Which are the Best Tax Saving Options for 2019-20? What are the Best Tax Saving Options for Salaried for 2019-20? Many of us have this confusion while saving the tax. Hence, let us understand the options available for us.
Tax Planning is not so completely a bad strategy. However, many people and especially the salaried will open their eyes in the month of January. During that fag end, they run behind the options desperately to save the tax. Finally, end up in the wrong tax saving strategy or investing in the wrong product.
Hence, it is utmost important for all individuals to understand the options available for tax savings and how to choose the best one among them which can save your tax and also help you in reaching your financial goals wisely.
Difference between Income Tax Exemption Vs Tax Deduction
There is a lot of confusion among individuals like what is the exact meeting of tax exemption to a tax deduction. Hence, let us first clear it in a simple way.
Income Tax Exemption
It is nothing but an income which is not subject to tax. There are certain exemptions which are applicable only towards certain heads of income. Hence, you have to be cautious while claiming such exemptions.
There are mainly five sources of incomes which IT Department categorized and they are Salary income, Business of Professional Income, Income from House Property, Income from Capital Gains and Income from Other Sources.
Take for example like HRA, Gratuity can be claimed as tax-exempt against your salary income. Agriculture income, dividend income, or Sec.54 of IT act against long term capital gains on the sale of the property.
Income Tax Deductions
Income Tax Deductions means you may deduct the amount that is eligible for reducing your tax liability. Income Tax Deductions can be deducted from the Gross Total Income. There are various options of investing or expenditure, which can be claimed as Tax Deductions.
This particular post deals mainly with highlighting the available Income Tax Deductions.
Allowances available to save tax for 2019-20
# Standard Deduction of Rs.50,000
Actually, I have to put this under Deductions. However, this standard deduction replaced the existing allowances. Hence, I placed it here for better understanding.
Earlier you used to claim Rs.15,000 under Medical Allowance and Travel Allowance. However, with effect from FY 2018-19, you can claim the direct Rs.40,000 deduction instead of these two allowances.
The standard deduction of Rs.40,000 now enhanced to Rs.50,000 for FY 2019-20.
This deduction obviously for salaried and pensioners. This is irrespective of the amount of taxable salary you will be receiving to get a deduction of Rs.50,000 or taxable salary, whichever is less.
Hence, let us assume for FY 2019-20, you worked only for a few days. Your taxable salary is Rs.50,000. In such a scenario, you can directly claim the deduction of Rs.50,000. However, if your salary is less than Rs.40,000 (say Rs.20,000), then you have to claim only Rs.20,000 but not Rs.50,000.
# Mobile/Telephone Reimbursement
If your employer offering you the mobile/telephone connection or internet connection which requires for work, then you can claim 100% of such cost. However, you have to produce a bill. Only the postpaid connections are allowed for reimbursement.
# Leave Travel Allowance
The bills for your travel against LTA can be claimed for exemption. It is allowed to be claimed twice in a block of four years. The current block is 2014 to 2017. You can carry forward your unclaimed LTA to the next year. You can request your employer to not deduct tax on it and allow you to claim it next year.
#Â Entertainment Allowances
You may be getting this allowance. However, the exemption is available only for Government employees. The amount of exemption is least of the following.
a) Rs 5,000
b) 1/5th of salary (excluding any allowance, benefits or other perquisites)
c) Actual entertainment allowance received
# House Rent Allowance (HRA)
This is the famous exemption which is used by many salaried individuals. However, the wrong belief is that whatever the rent they pay is actually exempted from their income. The reality is different. The amount of exemption is least of the following.
a) Actual HRA Received
b) 40% of Salary (50%, if house situated in Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi or Madras)
c) Rent paid minus 10% of salary
(Salary= Basic + DA (if part of retirement benefit) + Turnover based Commission)
#Â Children Education Allowance
If your employer providing this allowance, then you can take exemption up to Rs.100 per month per child (maximum of up to 2 children). Therefore, monthly you can save Rs.200 from this allowance. The exemption may seem so low. But why to pay the tax?
