Home > Money > Question
Need Expert Advice?Our Gurus Can Help

Do I have to reinvest 60 lakhs after selling my flat to avoid taxes? A reader seeks expert advice.

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8192 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Feb 18, 2025

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
Sayali Question by Sayali on Feb 17, 2025Hindi
Listen
Money

I am selling my 3bhk flat around 6000000 is it compulsory to invest that money in other property? if i want to invest it what is the best options available to avoid tax?

Ans: Selling a property attracts capital gains tax. Since your flat is a long-term capital asset (held for more than 2 years), the Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax rate is 20% with indexation.

LTCG Calculation = Sale Price - Indexed Cost of Acquisition
Tax Payable = 20% on the LTCG amount
However, you can avoid paying tax by reinvesting the capital gains under certain sections of the Income Tax Act.

Ways to Save Capital Gains Tax
1. Reinvest in Another Residential Property (Section 54)
If you buy another residential property within 2 years or construct within 3 years, you get an exemption on the LTCG amount.
The new property must be in India and should be held for at least 3 years.
If you sell it before 3 years, the exemption is reversed.
? Best for: Those who want to own another property.

2. Invest in Capital Gains Bonds (Section 54EC)
You can invest up to Rs 50 lakhs in NHAI or REC capital gains bonds within 6 months of sale.
The lock-in period is 5 years.
Interest is taxable but the capital gains are exempt.
? Best for: Those who want a risk-free investment with tax savings.

3. Deposit in Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS)
If you haven’t decided where to invest, deposit the LTCG in a Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS) before the IT return filing deadline.
This gives you time to buy property or construct a house.
The funds must be used within 3 years, or they become taxable.
? Best for: Those who need time before investing in real estate.

Other Investment Options (But No Tax Exemption)
If you don’t reinvest in property or bonds, the LTCG amount will be taxed at 20%. You can still invest the remaining amount in:

Mutual Funds – Equity funds for long-term growth
Fixed Deposits – Safe returns but fully taxable
Stock Market – High risk, high return potential
These options do not offer tax exemption but help grow wealth.

Final Insights
If you want tax-free gains, reinvest in property or capital gains bonds.
If you don’t want to lock funds, pay LTCG tax and invest in other assets.
Use the Capital Gains Account Scheme if you need time to decide.
Plan based on your financial goals and liquidity needs.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP

Chief Financial Planner

www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment
DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.
Money

You may like to see similar questions and answers below

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8192 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 26, 2024

Listen
Money
Hello sir...I want to sell my 2 bhk and buy 3 bhk, but not sure when will I buy. Is it compulsory to invest in property again? If not, how the tax will be calculated on the money I got by selling my flat? Can I take loan and then pay the loans from the amount I got by selling my 2bhk ? Or can I invest whole amount in stock/ mutual funds etc???
Ans: I understand you want to sell your 2 BHK and possibly buy a 3 BHK, but you’re not certain about the timing. You also want to understand the tax implications if you don’t reinvest in property and consider other investment options. Let's explore these aspects in detail.

Capital Gains Tax on Sale of Property
When you sell a property, the profit you make is subject to capital gains tax. Here's how it's calculated:

Types of Capital Gains
Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG): If you sell the property within 2 years of purchase, the gains are treated as short-term.

Tax Rate: STCG is added to your income and taxed as per your income tax slab.
Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG): If you sell the property after 2 years, the gains are treated as long-term.

Tax Rate: LTCG is taxed at 20% with indexation benefits.
Calculation of Capital Gains
Cost of Acquisition: The purchase price of the property.
Indexed Cost of Acquisition: Adjusted purchase price considering inflation using the Cost Inflation Index (CII).
Capital Gains: Sale price minus the Indexed Cost of Acquisition.
Exemptions Under Sections 54 and 54EC
To save on capital gains tax, you can reinvest the gains in specific ways:

Section 54: Reinvestment in Residential Property
Eligibility: Reinvest the gains in a new residential property within 2 years of the sale or construct a house within 3 years.
Conditions: The new property should not be sold within 3 years of purchase or construction.
Section 54EC: Investment in Specified Bonds
Eligibility: Invest in bonds issued by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) or the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) within 6 months of the sale.
Limit: Up to Rs 50 lakh in a financial year.
Lock-in Period: 5 years.
Using Sale Proceeds to Repay Loans
You can use the proceeds from the sale to repay existing loans. However, this does not provide any tax benefits on capital gains. Here’s what you need to consider:

Education Loan: If you repay your education loan, there are no additional tax benefits beyond the Section 80E deduction for interest paid.

Home Loan: Repaying your home loan can reduce your debt burden, but it won't help with capital gains tax.

