Income Tax

Budget 2026: ESOP taxation gaps trigger disputes for expatriates, returning Indians; what lies ahead

Jan 17, 2026, 10:37 AM IST

Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs) are facing heightened scrutiny in India as existing tax rules fail to address the realities of an increasingly mobile global workforce. The lack of clear apportionment guidelines for cross-border employees has led to uncertainty, disputes, and growing calls for reform ahead of Budget 2026.

Budget 2026 wishlist: Experts call for higher 30% tax slab, inflation-linked slabs, simpler savings

Jan 14, 2026, 01:03 PM IST

As the Union Budget 2026 approaches, expectations are rising for meaningful reforms in personal taxation, savings incentives and digital infrastructure. Experts say inflation-linked tax slabs and simpler deductions could play a key role in protecting household incomes and sustaining demand.

Selling assets in 2026? How to keep more of your gains and less for the taxman

Jan 16, 2026, 09:54 PM IST

Capital gains arise when the selling price of an asset exceeds its acquisition cost after adjusting for transfer expenses. While such gains are taxable, the Income Tax Act offers several legal routes to minimise liability — including reinvestment exemptions, strategic timing of sales and the disciplined use of capital losses.

Budget 2026: Wider slabs, gratuity taxation, NPS - What’s next for tax after FM’s 2025 reforms

Jan 16, 2026, 08:17 PM IST

CA Parag Jain, Tax Head at 1 Finance, said there is a growing expectation of a higher standard deduction, potentially raised to Rs 1 lakh from the current Rs 75,000. Such a move would further expand effective tax-free income, especially when combined with rebates.

Budget 2026: How FM Sitharaman’s 2025 tax slab overhaul helped taxpayers save up to Rs 1.10 lakh

Jan 16, 2026, 03:49 PM IST

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s 2025 revamp of the new tax regime has reshaped personal taxation, delivering savings of up to Rs 1.10 lakh for many earners. Wider slabs, higher rebates and a bigger tax-free threshold have made the simplified regime far more rewarding for taxpayers.

Budget 2026: Joint tax filing for married couples gains traction to ease family tax burden

Jan 16, 2026, 01:49 PM IST

Under the ICAI’s proposal, married couples choosing joint filing would be assessed on their combined income, with the basic exemption limit effectively doubled to Rs 8 lakh. Tax slabs would be widened to suit household income levels.

Budget 2026: How FM Sitharaman reshaped ULIP taxation in 2025 and what high-premium investors must know

Jan 15, 2026, 09:15 PM IST

Under the new framework, gains from such ULIPs will be taxed based on the holding period. If the policy is held for more than one year, profits will attract long-term capital gains tax at 12.5 per cent. If surrendered or matured within a year, the gains will be taxed at the investor’s applicable income-tax slab rate.

Union Budget 2026: CGAS process faces scrutiny over manual processes and tax filing hurdles

Jan 15, 2026, 01:31 PM IST

CGAS was introduced in 1988 to help taxpayers claim exemptions on long-term capital gains when immediate reinvestment is not possible, the scheme has undergone amendments in 2012 and most recently in November 2025. While the latest changes mark a step forward, practitioners say the system remains burdened by structural and technological gaps.

Budget 2026: Funding urban infra, incentives for affordable housing among key demands of real estate sector

Jan 12, 2026, 03:50 PM IST

Union Budget 2026: There’s a compelling case for providing interest subsidies for first-time buyers who currently do not qualify for affordable housing benefits.

Tax planning 2026: How salaried staff can pay zero tax on income more than Rs 14 lakh under New Tax Regime

Jan 14, 2026, 06:55 PM IST

Tax slabs: Ahead of Budget 2026, attention is firmly on the income tax framework, especially the slabs introduced last year under the new tax regime. Under the system, salaried employees can now reduce their tax liability to zero on incomes of up to Rs 14.65 lakh by strategically structuring their pay around employer-backed retirement benefits, such as EPF and NPS.

NRI tax dispute: How Section 6 residency rules cost Binny Bansal his tax appeal

Jan 14, 2026, 02:50 PM IST

Tax advisory platform Tax Buddy said the crux of Binny Bansal’s case lay in how India’s residency rules are interpreted under Section 6 of the Income Tax Act. The dispute centred on whether the law’s extended 182-day threshold applies merely to individuals working abroad, or only to those who were already classified as non-residents — a distinction that ultimately proved decisive in the tribunal’s ruling.