# Hostel Expenditure Allowance-If your employer providing this allowance, then you can take exemption Up to Rs. 300 per month per child up to a maximum of 2 children is exempt. Therefore, you can save around a maximum of Rs.600 from this allowance.
# Conveyance Allowance
This is a different allowance than a transport allowance. It is the expenditure granted to an employee to meet the expenses on conveyance in performing his official duties. There is no limit for this. If such conveyance allowance is Rs.5,000 a month, then the whole allowance is exempt. Hence, you may this may be exempt to the extent of expenditure incurred for official purposes.
# Any Allowance to meet the cost of travel on tour or on transfer
Here also no limit. The employee can claim exempt to the extent of expenditure incurred for official purposes.
# Allowance to meet the cost of travel on tour or on transfer
Here also no limit. The employee can claim exempt to the extent of expenditure incurred for official purposes.
#Â Daily Allowance
If you are not placed in normal duty place, then your employer may provide you such allowance. The employee can claim exempt to the extent of expenditure incurred for official purposes.
These are the major allowances, which can be utilized to save tax on salary income. There are few other allowances also to claim the exemption. But many of such allowances are not so famous. Hence, I left them to list.
Best Tax Saving Options for 2019-20
Now let us move on and discuss the Income Tax Deductions available for FY 2019-20.
# Section 80C
This is the famous section which often used by all of salaried. The maximum limit for the current year is Rs.1,50,000. Therefore, up to Rs.1,50,000, you can save tax on salary income from this section alone. The different investments you do and can also be claimed under Sec.80C are listed below.
- Life Insurance premium (Paid by an individual, spouse, and child. In the case of HUF, on the life of any member of HUF).
- EPF-Employee contribution can be claimed for deduction.
- Public Provident Fund (Paid by an individual, spouse, and child. In the case of HUF, on the life of any member of HUF).
- National Savings Certificate (NSC).
- Sukanya Samriddhi Account
- ELSS or Tax Saving Mutual Funds.
- Senior Citizen Savings Scheme.
- 5-Years Post Office or Bank Deposits.
- The tuition fee of kids.
- Principal payment towards the home loan.
- Stamp duty and registration cost of the house.
- Any contribution towards NPS Tier 2 Account by Government employees is also eligible for deductions under Sec.80C.
# Sec.80CCC
Deduction under Sec.80CCC is available only for individuals. Contribution to an annuity plan of the LIC of India or any other insurer for receiving the pension. Do remember that the amount should be paid or deposited out of income chargeable to tax.
The maximum amount deductible under Sec.80CCC is Rs.1.5 lakh. Do remember that this is also the part of the combined limit of Rs.1.5 lakh available under Sec.80C, Sec.80CCC, and Sec.80CCD(1).
# Sec.80CCD1
- The maximum benefit available is Rs.1.5 lakh (including Sec.80C limit).
- An individual’s maximum 20% of annual income (Earlier it was 10% but after Budget 2017, it increased to 20%) or an employees (10% of Basic+DA) contribution will be eligible for deduction.
- As I said above, this section will form the part of Sec.80C limit.
# Sec.80CCD2
- There is a misconception among many that there is no upper limit for this section. However, the limit is least of 3 conditions. 1) Amount contributed by an employer, 2) 10% of Basic+DA (14% of Government Employees) and 3) Gross Total Income.
- This is an additional deduction which will not form the part of Sec.80C limit.
- The deduction under this section will not be eligible for self-employed.
NPS Tax Benefits under Sec.80CCD (1B)
- This is the additional tax benefit of up to Rs.50,000 eligible for an income tax deduction and was introduced in the Budget 2015
- Introduced in Budget 2015. One can avail the benefit of this Sect.80CCD (1B) from FY 2015-16.
- Both self-employed and employees are eligible for availing this deduction.
- This is over and above Sec.80CCD (1).
I explained all three sections of NPS (Sec.80CCD1, Sec.80CCD2 and Sec.80CCD(1B) in below image for your reference.
