Plot of Land Ballia,UP. Purchase year-1990 in two instalments Purchase price-Rs 42,000 (35000+7000) Stamp Duty Valuation-Rs. 73,000(Rs.9000+Rs.64000) Advance taken in 2019 -Rs. 15 lakh without any documentation in joint SBI Bank Account of father and mother, both sr citizen father being first holder. Father expired in 2020. Sale to different person on August 11 2023 for Rs 20 lakh received in HDFC Bank joint account of mother and son,mother first holder . Rs. 15 lakh transferred through RTGS to the person who gave advance and Rs.3 lakh as interest claimed by him transferred through IMPS and Phone Pe to a different person whom the first person owed money, at the request of the creditor and debtor. Stamp Duty Valuation of Land in August 2023- 39 lakh. The total Yearly Income of the mother, sr citizen, is Rs. 12000 as pension (Rs. 1000 per month). She has not filed any previous ITR. Tax implication and tax planning for both buyer and seller and response to following specific queries- • In ITR, there are 3 rows. One is for sale consideration,2nd one is for stamp duty valuation and 3rd one which automatically takes higher of these two as sale consideration under section 50C. So here If I put actual sale consideration in both rows, will it amount to false declaration ? Consequences for this because if I give stamp value, then automatically IT system will pick up the higher stamp value and calculate tax accordingly. What to do then? • Who will bear the tax burden? First Account holder or 2nd Account Holder or both or any clubbing provision? • Sr. Citizen Mother has only Rs 1000(one thousand) per month family pension as income and does not file ITR. If she does not pay any tax at all, what are the chances of detailed scrutiny and consequences? • If mother happens to be assesse, does she need to pay any advance tax or file ITR? • How to get Fair Market Value (FMV) and circle rate of Land as on 01.04.2001 for calculating Indexed cost of Acquisition in 2023-24. • How to get FMV on date of agreement/date of sale? • If assesse declares certain FMV in ITR both on 01.04.2001 as well as on date of sale i.e. 11.08.2023, is supporting documentation required at any stage or mere declaration will suffice? Steps to be taken by IT in this regard? • What can be the maximum Tax Liability and maximum date of depositing this tax/ITR and steps to mitigate this tax liability/payment?

Ans: To determine your tax liability for the sale of the plot, let’s break down the situation:

Important Details from Your Case
Date of Allotment: 25-May-2016.
Date of Registration: 17-Jun-2024.
Date of Possession: 18-Nov-2024.
Total Cost of Acquisition: Rs. 23,64,631 (including stamp duty).
Sale Price: Rs. 33,00,000.
Circle Rate: Rs. 25,900 per square metre (revised from Rs. 15,620 per square metre).
The total holding period and your choice of taxation method will determine whether you incur LTCG (Long-Term Capital Gains) or STCG (Short-Term Capital Gains) and the corresponding tax liabilities.

Is the Gain Long-Term or Short-Term?
The date of allotment (25-May-2016) is generally considered the purchase date for real estate. Since you are selling the plot after holding it for more than 36 months (over 8 years in your case), your gain qualifies as Long-Term Capital Gain (LTCG).

Calculating the Capital Gains
Sale Price: Rs. 33,00,000.

Cost of Acquisition: Rs. 23,64,631.

Capital Gain: Rs. 33,00,000 – Rs. 23,64,631 = Rs. 9,35,369.

Taxation Options for LTCG (as per the updated rules for sales after 23-Jul-2024):

Option 1: Tax at 12.5% without indexation.

Tax = 12.5% of Rs. 9,35,369 = Rs. 1,16,921 (plus applicable cess and surcharges).
Option 2: Tax at 20% with indexation.
Indexed Capital Gain = Rs. 33,00,000 – Rs. 31,15,434 = Rs. 1,84,566.
Tax = 20% of Rs. 1,84,566 = Rs. 36,913 (plus applicable cess and surcharges).
Choosing the Better Taxation Option
Option 2 (with indexation) is clearly more tax-efficient in this case.
You will pay a lower tax of Rs. 36,913 instead of Rs. 1,16,921 under Option 1.
Suggestions for LTCG Exemption
To further reduce or eliminate your LTCG tax, you can explore the following exemptions under the Income Tax Act, 1961:

1. Section 54F: Invest in a Residential Property
If you use the sale proceeds to purchase or construct a residential property, you can claim exemption under Section 54F.
Conditions:
You must not own more than one house property on the date of transfer.
The new property must be purchased within one year before or two years after the sale, or constructed within three years.
The entire sale consideration should be utilised to claim full exemption.
2. Section 54EC: Invest in Specified Bonds
Invest up to Rs. 50 lakhs in NHAI or REC Capital Gain Bonds within six months of the sale.
The investment is locked in for five years and offers a safe, tax-saving option.
3. Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS)
If you cannot immediately utilise the sale proceeds, deposit them in a CGAS account before the filing deadline.
This allows you to keep the exemption intact while planning future investments.
Final Insights
Your plot sale qualifies for LTCG tax. The 20% with indexation option significantly reduces your tax burden.
To minimise tax, consider reinvesting under Section 54F or 54EC.
Consult a Certified Financial Planner or tax expert for tailored advice on reinvestment options and compliance with timelines.
Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment