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Senior Citizen Asks: Capital Gains Tax on Real Estate Sale - Indexation or LTCG?

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8327 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Nov 04, 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
Asked by Anonymous - Oct 24, 2024Hindi
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Dear Sir, I am a senior citizen and wish you to guide me on which strategy to follow on calculating Capital Gains (i.e. with or without indexation) on real estate sale and decide whether it is better to pay LTCG or avoid it by making investment into suitable govt. infra bonds etc.. I am not keen on reinvesting into Real estate as I need to keep money in relatively liquid form. I purchased residential property in 1992-93 for Rs 4 Lakhs , payment was done in installments : Sale agreement done in Sep'92 and final payment done and possession taken in Sep'93. Over the years I have spent about Rs 80000 on upkeep of flat. I sold the property in FY 2024-25 and received payment in installments: Sale agreement done in April 2024 for sale value of Rs 65 Lakhs and sale was concluded with receiving final installment by 10 Jul 2024. I need to know my LTCG liability or what could be an alternate option to invest the money elsewhere to save on tax or for better returns. Thank you in advance.

Ans: Calculating the capital gains tax on your property sale requires careful consideration of various factors, such as the use of indexation. You acquired the property in 1992-93, and it has appreciated in value, so calculating your indexed cost of acquisition will help you determine the tax liability accurately.

Key Points for Calculating LTCG Tax:

Indexed Cost of Acquisition: Use indexation to adjust the purchase price to reflect inflation. This can significantly reduce your taxable gains. With indexation, you’ll apply the Cost Inflation Index (CII) from the purchase year (1992-93) to the sale year (2024-25). This will be based on the CII values for the years in question.

Indexed Cost of Improvements: The Rs 80,000 spent on upkeep can also be indexed. Indexing both acquisition and improvement costs helps lower your LTCG.

Capital Gains Tax Rate: The LTCG on real estate is taxed at 20%. However, understanding your indexed gain will be key in calculating your exact tax liability.

Exploring Options to Save on LTCG Tax

Since you prefer liquidity and are not interested in reinvesting in real estate, there are other avenues to save tax while keeping your funds accessible.

Investment in Government-Approved Infrastructure Bonds (Section 54EC)

Tax-Saving Advantage: Section 54EC allows tax exemption by investing in bonds issued by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) or the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC).

Investment Limits: You can invest up to Rs 50 lakh within six months of the sale to claim the exemption.

Lock-In Period: The bonds have a lock-in period of five years. After this, they become liquid, and the principal is returned.

Returns: These bonds provide a fixed interest rate but are lower compared to other investment avenues. The focus here is on tax savings and capital preservation.

Direct Payment of Capital Gains Tax

If tax savings aren’t the priority, consider directly paying the LTCG tax. Calculating your LTCG liability after indexation will give you a clear figure, allowing you to keep the remainder liquid for future financial needs.

Final Tax Amount: After calculating the indexed gains, you’ll apply the 20% LTCG tax rate to arrive at your liability. Paying the tax and investing the remainder in high-liquidity instruments, like debt funds, could be beneficial.

Alternative Investment Options for Better Returns

For liquidity and regular returns, consider alternatives outside of real estate and infrastructure bonds:

Debt Mutual Funds

Suitable for Senior Citizens: Debt funds are suitable for those seeking steady returns without high market exposure.

Liquidity: Unlike bonds, debt funds offer better liquidity, allowing you to withdraw your funds if needed.

Tax Efficiency: Debt mutual funds held for over three years also benefit from indexation, lowering your tax liability.

Important Note: For debt mutual funds, gains are taxed according to your income tax slab rate, so consider the overall tax impact.

Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS)

Guaranteed Returns: SCSS provides fixed returns and is specifically tailored for senior citizens.

Liquidity: While there’s a five-year lock-in, premature withdrawal is allowed with some penalty.

Taxation: The interest earned is taxable, but there’s no capital gains implication. SCSS is ideal if you seek stability with limited flexibility.

Final Insights

Calculating LTCG on real estate involves understanding the impact of indexation. While bonds provide tax benefits, they may not meet your need for liquidity. Debt mutual funds and SCSS offer an alternative route, with SCSS giving stability and debt funds offering flexibility.

If you have further questions or would like help with precise calculations, consult a certified financial planner.