You can also refer my latest post on the changes “NPS Tax Benefits 2019 – Sec.80CCD(1), 80CCD(2) and 80CCD(1B)“.
NOTE:- PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMBINED LIMIT OF DEDUCTION UNDER SEC.80C, SEC.80CCC AND SEC.80CCD(1) TOGETHER CAN NOT EXCEED RS.1,50,000 FOR FY 2019-20.
Best Tax Saving Options other than Sec.80C for 2019-20
We discussed the major part of tax deduction i.e Sec.80C. Now let us discuss the best tax savings options available other than Sec.80C
#Sec.80D
Deduction under this section is available if you satisfy the following conditions.
- The taxpayer should be an individual (resident, NRI or Foreign Citizen) or HUF.
- Payment should be made out of income chargeable to tax.
- Payment should be in NON-CASH mode (for preventive health check up, you can pay either through cash or non-cash mode).
Changes from Budget 2018-
- In Budget 2018, the maximum tax deduction limit for senior citizens under Sec.80D is raised to Rs.50,000. The earlier limit was Rs.30,000.
- In case of single premium health insurance policies having a cover of more than one year, it is proposed that the deduction shall be allowed on a proportionate basis for the number of years for which health insurance cover is provided, subject to the specified monetary limit.
I will try to summarize the whole benefit from the below image.
# Sec.80DD
A resident individual or HUF is allowed to claim the deduction under Sec.80DD. You can claim the deduction if you incurred an expenditure for medical treatment, training, and rehabilitation of dependent relative (being a person with a disability).
A deduction can also be claimed if an individual or HUF deposited or paid for any approved scheme of LIC (or any other insurance) or UTI for the maintenance of such dependent relative.
Here, dependent means spouse, children, parents, brothers, and sisters, who is wholly and mainly dependent upon the individual.
You can claim fixed duction of Rs.75,000 under this section. A higher deduction of Rs.1,25,000 is available if such dependent relative is suffering from severe disability.
# Sec.80DDB
An Individual’s of HUFs expenses actually paid for medical treatment of specified diseases and ailments subject to certain conditions can be claimed under this section.
The maximum deduction is Rs. 40,000. This can also be claimed on behalf of the dependents. The tax deduction limit under this section for Senior Citizens and very Senior Citizens (above 80 years) is now revised to Rs 1,00,000.
With effect from the assessment year 2016-17, the taxpayer shall be required to obtain a prescription from a specialist doctor (not necessarily from a doctor working in a Government hospital) for availing this deduction.
You can claim the deduction for the medical treatment of self, spouse, children, parents brothers, and sisters of the individual.
The ailments covered under this section are as below.
# Neurological Diseases where the disability level has been certified to be of 40% and above;
(a) Dementia
(b) Dystonia Musculorum Deformans
(c) Motor Neuron Disease
(d) Ataxia
(e) Chorea
(f) Hemiballismus
(g) Aphasia
(h) Parkinson’s Disease
# Malignant Cancers
# Full Blown Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) ;
# Chronic Renal Failure
# Hematological disorders
a) Hemophilia
b) Thalassemia
# Sec.80E
An individual can claim deduction under Sec.80E. If the loan is taken by an individual for any study in India or outside India, then they can claim the deduction. The interest part of the loan on such education loan can be claimed for the deduction for pursuing individual’s own education or for the education of his relatives (Spouse, children or any student for whom the individual is a legal guardian).
The entire interest is deductible in the year in which the individual starts to pay interest on the loan and subsequent 7 years or until interest is paid in full (i.e for a total 8 years). But do remember that interest should be paid out of the income of chargeable to tax.
# Sec.80EE
First time Home Buyers can claim an additional Tax deduction of up to Rs.50,000 on home loan interest payments under this section. Below are the few conditions for this.
- He must be an individual (Resident or Non-Resident).
- Loan must be taken for the acquisition of the property.
- Loan should be sanctioned after 2016-17.
- Loan amount should not exceed Rs. 35 Lakh.