Investing Sale Proceeds in Stocks or Mutual Funds
Investing the proceeds in stocks or mutual funds can be an alternative, but it won't exempt you from paying capital gains tax. Here are the implications:

Tax Liability: You will still need to pay LTCG tax at 20% with indexation.
Investment Growth: Stocks and mutual funds have the potential for higher returns, but they come with market risks.
Strategic Recommendations
1. Plan Your Reinvestment Wisely
Property Reinvestment: If you are certain about buying a new property within the next 2-3 years, reinvesting in real estate can save you from paying LTCG tax.
Bonds under Section 54EC: If you are unsure about reinvesting in property, consider investing in NHAI or REC bonds to save tax.
2. Utilize Capital Gains Account Scheme
If you need time to decide on buying a new property, deposit the gains in a Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS) before the tax filing deadline. This gives you up to 3 years to buy or construct a new property.

3. Evaluate Loan Repayment
High-Interest Loans: If your education loan or any other loan has a high interest rate, consider repaying it first to reduce your financial burden.
Home Loan: Weigh the tax benefits you currently receive on home loan interest under Section 24(b) against the peace of mind of being debt-free.
4. Diversify Investments
Mutual Funds and Stocks: After ensuring you meet tax obligations, consider diversifying your investments into equity mutual funds or stocks for long-term growth.
Risk Management: Balance your portfolio based on your risk tolerance and investment horizon.
Conclusion
Selling your 2 BHK and managing the proceeds requires careful planning to optimize tax benefits and achieve your financial goals. Reinvesting in property, using Section 54EC bonds, or diversifying into mutual funds and stocks are viable options. Evaluate your priorities, tax implications, and risk tolerance to make informed decisions.

If you need personalized advice or assistance in structuring your investment portfolio, feel free to reach out. I'm here to help you optimize your investments and achieve your financial objectives.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Latest Questions
Dr Nagarajan Jsk

Dr Nagarajan Jsk   |314 Answers  |Ask -

NEET, Medical, Pharmacy Careers - Answered on Apr 06, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Apr 03, 2025Hindi
Career
Hello sir, Saranya from chennai. Doing final year B pharm. Heard about gpat from my friends How to do this entrance exam for joining pg course Please tell me if any other entrance exam is there for pg
Ans: Hi Saranya,

As you mentioned, many pharmacy graduates are considering the GPAT after completing their undergraduate studies in pharmacy. However, there are several more options available for pursuing a postgraduate degree in pharmacy today.

Here are the options for pursuing a PG in pharmacy:

1. GPAT: You can appear for the GPAT exam, and if you qualify, you will be eligible for a scholarship.

2. NIPER: You can also take the entrance exam for NIPER (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research) campuses, which include Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Hajipur, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Raebareli, and Mohali. Qualifying here also makes you eligible for a scholarship.

3. PG-CUET: A new option is the PG-CUET (Common University Entrance Test), which is being conducted by the NTA (National Testing Agency) under the Department of Higher Education.

4. Government Institutions: State governments will announce admission through advertisements. Admission will be based on marks or an entrance exam.

5. Deemed Universities: Some deemed universities offer admission through their own entrance exams.

Historically, GPAT and NIPER were the primary options for national-level aspirants. Starting from the academic year 2025-26, the NTA will also conduct the PG-CUET for national-level admissions.

I have included more details about the PG-CUET below.
PGCUET (CODE - SCQP23)
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is a National level Test conducted for admission into PG programmes in Central, State, and Participating Universities/ Institutions. The Common University Entrance Test CUET (PG) will provide a common platform and equal opportunity to candidates across the country, especially those from rural and other remote areas, and help establish better connections with the Universities. A single application form will enable the Candidates to cover a wide outreach and be part of the admission process to various Central and participating Universities. NTA has been assigned the responsibility of conducting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

Under Participating universities/instituttions are: Central and State Universities, Deemed and Private universities and Government institutuions.

Candidate must only select the test paper code. As the list of universities is dynamic and keeps on changing during the registration period.

A candidate can apply for two (02) Test Papers by paying the application fee (details mentioned at point 18).

A candidate can further apply for (02) additional Test Papers by paying additional application fees as applicable and maximum of four (04) test paper codes can be selected.

Mode of exam is CBT (Computer Based Test).
All Question Papers will be MCQ type. • Candidates can choose a maximum of four question paper codes. • The comprehension section in the General Paper will be available in either English or Hindi, based on the candidate's preference indicated during registration. • The duration of the Exam would be 90 Minutes. • The Question paper will have 75 Questions. • Four marks will be awarded for each correct answer and one mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.
• Language papers will be in the concerned language only.
• M.Tech/Higher Sciences will be in English only.
•Acharya papers will be in Sanskrit except for Hindu Studies, Indian Knowledge System, and Baudha Darshan.
• Humanities, Sciences, and Common papers would be bilingual (English and Hindi).
• The examination would be conducted in 2-3 shifts.
• The English version of the questions in all the question papers except languages and Acharya will be taken as final.

