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Ramalingam Kalirajan |9255 Answers |Ask -Follow

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 06, 2024

Ramalingam Kalirajan has over 23 years of experience in mutual funds and financial planning.
He has an MBA in finance from the University of Madras and is a certified financial planner.
He is the director and chief financial planner at Holistic Investment, a Chennai-based firm that offers financial planning and wealth management advice.... more

Question by Yathish on Apr 30, 2024Hindi

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Sir can anyone please help me understand tax harvesting procedure in MF (SIP) , If I invested ?300000 lumpsum in A-MF which gave 12% returns in 1year total value would be 336000 if I sell this corpus after 366th day my investment is tax free(LTCG- MY RETURNS

Ans: Tax harvesting, especially in the context of mutual funds (MFs) and SIPs, involves strategically selling investments to realize capital losses or gains for tax purposes. Here's a simplified explanation:

Understanding LTCG and Tax Implications:
Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax is applicable on profits earned from selling MF units after holding them for more than one year.
As per current tax regulations, LTCG tax on equity MFs is applicable if gains exceed Rs. 1 lakh in a financial year, and the tax rate is 10% without indexation.
Tax Harvesting Procedure:
Suppose you invested Rs. 3,00,000 lump sum in a mutual fund scheme (A-MF) and earned a 12% return over one year, resulting in a total corpus of Rs. 3,36,000.
If you sell this corpus after holding it for more than 1 year (366th day or later), the LTCG would be tax-free up to Rs. 1 lakh.
Any LTCG exceeding Rs. 1 lakh would be subject to a 10% tax rate without indexation.
To minimize tax liability, you can strategically sell a portion of your investment before the end of the financial year to realize gains below the Rs. 1 lakh threshold.
By doing so, you can utilize the tax-free limit effectively and reduce the tax burden on your overall gains.
Example Illustration:
Let's say your total LTCG after holding the investment for more than a year amounts to Rs. 40,000.
If you sell a portion of your investment to realize gains of Rs. 60,000 before the end of the financial year, your total LTCG would still remain Rs. 40,000, within the tax-free limit of Rs. 1 lakh.
This strategy helps you optimize your tax liability by utilizing the tax-free threshold efficiently.
Consultation and Expert Advice:
Tax harvesting strategies can vary based on individual financial circumstances and tax regulations.
It's advisable to consult with a tax advisor or certified financial planner to assess your specific situation and implement tax-efficient investment strategies effectively.
They can provide personalized guidance tailored to your financial goals, risk tolerance, and tax-saving requirements.
In summary, tax harvesting in MFs and SIPs involves strategically realizing gains or losses to optimize tax liabilities. By leveraging the tax-free threshold and implementing effective strategies, you can minimize tax burdens and enhance overall returns on your investments.

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