- The value of the house should not be more than Rs 50 Lakh.
- The home buyer should not have any other existing residential house during the sanction of loan.
Do remember that if you claimed the interest under this section, then the same can’t be claimed under other sections for deductions.
# Sec.80G
Donations to certain approved funds, trusts, charitable institutions/donations for renovation or repairs of notified temples, etc can be claimed as a deduction under this section. This deduction can only be claimed when the contribution made by cheque or draft or in cash. In-kind contributions like food material, clothes, medicines etc. do not qualify for deduction under this section.
The donations made to any Political party can be claimed under section 80GGC.
From FY 2017-18, the limit of deduction under section 80G / 80GGC for donations made in cash is reduced from current Rs 10,000 to Rs 2,000 only.
If you wish to donate to any political party of your choice, then you are allowed to donate up to Rs.2,000 only in cash. However, if you wish to donate more than Rs.2,000, then you can donate it using Electroral Bonds.
# Sec.80GG
I have written a complete post on this section. Refer “Section 80GG Deduction-Get Tax Benefit on rent paid if not getting HRA !!!“. I will give you the brief about this section as below.
This section only applies to those who have not availed HRA in their salary or not claiming the deduction on their rent in any of the other sections of income tax. Â Below are a few conditions to avail the deduction under this section.
- This section is only applicable to Individual or HUF.
- Tax Payer may be either salaried or a self-employed. However, must not be getting HRA.
- Tax Payer himself or spouse/Minor Child/HUF of which he is a member should not own any accommodation at a place where he is doing a job or business.
- If Tax Payer owns a house at a place other than the place noted above, then the concession in respect of the self-occupied property is not claimed by him [Under Section 23 (2) (a) or 23 (4) (a)].
- Tax Payer has to file a declaration in Form No.10BA regarding the expenditure incurred by him towards the payment of rent.
How much amount of deduction one can avail under Sec. 80GG?
If the above five conditions are satisfied, the amount deductible under Section 80GG is LEAST OF THE FOLLOWING.
- Rs.5, 000 per month;
- 25% of total income of taxpayer for the year; or
- Rent Paid less 10% of total income (Rent Paid-10% of Total Income).
# Sec.80TTA
A deduction of up to Rs.10,000 can be claimed by an individual or HUB in respect of any income by the way of interest from a savings account with a bank, from a savings account with a co-operative society carrying on the business of banking or from a savings account with a post office but from FDs, RDs or other Term Deposits). From FY 2018-19, this benefit will not be available for late Income Tax filers.
# Sec.80TTB
This section is for Senior Citizens (Aged 60 years and above at any time during the financial year. The interest income earned from Bank FDs, RDs (including Post Office), will be exempt up to Rs.50,000.
This deduction can be claimed under new Section 80TTB. However, if the taxpayer claimed deducted under Sec.80TTB, then he can not claim the deductions under existing 80TTA.
# Sec.80U
To claim tax benefits under Sec.80U, the taxpayer should be an individual and resident of India. If he is suffering from 40% or more than 40% of any disability, then he can claim a tax deduction.
You can claim the fixed deduction of Rs.75,000. a higher deduction of Rs.1,25,000 is allowed in respect of a person with a severe disability (i.e. having a disability of 80% or above).
# Sec.24 (B)
The interest part of your home loan EMI will be claimed under this section. The maximum limit for the self-occupied property is Rs.2,00,000 per year (even if you have multiple houses). For let-out property, earlier the entire interest payment of home loan (Loss from House Property) can be allowed to set off against any other income source without any limit. However, effective from FY 2017-18, this set-off now limited to Rs.2 lakh per individual (irrespective of the number of properties you are holding).
The unclaimed loss if any will be carried forward to be set off against house property income of subsequent 8 years. In most of cases, this can be treated as DEAD LOSS.
No tax on notional rent on second Self-occupied house has been proposed in the Budget 2019. Hence, you can now hold two Self-occupied properties and don’t have to show the rental income from the second self-occupied property as notional rent. This is with effective from FY 2019-20.
