Updated New & Old Income Tax Slabs and Rates in India

Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the new tax regime under Budget 2020. The budget introduced an increase in tax slabs along with decreased tax rates. The deductions and exemptions available in the old tax regime were removed from the new regime. As a taxpayer, you may feel confused when choosing between the old and the new tax regime. It may seem like a difficult choice, but a detailed understanding of the two will allow you to compare the two tax brackets and make a well-informed decision. As a citizen, it is your responsibility that you make a note of all such amendments and also follow them.

In India, individuals, Hindu Undivided Families and firms are mandated to pay a tax that is levied on the income that they earn. There is a set strategy for the payment of this tax which is called the income tax. These sets in which tax rates are divided are called tax slabs. The 2020 Union Budget has brought new updates to the taxation system and tax slabs.

As per the Indian taxation system, an individual has to pay taxes on the basis of the income slab that she/he falls in. When an individual’s income increases, there is an increase in tax liabilities as well.

Given below is a table of comparison that would help you understand the two tax regimes and their differences:

The taxpayer in India is divided into the following categories:

• Individuals below 60 years of age, including residents as well as non-residents
• Individuals between 60-80 years of age: Senior Citizens
• Individuals above 80 years of age: Super Senior Citizens
• Domestic companies
• Partnership firm or LLP

Let us take a look at the different tax slabs:

The table of comparison given below will help understand the slab rates between new tax regime vs old tax regime for domestic businesses:

To understand the two tax regimes a little better, let us now see this example. Ramesh Nair is a 36-year-old software engineer with a salary of ₹15 lakhs a year his monthly house rent is ₹30,000, which comes to ₹3.6 lakhs a year. Here is his salary break-up:

• A basic salary income of ₹15 lakhs per year
• The LTA is ₹20,000
• HRA of ₹4 lakhs per annum
• A Special Allowance or ₹2.85 lakhs
• Ramesh Nair falls in the category of an Individual Resident Indian

If you opt for the new tax regime, you may have to let go of certain deductions and exemptions that are otherwise available in the old regime. Out of the 70 such deductions and exemptions, the common ones that are Not Allowed are listed below. The table also shows the deductions that are allowed.

There are still a number of confusions and concerns regarding the new tax regime, and there are many who are still unable to decide which one they should opt for. The new regime is available to HUF as well as individuals and is completely optional. You can get concession rates with an income up to ₹15 lakhs. In case you wish to forgo the deductions that are available in the old tax regime, you are free to file your returns under the new regime.

In case your income falls under the high tax bracket, and beyond a certain limit set by the government, you would be liable to pay an extra fee or additional tax known as a surcharge. This extra fee is added to the cost/ price of a service or a product over and above the original price. Thus, the surcharge is not a part of the price quoted initially but added to the existing price. The Surcharge Rates that are applied are different for different taxpayers. Let us see how

As explained earlier, a surcharge is a tax that is levied on a tax. Calculated on the payable tax, a surcharge is not dependent on the income that is being generated. So, for instance, a 10% on an existing 30% will effectively raise the tax to 33%. For example, on ₹50, a 10% surcharge would be ₹5, in all the payable tax would be ₹55.

As a taxpayer, understanding and following the changes brought in by the tax regime may seem challenging. Once you understand each detail and difference, choosing the appropriate one will be clearer.

To sum it up, it can be said that if you are a high earner or earn over ₹15 lakhs a year, the old tax regime could be a more practical alternative. The new tax regime, on the other hand, would be more beneficial for the taxpayers who have an annual income of up to ₹15 lakhs.

With the help of various free online tools, you can calculate the tax as per the two regimes and get a better picture of the tax regime to follow. Nevertheless, if you still feel that the process is daunting, you can always take the help of a professional.