We bought a flat for 17 lakhs in 2002, possession was given in 2003. Flat registration was done (stamp duty about 2L) in 2016 in my husband's name. He transferred the flat to my name vide a gift deed in 2018. I sold the flat in 2023 for 95L. Please let me know what is the LTCG applicable on this for me? What will be the cost of acquisition and year of acquisition considered for me?

Ans: Hi,
There are lot of ambiguities in your query. Certain questions that are pertinent are as follows:

Was the Rs. 17 Lakhs fully paid in 2002?
How was the possesion given in 2003 without registration and it was done only in 2016?
What was the proportion of payment that was made by you individually and your husband?

The answers to this query would change based on inputs to the above questions. However, i will try to give a generic response to your queries

Indexed Cost of Rs. 17 Lakhs - Rs. 56,34,286
Indexed Cost of Rs. 1.65 Lakhs - Rs. 2,17,500
Total Indexed Cost - Rs. 58,51,786
Sale Consideration - Rs. 95 Lakhs
Long Term Capital Gain - Rs. 36,48,214

Most critical point here is that this capital gain would be taxed in the hands of your husband and not you as he has gifted the property to you without any monetary consideration. This is based on the clubbing provisions of the Income Tax Act

Ans: For calculating tax on long term capital gain on house property, indexed cost of acquisition is required be reduced from sale considered.

Indexed cost of acquisition can be calculated with the help of income tax calculator available at https://incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/tools/indexed-cost-of-acquisition-or-improvement.aspx.

Property is booked in 2004 but payment would have done gradually till 2014. Thus, indexation benefit is available on each of the payment from each of date of payment.

Ans: LTCG Tax Applicability for Your Scenario
Based on the information you provided, here's how LTCG tax will likely apply to your situation:

Old Flat Sale:

You booked the flat in Nov 2009 and took possession in Nov 2011. Since the sale will happen after 2 years from possession (Nov 2011), it qualifies as Long-Term Capital Gain (LTCG).
LTCG on the sale of the old flat will be calculated as follows:
Sale consideration (estimated): Rs 1.2 Cr
Cost of acquisition (including stamp duty, registration charges etc. incurred in 2009): Let's say Rs 65 Lakhs (approximate figure, you'll need the actual amount)
LTCG = Rs 1.2 Cr - Rs 65 Lakhs = Rs 55 Lakhs
Tax on LTCG:

There are two ways to potentially reduce or eliminate your LTCG tax liability:

Section 54: This section allows exemption of LTCG on the sale of a residential property if the capital gains are invested in a new residential property within one year before or three years after the sale. In your case, since you plan to buy a new flat with some of the proceeds (Rs 1 Cr) within the prescribed timeframe (agreement in Dec 2024, which falls within 3 years of the sale in July 2024), you can potentially claim exemption under Section 54 for a portion of the LTCG (up to Rs 1 Cr).

Capital Gains Tax with Capital Gains Bonds (Section 54EC): If the investment in the new flat falls outside the window for Section 54, you can explore Section 54EC. This section allows investing LTCG in specific government bonds within 6 months of the sale to get exemption. However, the bonds typically have a lock-in period of 3 years.

New Flat Purchase:

The purchase of the new flat itself won't have any tax implications unless you decide to sell it in the future.

Important Points:

The actual cost of acquisition for the old flat will be crucial for calculating the exact LTCG amount.
Consult a tax advisor for a more precise assessment of your tax liability considering all the details and claiming exemptions effectively. They can advise you on the best approach based on your specific situation (e.g., Section 54 vs. 54EC).

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in