INCOME TAX - FOR FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27)- CURRENT FOR ITR JUL-26
This post is in continuation of our last post CLICK HERE TO OPEN.
For Financial Year 2025-26 (AY 2026-27), the New Tax Regime (Section 115BAC) remains the default, featuring lower tax rates but no deductions. Income up to ₹4 lakh is tax-free, with a rebate under Section 87A making income up to ₹12 lakh effectively tax-free. A ₹75,000 standard deduction applies for salaried individuals/Pensioners. For the Family pensioners opting for NEW REGIME the deduction under Sec 57(III) has been increased from 15000 to 25000 or 30% of Family pension which ever is lower. The New Regime has further been made more attractive and beneficial for a larger segment of Middle Class Tax payers.
As regards the choice of OLD Vs NEW one need to specifically calculate the payable taxes under both regimes after taking into consideration the entitled deductions in the REGIMES. No thumb Rule can be made for this as the balance tilts with the over all Taxable Income of the individuals.
CALCULATION OF INCOME TAX - NEW REGIME
There are many methods "On line" as well as manual for calculation of the Tax under the two Regimes turn by turn for comparison for exercising option while filing the ITR.
Before we get on to the the methodology, we need to firstly work out our Gross Total Income from all sources as usual, Secondly jot down your deductions applicable for OLD REGIME as we have been doing earlier (help is also available in the last years post in this regard) and Thirdly the applicable deduction for REVISED NEW REGIME if you are a salaried employee or a pensioner. as explained above.
These three items are the only figures you need to know to proceed further as given in succeeding paras. Having arrived at the Taxable Income (TI) let us calculate the basic tax before edn cess of 4% .
Under the New REGIME, the tax slabs as given below, have been revised to make it more popular for being less taxing than the OLD REGIME that stands unchanged for the last many years.
- Up to ₹4,00,000: NIL
- ₹4,00,001 - ₹8,00,000: 5% Rs 0/- Plus 5% of (TI Minus 4 Lakh)
- ₹8,00,001 - ₹12,00,000: 10% Rs 20000/- Plus 10% of (TI Minus 8 Lakh)
- ₹12,00,001 - ₹16,00,000: 15% Rs 60000/- Plus 15% of (TI Minus 12 Lakh)
- ₹16,00,001 - ₹20,00,000: 20% Rs 120000/- Plus 20% of (TI Minus 16 Lakh)
- ₹20,00,001 - ₹24,00,000: 25% Rs 200000/- Plus 25% of (TI Minus 20Lakh)
- Above ₹24,00,000: 30% Rs 300000/- Plus 30% of (TI Minus 24 Lakh)
NOTE - NO TAX ON INCOME UPTO 12 LAKHS (REBATE SEC 87A).
If the TI is worked out above 12 Lakh , in order to get the tax on TI under new
regime check under Wich slab (HIGHER THAN 12 LAKH) your TI falls from above.
Use the Primary School Maths of simple Plus - Minus and multiplication as given against it to get the Tax on taxable Income under the new regime.
MARGINAL REBATE - Under the NEW REGIME in case your Taxable Income works out to 1201000/- the Tax calculated will be 60000+1000*15% ie Rs 60150/- for an increase of just Rs 1000 above 12 Lakh where the tax is ZERO. Under such circumstances where the Taxable income is marginally above Twelve Lakhs, Marginal Rebate has been introduced only in NEW REGIME to limit your tax payable if your Taxable Income is between Rs 1200000/- and Amount where the calculated income tax exceeds the amt above 12 Lakh. Under this case the Payable Tax is limited by applying the Marginal Rebate so as to be equal to only the amount that exceeds Rs 12 Lakh. In the example cited above the Tax payable will only be Rs 1000/- and not Rs 60150 as gets calculated.
OLD REGIME - CALCULATIONS -
OLD REGIME SLABS- Similarly calculate and note down your payable basic income tax under the old regime based on the taxable income as calculated above using the tax slabs (There is no change to the slabs of previous years under old regime) as given below :-
NOTE -- For senior citizen the first slab of zero I-Tax is from 0 to 3 Lakh hence the tax on Rs 10 lakh works out to be Rs 110000/- for senior citizen. For Super Sr Ctz ie Above 80 yrs there is 0 tax upto 5 Lakh in place of 3 Lakh hence tax on 10 lakh works to Rs 100000/-. The tax for any amount above 10 Lakh will be 110000 or 100000 plus 30% of the amount above 10 lakh.
All deductions as hither to fore are allowed however there is no change to Standard deduction which remains at 50000 for old regime and the rebate under 87A also remains to be no tax up to Taxable income up to Rs five Lakh, where as in New regime they have been enhanced to 12 Lakh and is applicable for FY 2025-26.
TAX REBATE - Please Note that under the old regime there will be ZERO TAX upto Taxable Income 0f 5 Lakhs owing to rebate in tax is provided under Sec 87A.
NO MARGINAL RELIEF IS APPLICABLE UNDER OLD REGIME.
CESS 4% on Tax - To be in addition to the TAXES calculated above under both the regimes. We are not discussing the Surcharge on TAX for income above 50 Lakhs in this post.
BY FLOW CHART - Here again follow the questions and your answers as fiven in the flow chart placed opposite. When you reach the final answer just make one multiplication and you will get the Tax liability under the Old Regime.
The flow chart can be Zoomed by clicking over it.
The taxes calcilated are for individuals below 60 yrs of age. here the Sr Ctz (Above 60) should deduct Rs 1250 and Super Sr Ctz (Above 80 Yrs) Rs 12500 from the amt of tax so calculated.
The marginal rebate as in New regime is not applicable here.
