Tax planning is a method by which one studies and avails of the deductions, exclusions, allowances and exemptions provided to him by the Government of India to save on his income tax. One needs to know which income tax slab he falls under. A careful study of the deductions available needs to be made and only those availed which makes one comfortable.
One needs to make time an ally and start planning for his taxes as early as possible and not wait until it is too late.
Comfort in tax planning basically depends on ones capacity to bear or tolerate risk. If one has a conservative bent of mind and is averse to taking risks he must make use of fixed income securities where the principle is not at risk. If one has a higher tolerance towards risk then equity linked savings schemes are the way to go.
The time horizon also plays a very important role in determining one's ability to bear risk. If one is older and around 50 years of age a public provident fund which has 15 years as a minimum lock in period for the amount invested might not be suitable. If one is young and has a lot of time on his side to invest known as a long term horizon then an aggressive instrument such as equity linked savings scheme is an apt choice.
Tax planning needs to be flexible and not set in stone. It is an ongoing or a dynamic pro cess which has to be tweaked according to ones need. It is a sound test of one's decision making ability. It involves research and a study of a change in the income tax laws and their impact on ones tax liability.
The final decision in tax planning is the calculation of one's income tax liability based on the income tax slab he falls under and a judicious selection of the right avenue to save income taxes based on the risk tolerance.
In order to encourage savings, the government gives tax breaks on certain financial products under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. Investments made under such schemes are referred to as 80C investments.
Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 allows certain investments and expenditure up to the maximum of Rs. 150,000/- to be deducted from total income for tax computation of the current Financial Year and if you are in the highest tax bracket of 30%, you save a tax of Rs 46,350/-
The deduction under section 80C is from your Gross Total Income
Available to an Individual or a HUF
The limit of deduction for current financial year is Rs 150,000
It is available to everyone, irrespective of his or her income levels
Equity-Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS): Mutual funds offer you specially-created tax saving schemes called ELSS.
Home Loan Principal Repayment: The principal component of the EMI qualifies for deduction under Section 80C.
Stamp Duty and Registration Charges for Home: The amount you pay as stamp duty when you buy a house and the amount you pay for the registration of the documents of the house can be claimed as deduction under section 80C.
Five-Year Bank fixed deposits: Tax-saving fixed deposits (FDs) of scheduled banks with a tenure of five years are also entitled for section 80C deduction.
Tax planning should not only be aimed at saving taxes but also to aid your investments to help you achieve your financial goals. While there are many schemes that are offered to save taxes, ELSS can be used to save taxes as well as for wealth generation as it invests heavily in Equities to ensure the desired long term yields.
@ Tax benefits are subject to the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and are subject to amendments, from time to time. Mutual funds are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.
This is a question in the minds of all individuals of our nation and has a simple answer. If one is rich and very generous towards the Government then the answer is no. For those who are averse to doing so tax planning is a must. The main aim of tax planning is to limit the income tax liabilities by making use of the tax deductions, exclusions and exemptions provided by the Government to reduce the net income taxes payable. Income tax is something none can escape. Without proper planning the full tax amounts needs to be paid based on the income tax slab one falls under. With proper tax planning one can save on the amounts which would otherwise result.