complying with above conditions then total income of employee will be recomputed by income tax department as if the fund was not recognized from beginning.
Consequences if above conditions (a) to (c) are not satisfied:-
Payment received for employee’s own contribution: – Is exempt from tax.
Interest on employee’s contribution :- Taxable under head “Income from other sources”
Employers contribution and interest there on :- Taxable under the head “Salaries”
Example 6 More than one house for own residence:-
If employee has more than one house for his own residence, only one house as per his selection will be considered as self occupied property and other house will be treated as deemed to be let out property. For example employee owns two or more house properties meant for self occupation, he can select to treat one such house property as self occupied. The remaining houses shall be deemed to be let out properties. This option can be changed year after year in manner beneficial to assessee.
Now next question is which house to be selected as Self occupied property :-
House with the higher gross annual value to be selected as self occupied property. By doing this automatically house with lesser gross annual value shall be liable to tax as deemed to let out property. In addition to this, one more aspect to be considered before selecting the self occupied property i.e. the amount of interest on borrowed loan in respect of each property can be claimed without any limit in case of deemed to be let out property as against restricted limit of Rs 150,000 in case of self occupied property.
Example 7 Housing Loan from outside India :-
In case of interest paid on housing loan from outside India, benefit under section 24(b) is available only if the interest is paid after tax deduction. To get deduction for interest it should be ensured that interest is paid after deduction of tax.
Example 8 Capital Gains :-
To minimize the tax incidence on transfer of capital assets, tax payers should plan to transfer the capital assets after 36 months in which indexation benefit is available. In case of share, securities, Units of UTI, the period of holding should be more than 12 months.
Further, it is always beneficial for the tax payer to transfer long term capital asset at the beginning of the financial year instead of at end of the previous financial year. By doing so tax payer can claim cost inflation of next year which will be higher than cost inflation of previous year.
Example 9 Deduction in respect of life insurance premium:-
In case of Individual a policy may be taken on his own life, life of spouse or any child (child may be dependent / independent, male / female, minor / major or married or unmarried).
In case of Hindu undivided family, policy may be taken on the life of any member of the family.
Minimum period of holdings is two years for life insurance premium. In other words if life insurance policy is terminated before completion of two years then the quantum of deduction already taken in the preceding years would be deemed as income of tax payer in the year in which LIC is terminated.
Similarly minimum holding period of different periods is applicable for Unit Linked insurance plan [five years], Cost of purchase of residential house property [five years], Time deposits in post office [five years], Deposit under senior citizen saving scheme [five years].
Tax payer has to ensure that premium paid in any year during the term of policy should not exceed 20 % of actual sum assured for 80C deduction.
Example 10 Exemption for sum received from LIC: –
Any sum received on life insurance policy (including bonus) is not chargeable to tax.
This exemption is not available in respect of any sum received under insurance policy which is issued after 31st March-2003 in respect of which any premium paid in any year during the term of policy, exceeds 20 % of actual sum assured.
Any sum received on death of person under policy is exempt from tax even if premium paid exceeds 20 % of actual sum assured is exempt from tax.
The premium value which is agreed to be returned or benefit given by way bonus (or otherwise), over and above the sum actually assured, which is received under policy by any person, shall not be considered for purpose of determining the actual capital sum assured.
Illustration: – An employee took life insurance policy worth Rs 10.00 lacs. He paid a sum of Rs 5 lacs in 2009-10; Rs 2 lacs in 2010-11; Rs 2 lacs in 2011-12 and Rs 1 lac in 2012-13 as premium over the life of insurance policy. Policy amount has been received to extent of Rs 12 lacs.
In this case, exemption under section 10 (10D) will not be given as premium paid 2009-10 is more than 20 % of life insurance sum assured. Accordingly the amount of income accruing on policy less premium paid will be subject to tax. Therefore, Rs 2 lacs is taxable. [i.e Rs 12 lacs sum assured less 10 lacs premium paid]
Example 11 Lowering of tax incidence on retirement benefits:-
Incidence of tax on retirement benefits like gratuity will be lower if they are paid in beginning of the financial year. Therefore try that retirement, termination, or resignation takes place in beginning of financial year.
Example 12 Perquisites other than electronic items, cars, computers:-
If employer gives perquisites in respect of movable assets (other than electronic items, cars, and computers) after using it for 10 years or more are not taxable.
Employee can get these benefits without paying any tax on perquisites.
Example 13 Capital gains account scheme:- (herein after called as “CGAS”)_
There are few sections [** see below] under head “Capital Gains” where capital gains are exempt if such gains are re-invested in purchasing eligible assets within time limit prescribed in those sections. In cases where the purchase of these eligible new assets is not made before the date of furnishing the return of income then the unutilized amount is required to be deposited in account called “CAPITAL GAINS ACCOUNT SCHEME”
[**] For example section 54 [transfer of residential house], section 54B [transfer of land used for agricultural purpose] section 54F [transfer of long term capital asset other than house property]
IMPORTANT NOTE 1 for CGAS: –
Deposit in CGAS shall be made before filing return of income or within the due date for furnishing the return of income whichever is earlier. In case if return is not filed then assessee should ensure to deposit unspent amount in CGAS on or before 31st July-2013.
IMPORTANT NOTE 2 for CGAS: –
The deposit shall be made in an account with a bank or institution approved for purpose.
IMPORTANT NOTE 3 for CGAS: –
The amount deposited to be withdrawn for utilization in accordance with scheme for specified purpose & the copy of proof of such deposit should be always be kept with you.
IMPORTANT NOTE 4 for CGAS: –
If the amount is not utilized fully for reinvestment of eligible assets within the prescribed period mentioned in section 54, 54B, 54F then amount not so utilized shall be treated as gain of previous year in which the time period given for reinvestment in eligible assets expires.
Last but very important :-
Always keep the backup of documents, receipts, tax challans and some other documents based on which benefit is claimed in return of income because later on some surprise notice are expected from department.
The above content is general information and is not intended to be advice on any particular matter.
Reader should seek appropriate professional advice before acting on basis of above information.
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