Capital gains, planned before the sale.

If you are a resident individual or HUF and acquired the property before 23 July 2024, you can choose the lower of (a) 12.5% without indexation or (b) 20% with indexation, on long-term capital gains. The right answer depends on the actual cost base, holding period, and improvement costs — we compute both methods and apply the lower. For acquisitions on or after 23 July 2024, only the 12.5% route applies.

Yes. Section 54 allows you to claim the exemption if you purchase one residential house within one year before or two years after the sale, or complete construction within three years. An under-construction booking with milestone payments before the sale and possession within the three-year window typically qualifies — subject to the construction actually completing on time. Until completion, the gain should be parked in the Capital Gains Account Scheme.

Without a Section 197 lower-deduction certificate, the buyer must deduct TDS under Section 195 at the long-term capital-gains rate plus applicable surcharge and cess — typically around 20% plus, computed on the gross sale consideration. A Section 197 certificate cuts the TDS to the rate matching your actual tax liability. We apply for the Form 13 certificate before the sale completes; the application takes 2-4 weeks at the jurisdictional International Taxation cell.

Futures and options income is non-speculative business income under Section 28 of the Income-tax Act, reported in ITR-3. Turnover is computed as the absolute sum of profits and losses on each trade plus premium received on options sold — not the contract value. Tax audit under Section 44AB applies broadly at ₹10 crore of turnover for digitally settled transactions. Losses can be carried forward eight years against business income, only if the return is filed by the due date.

No — but they look that way if you miss the cost-base step. RSUs are taxed first at vesting as a perquisite added to your salary; this fair market value becomes your cost of acquisition. When you later sell, capital gains apply only on the gain over that cost — not on the full sale proceeds. Foreign shares are also subject to mandatory Schedule FA disclosure regardless of whether you sold during the year; non-disclosure attracts up to ₹10 lakh per year under the Black Money Act.

Under CGAS 1988, where the gain (or net consideration for Section 54F) cannot be reinvested before the return due date, it must be deposited in a designated CGAS account at a notified bank by that due date. The exemption is preserved until you use the deposit for the qualifying reinvestment within the prescribed window. If the deposit is not used in time, it becomes taxable in the year the window expires.