This story is from April 03, 2024
Income Tax Rules FY 2024-25: New vs old tax regime - 6 rules salaried individuals should know
1. Choosing between old and new income tax regimes
For TDS (tax deducted at source) on salary, employees must select between the old and new tax regimes, states an ET report. The default option is the new tax regime. If you don't inform your employer about opting for the old tax regime, they will deduct tax based on the new regime from your salary. Make sure to do this promptly when requested by your employer.2. Basic exemption limits
There's a difference in the basic exemption limit between the old and new tax regimes. If an individual's income doesn't exceed this limit in a financial year, they don't have to pay tax. Currently, under the new tax regime, income up to Rs 3 lakh is tax-exempt for all individuals, regardless of age. In the old tax regime, the exemption limit varies with age. For individuals below 60 years, Rs 2.5 lakh is exempt from tax, for seniors aged 60 to 80 years, it's Rs 3 lakh, and for super senior citizens aged 80 years and above, it's Rs 5 lakh.Income tax slabs under new tax regime
| Income range (In Rs) | Income tax rate (%) |
| 0-3,00,000 | 0 |
| 3,00,001-6,00,000 | 5 |
| 6,00,001-9,00,000 | 10 |
| 9,00,001-12,00,000 | 15 |
| 12,00,001-15,00,000 | 20 |
| 15,00,001 and above | 30 |
Income tax slabs under old tax regime
| Income range (In Rs) | Income tax rate (%) |
| 0-2,50,000 | 0 |
| 2,50,001-5,00,000 | 5 |
| 5,00,001-10,00,000 | 20 |
| 10,00,001 and above | 30 |
3. Tax rebates
Income tax laws provide a tax rebate to resident individuals in both tax regimes. This rebate, available under Section 87A, does away with the need to pay tax if the net taxable income stays below a certain limit.The new tax regime offers a higher rebate compared to the old one. Under the new regime, individuals can get a rebate of up to Rs 25,000, making incomes up to Rs 7 lakh tax-free. In contrast, the old tax regime offers a rebate of up to Rs 12,500, making incomes up to Rs 5 lakh tax-free.
4. Deductions and exemptions: New vs old regime
Both tax regimes provide deductions and exemptions, but the old regime offers more. Examples of deductions and exemptions available under the old tax regime include standard deduction, Section 80C for investments and expenses up to Rs 1.5 lakh, Section 80D for health insurance premiums, and Section 80CCD (1B) for additional NPS investment up to Rs 50,000. Additionally, deductions can be claimed for home loan interest up to Rs 2 lakh, education loan interest, and charitable donations. Moreover, individuals can also claim exemptions for house rent allowance (HRA) and leave travel allowance (LTA).The new tax regime provides only two deductions for individuals. These include a standard deduction of Rs 50,000 from salary and pension income, and a deduction under Section 80CCD (2) for the employer's contribution to the NPS account. Family pensioners are also eligible for a standard deduction of Rs 15,000 under the new tax regime. It's worth noting that these deductions are also available under the old tax regime.
Claiming eligible deductions, depending on the chosen tax regime, allows individuals to decrease their net taxable income and tax liability.
5. Filing Income Tax Returns (ITR)
If you intend to choose the old tax regime when filing your income tax return this year, make sure to file your ITR before the July 31 deadline. This is crucial because the new tax regime is the default option, and income tax rules permit individuals to select the old tax regime only if their ITR is filed on time. If you file a belated ITR between August 1 and December 31, your tax liability will be calculated based solely on the new tax regime.6. Surcharge rates
A high-income earner choosing the new tax regime will face a lower surcharge rate. For incomes exceeding Rs 5 crore, the rate has been reduced from 37% to 25% under the new tax regime. However, if the individual selects the old tax regime, a surcharge rate of 37% will apply.Income Tax Slabs FY 2024-25: At the start of the new financial year 2024-25 from April 1, it is important for income tax payers to be cognizant of the income tax rates and income tax slabs that are applicable to them - both under the new income tax regime and the old income tax regime. It is also important to remember that effective FY 2023-24, the new income tax regime has become the default income tax regime. Hence if you wish to opt for the old tax regime, you will have to tell your employer at the start of the financial year so that your income tax outgo is calculated accordingly. We take a look at the income tax slabs for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26):
Income Tax Slabs 2024-25 Old Tax regime: For the financial year 2024-25, the income tax slabs and rates in the table apply to individuals, including residents below 60 years of age, non-residents (NR), and non-ordinary residents (NOR).
Income Tax Slabs 2024-25 Old Tax regime: Resident individual taxpayers with a total income not exceeding Rs 500,000 will be eligible for a tax rebate of Rs 12,500 or the actual tax payable, whichever is lower.
Income Tax Slabs 2024-25 Old Tax regime: It's also important to note that for resident individuals who are senior citizens aged 60 and above, the basic exemption limit is Rs 3 lakh, while for super senior citizens aged 80 and above, the basic exemption limit is Rs 5 lakh.
Income Tax Slabs 2024-25 New Tax Regime: The income tax rates and slabs for the financial year 2024-25 under the new income tax regime, also known as the Concessional Tax Regime are mentioned in the table.
Income Tax Slabs 2024-25 New Tax Regime: In the new income tax regime, the rebate eligibility threshold is set at Rs 7,00,000, allowing taxpayers to claim a rebate of up to Rs 25,000. Moreover, marginal relief remains available for resident individuals with a net taxable income exceeding Rs 7,00,000, where the incremental income tax liability surpasses the incremental income above Rs 7,00,000.
Income Tax Slabs 2024-25 surcharge rates: Individuals will face a surcharge on their income tax if their total income exceeds Rs 5,000,000. The surcharge rates under the old and the new tax regime are mentioned in the table.
Income Tax FY 2024-25: A health and education cess of 4% is applied to the income tax and surcharge (if applicable) calculated based on the mentioned rates, applicable to all individuals.
Income Tax Slabs 2024-25 New vs Old Regime: The basic difference between the old and new income tax regime is that the former allows for major exemptions and deductions such as Section 80C, Section 80D, Section 80TTA etc. Those opting for the new tax regime can avail lower tax rates depending on the slab they fall under, but the only major exemption available to them is standard deduction.
Income Tax Slabs FY 2024-25 standard deduction: Since no changes were announced in Interim Budget earlier this year, the standard deduction for the financial year 2024-2025 remains unchanged. It will stay at Rs 50,000 for both the old and the new income tax regime.
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