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Posts Tagged ‘income tax’

Will the tax benefits reach the end user?

Monday, August 31st, 2009

Our Union Finance Minister recently announced that profits from housing projects, qualified under section 80IB(10) of the Income Tax Act and approved by a local authority between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008 will be tax free, if they are completed before March 31, 2012. The Minister has urged the builders to pass on the benefit to consumers.

As the profits made from residential projects depend on so many parameters which vary from one place to another.An expert committee comprising Valuers and Chartered Accountants should be appointed to arrive at the profit for each project. The cost of the committee report should be recovered from the builder/developer.

It is also to be observed that the profit range in constructing small houses is much less and hence the genuine builder, who is also helping the noble cause of providing affordable houses, should be compensated properly.It is suggested that instead of asking the builder to pass on the entire tax saving to the purchasers, the builder should be awarded 30 per cent of the tax saved and 70 per cent passed on the home purchaser. It is necessary to single out builders who might be pocketing the tax savings and encourage the genuine builders.

The Finance Ministry and all concerned should evolve a proper control mechanism to ensure that the incentive meant for home buyers reaches them and not the pockets of a few builders.Associations such as CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India) and Builders Association of India (BAI) should help in this regard.

Reference:

Tax benefits must reach the buyer

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Posted in Builder | 1 Comment »

Good time for affordable home buyers

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

It is good time for home buyers, especially buyers looking for affordable home. The government has taken some positive step to boost realty sector. Tax holiday has been announced for ongoing infrastructure projects which were approved during 2007-08 and projects to be completed before 2012. Earlier, the provision was limited to only projects sanctioned before March 2007 and the project to be completed before March 2010.

The government has decided to reduce interest rate one per cent for one year on home loans less than Rs 10 lakhs for a house costing Rs 20 lakhs. The move is expected to boost realty sector and the realty sector is directly or indirectly support other sectors. This measure will have positive impact on economy.

The interest subsidy is aimed at mid-segment housing loan borrowers. One caveat is the cost of the house should not exceed Rs 20 lakhs. Also, the subsidy will be available only for one year. This interest subsidy will be routed through scheduled commercial banks and housing finance companies registered with NHB. A number of developers have been considering getting into this segment. The move to extend by two years the tax exemption available to builders of smaller homes is also likely to persuade builders to reduce the cost of such homes. The minister has urged the developers to pass the tax benefits to customers.

Working of One per cent subsidy

The government has decided to reduce interest rate one per cent for home loan up to Rs 10 lakhs for house costing Rs 20 lakhs, for one year. This means, if you take home loan for 9 per cent and your loan amount is less than Rs 10 lakhs to buy a house costing Rs 20 lakhs, you are eligible for one per cent subsidy.

The Bank deducts one per cent interest from your loan and collects only 8 per cent interest on your home loan from 9 per cent. The one per cent interest subsidy will be routed through scheduled commercial banks and housing finance companies registered with NHB. It means a one-time saving of Rs 7,596 for anyone who takes a Rs 10-lakh 20-year loan at an interest rate of nine percent, with the subsidy taking his effective interest rate down to eight percent.

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Posted in Bangalore | 2 Comments »

Saral Form May Reintroduced For Filing Returns For Salaried Person

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

Government is considering to re-introduce “Saral” form filing Income Tax return. Saral form was discontinued in 2007-08. If “Saral” form is re-introduced, individuals having only interest income and salary can file the Income Tax returns easily.

Currently tax payers are using ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3 and ITR-4 for filing returns. Salaried person or tax payers will have PAN card. PAN card has all details of income stream and tax payer. Saral form will make filing of Income Tax Return simple and easy for individual tax payers.

Under TDS, employer deducts tax from monthly salary of his employee and deposits the same with government. Banks will deduct tax from interest before crediting into the account. The bank will have to deposit the same with government. While depositing the tax, bank and employee must file returns showing the details of tax collected and income of employee. Saral form was discontinued by department, and introduced new series of forms for IT returns.

Form Nos. 16, 16A and 27D have been amended. These amended forms call for some additional information like, ‘TDS Certificate Number’, ‘TDS Unique Transaction Number (UTN)’ and ‘Status of Validation of PAN by Income-tax Department. Unique Transaction Number (UTN) has made mandatory for filing returns. Department has asked assesses to quote the UTN whose tax is deducted at source. Assesses must ensure that the deductor and the collector have provided them with separate UTNs in respect of each TDS and TCS transaction.

Links to refer:

New TDS Provisions applicable from Ist July, 2009

TDS assessees need to quote unique number in I-T return

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Posted in Bangalore | 1 Comment »

Marginal increase in Income tax exemption is expected

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

According to sources in finance minister, the center is likely increase income tax exemption limit in forthcoming general budget. Government is considering a proposal to hike income tax exemption limit to boost demand and rebuild the slowdown-hit housing industry.

At present tax payers are eligible for exemption of income tax on interest rate paid up to Rs 1.5 lakh every year and it is likely to increase to Rs 2.5 lakh a year. If the proposal is accepted, tax payers will save up to Rs 31,000 a year from income tax exemption this will make purchasing home more affordable. However, tax payers can get this benefit only after construction of house is completed.

While acknowledging the fact that a “marginal” hike in the income-tax exemption limit will lead to some revenue loss, the Tax Research Cell (TRC) believes that the very injection of a “feel good” factor into the economy will have a positive spiraling effect on the “demand dynamism.”

Reference

www.deccanherald.com

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Posted in Bangalore | No Comments »

Trap is set for those who under valued their property

Monday, June 8th, 2009

Income tax department is keeping track on property transaction to trap tax dues. The trap is set for those who under valued the property to escape the Income Tax net. It is found that there was large revenue pilferage even from small-value property transactions too.

The small value properties are under valued during registration for escaping from income tax net. Income tax department has asked sub-registrar to submit the details of property transaction starting from Rs 5 lakh. This is to examine the sales deed that shows the price of property and compare the guidance value. If there is difference between guidance value and price in sales deed, the same is brought under Income Tax net.

Earlier high value transactions were being scanned by Income Tax Sleuths. Sub-registrars were directed to furnish the details of high value property transaction to track down binami registrations. Until realty boom went bust, investing in immovable property was the best option to invest undisclosed income. The income tax has setup the trap to track those who invested property in binami registration and those who under valued their property to escape from income tax net.

Link to Refer

Times of India

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Posted in Apartment Buying | No Comments »