Syllabus: The Examination Syllabus will be uploaded on the Exam.

For the current year the examination dates (13.03.2025 to 31.03.2025) got over. iI THINK YOU HAVE MISSED IT. DONT WORRY. NEXT YEAR YOU CAN TRY OR YOU CAN ASSIST YOUR JUNIORS.

ADMISSION: Admissions will be handled at the level of each of the participating Universities for their respective programmes. After the declaration of the CUET(PG) 2025 results, the respective Universities will declare the counselling/admission schedule and merit list based on the CUET (PG) - 2025 score and any other criteria of participating universities. Please see the website of the concerned university for details regarding admission. There may be admission counselling by the universities with additional fees.

Applicants as per eligibility can apply for multiple test paper codes in one registration form. Candidates should not apply through duplicate or multiple forms, which may lead to the cancellation of all his/her Application Forms

CODE FOR PHARMACY: SCQP-23
SYLLABUS [POC, PIC, MATHS, OC - II, MICRO, APH (I&II), PHARM ENGINEERING, DCH PHARMACY, PHARM ANALYSIS (I -IV ), COGNOSY, CEUTICS-II, BIOCHEM, JURIS, COSMETICS, PHARM TECH, MED CHEM I-III, PHARMACOLOGY I-IV, BIOTECH, DRUG DESIGN, MARKETING, FOOD SCIENCE, QA, MANAGEMENT] HAS SHARED IN NTA WEBSITE.

THIS YEAR 57 INSTITUTIONS PARTICIPATED FOR THE SAID PURPOSE. NEXT YEAR THIS MAY INCREASE.

THE ADVANTAGES ARE NOT ONLY CAN PURSUE PHARMACY, APART FROM PHARMACY, YOU CAN PURSUE - DATA SCIENCE & AI, PUBLIC HEALTH, BIOINFORMATICS, PACKAGING TECH, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, GEOSPATIAL SCIENCE, PG DIP IN AI DIGITAL IMAGING, HEALTH CARE DATA, GEOINFORMATICS, PB-PHARMD, M.PHARM-PV, MSc- MICRO, MSc-NUTRITION, DIETICS.

I believe this information will be beneficial for your future education.

POOCHO. LIFE CHANGE KARO!

...Read more

Dr Nagarajan Jsk

Dr Nagarajan Jsk   |314 Answers  |Ask -

NEET, Medical, Pharmacy Careers - Answered on Apr 06, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Mar 09, 2025Hindi
Listen
Career
I am a 12th student now in state board of tamil Nadu and I am a government school student what is the minimum requirement for me to join mbbs in AFMC medical College
Ans: The following requirements are mandatory for admission to AFMC.

Age: 17-24yrs
Academic qualitfication: FIRST ATTEMPT with English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology/ Bio-technology taken simultaneously and securing not less than 60% of the aggregate marks in these three science subjects taken together and not less than 50% marks in English and 50% marks in each of the science subjects. They must have also passed an examination in Mathematics of the tenth standard.
Candidates seeking admission for MBBS course at AFMC Pune will have to mandatorily qualify the NEET UG 2024 Examination conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA). 11. Eligible candidates who are interested to join AFMC, Pune to pursue the MBBS course will have to mandatorily register and apply for AFMC, Pune on DGHS

The shortlisted candidates will be called for screening which comprises of Test of English Language and Reasoning (ToELR), Psychological Assessment Test (PAT), Interview and Medical Examination at AFMC, Pune.

ToELR & PAT - Test of English Language and Reasoning (ToELR) in the form of Computer Based Test (CBT) and also Psychological Assessment Test (PAT) to be conducted at AFMC, Pune only for candidates shortlisted for interview. (t) Written Examination Score - Score obtained in NEET (UG) 2024 (720 marks) added to ToELR Score (80 marks) divided by 4 to get a score out of 200. (u) Final Score - Written examination score (200 marks) + Interview marks (50 marks).

MEDICAL FITNESS: MANDATORY AS PER AFMC

ALL THE BEST

POOCHO. LIFE CHANGE KARO!

...Read more

Radheshyam

Radheshyam Zanwar  |1519 Answers  |Ask -

MHT-CET, IIT-JEE, NEET-UG Expert - Answered on Apr 06, 2025

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1093 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Apr 05, 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

Close  

You haven't logged in yet. To ask a question, Please Log in below
Login

A verification OTP will be sent to this
Mobile Number / Email

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to

Resend OTP in120seconds

Dear User, You have not registered yet. Please register by filling the fields below to get expert answers from our Gurus
Sign up

By signing up, you agree to our
Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Already have an account?

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to Mobile

Resend OTP in120seconds

x