# Rebate under Sec.87A
The tax rebate of Rs.12,500 for individuals with income of up to Rs 5 Lakh has been proposed in Budget 2019. This was the biggest change proposed in Budget 2019. I have written a detailed post on this. You can refer the same for more clarity. Refer the same at “Revised Tax Rebate under Sec.87A after Budget 2019“.
To avail this benefit, there are certain conditions and they are as below.
- The taxpayer must be a resident individual.
- Your Total Income (Less Deductions from 80C to 80U) is equal to or less than Rs.5,00,000.
- The rebate is the 100% of income tax on such income or Rs.12,500 (whichever is less).
Conclusion:-I have listed all the major tax saving options available. Hence, choosing the Best Tax Saving Options for 2019-20 is now in your hand.
In certain cases, it is wise to pay the tax rather than investing in wrong products like Endowment, Money Back or ULIP plans just for the sake of tax saving.
Do remember that your concentration at first should be on how to reach the goal. Then comes the asset allocation between debt and equity. Once you set the asset allocation between debt and equity, then while choosing the products, think of tax saving instruments.
But sadly many of us do the reverse. Hence, THINK WISELY 🙂
Sir I’m a psb employee I stay in leased accommodation provided by my bank in my personal name.my gross(basic+da)is 5.46lakhs. My rent is 12000 pm. My bank gives 9100 pm and rest I pay rest 2900pm so acc to calc
1. 60000
2. 34800- 54600=-19800 negative value
3.25 % of 546000 is 136500
Wat amount should I claim as per sec 80 gg
Is my calculation correct pls tell.me the deduction correctly
Dear Deepti,
Refer my post “Section 80GG Deduction-Get Tax Benefit on rent paid if not getting HRA !!!“.
Sir but which amount to pick up? since negative value is lower that one.then don’t I get deduction at all? Or can I claim just my rent amount ie 2900pm
Dear Deepthi,
This itself shows that you are not eligible to claim under Sec.80GG.
Very informative article. Can you share Excel based template that can help to manage such calculation at one place.
Dear Ravi,
Nice idea 🙂 Sure, let me do it.
80 D limit is Rs. 25,000 for self and Rs. 25,000/50,000 for parents (non-senior/senior)
Dear Aby,
This is what I said above.
Nice article. Thank you for the tips. I will try to achieve something from them
my mother who is 93 yrs old suffers from spine compression fractures and is on bed rest for 50% of the time. She has her own interest income/ pension income of around rs 6 lacs. Can she claim deduction under 80ddb? Annual medical expense and support system expense is around 4 lacs. Around 3 lacs are paid by her and balance by me(son- also a senior citizen). She has no mediclaim . Pl advise.
Dear Dipak,
Sec.80DDB is meant for dependents illness but not for self illness.
1. Is VPF contribution eligible for 80c deduction in addition to pf contribution? If yes is there any gov notification as my employer is not considering that.
2. My mediclaim premium is exceeding Rs 50000/- limit by rs 20000/- (senior citizen). If my HUF pay amount of Rs 20000 can huf claim this under 80c?
An excellent article.Very comprehensive and lucid.
Dear Dipak,
1) Yes. If your employer is not accepting, then let him show the Government ruling where it is mentioned that it is NOT eligible for Sec.80C.
2) Yes, if you are a member of that HUF and the maximum limit for such premium payment is Rs.25,000 for a family member and Rs.50,000 for senior citizens.
Sir I have a query regarding nps.my dad is 63 years old and if he invests rs 50000in nps will he get tax deduction above 150000 in 80c and what will be his lock in period and whether on maturity he will be able to withdraw full amt.
Dear Rahul,
Refer my latest post in this regard “Latest NPS Withdrawal Rules 2018“.
Please give more details about 80CCF section???
Dear Ashwini,
For the current FY, there is no such provision in Budget 2019. Hence, you may not get this additional Rs.20,000 tax benefits by investing in Infra Bonds.