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.
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Mihir

Mihir Tanna  |1052 Answers  |Ask -

Tax Expert - Answered on Oct 03, 2022

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I booked a house from builder in March 2012 with basic price of Rs 30.89 lakh + gst of around 3%. I paid around Rs 12.37 lakh + gst by July 2012 and balance of Rs 18.52 lakh approx + gst by 31.05.2013 in equal monthly installments. In March 2016, I paid EDC of approx Rs 1 lakh, Rs 1.43 lakh as freehold charges, stamp duty of Rs 2.27 lakh and registry charges of Rs 0.20 lakh aggregating Rs 35.79 lakh + gst. Total cost including gst is approx Rs 37.00 lakh. The registry was executed in January 2017. Now, I expect to sell my property in September 2022 at a consideration of Rs 72 lakh. I have the undernoted questions: 1. Shall I get indexation benefit from the date of payments made to the builder or date of registry? 2. Do I need to open capital gains account or can I realise the sale proceeds in my regular savings account and invest the LTCG in the chosen bonds? 3. Do I need to deposit the entire sale proceeds in the notified bonds or only the LTCG after indexation and rest money utilize in whatever way I like without attracting tax?  4. Will GST be included in the cost of acquisition of my property?
Ans: Indexation benefit will be available from the date of payments made to the builder.

If you want to avail tax exemption by investing in bonds, you have to invest amount of taxable capital gain (derived after taking benefit of indexation), in bonds within 6 months of transfer of property.

Accordingly, sale proceeds can be realised in regular saving account and can be kept till the time you invest in specified bonds.

..Read more

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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |8327 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 09, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - May 09, 2025
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Dear Sir, I am 55 and I am a stage 4 cancer patient for the past 5 years. Presently working with a salary of Rs.30 LPA. I have Rs.75 L in SB account. Rs.25 L in shares out of which Rs.12 L is loss. Rs.12 L in mutual funds. Rs.3 L in EPF. No commitments or liabilities. I need to know how I can get Rs. 70 K per month in case I lose my job. Kindly advise.
Ans: I truly appreciate your courage and clarity even in the face of health challenges. With your current financial resources and the need to secure a monthly income of Rs. 70,000, a detailed and careful plan is very much possible.

Let me give you a full 360-degree solution below, step-by-step.

Understanding Your Present Financial Picture
You are 55 years old and have been living with stage 4 cancer for 5 years.

You are still employed and drawing a salary of Rs. 30 lakhs per year.

You have Rs. 75 lakhs in your savings bank account.

You hold Rs. 25 lakhs in shares, with Rs. 12 lakhs in losses.

You have Rs. 12 lakhs in mutual funds.

Rs. 3 lakhs is in your EPF account.

You have no loans or financial commitments.

Your main concern is to receive Rs. 70,000 every month if the job stops.

You are not looking to take risks.

You want regular, reliable income without physical involvement.

Step 1: Emergency Medical and Health Fund
Health comes first. Keep money aside just for medical needs.

This fund should cover two years of your full household and medical costs.

Keep Rs. 15 to 20 lakhs aside for this purpose.

This money should be in ultra-safe places.

Prefer a savings bank account and liquid mutual funds.

This should remain untouched unless truly needed.

This emergency buffer gives peace and avoids panic in tough times.

Step 2: Generate Rs. 70,000 Monthly Income
Rs. 70,000 monthly means Rs. 8.4 lakhs needed per year.

Aim for post-tax cash flow from your investments.

Break your funds into income generation buckets.

Use your Rs. 75 lakhs from savings bank as the core capital.

Avoid keeping the full amount idle in SB account.

Allocate funds into low-risk, stable return instruments.

Prefer investment avenues offering quarterly or monthly payouts.

Choose options where you can withdraw in parts if needed.

Step 3: Structured Investment Allocation
Short-Term Bucket: 1 to 2 Years

Set aside Rs. 18 to 20 lakhs for short-term needs.

Put this money into highly liquid options.

Use only those that protect capital and give fixed income.

These funds will generate stable income for the next two years.

Prefer options offering monthly or quarterly payouts.

This will help replace your salary if job stops.

You don’t need to sell any shares or mutual funds right away.

You get time to think clearly, plan calmly.

Medium-Term Bucket: 3 to 5 Years

Keep around Rs. 25 to 30 lakhs here.

Invest in actively managed hybrid mutual funds.

Choose regular plans through a mutual fund distributor with CFP credentials.

Do not go for direct funds.

Direct plans do not come with personalised guidance.

There is no one to help you rebalance, switch or review.

Regular plans through a Certified Financial Planner offer ongoing support.

With hybrid funds, risk is moderate and returns are better than FDs.

Use SWP (Systematic Withdrawal Plan) to get monthly income.

You can set up SWP of Rs. 40,000 to 50,000 from this bucket.

These funds will last for years while also growing gradually.

Long-Term Bucket: 5+ Years

Keep Rs. 10 to 15 lakhs for the long-term.

This is not for current income, but for inflation beating growth.

Invest in actively managed large cap or balanced advantage funds.

Again, use regular plans with Certified Financial Planner.

These funds will build wealth for later stages.

You can shift gains to the medium bucket after 5 years.

Step 4: Shareholding Review and Action Plan
You have Rs. 25 lakhs in shares.

Out of this, Rs. 12 lakhs are in losses.

Do not sell them in a hurry.

Some may recover if you wait patiently.

First, make a list of all companies and their quality.

Exit poor-quality stocks even at a loss.

Retain good quality stocks with strong future.

If the whole portfolio is confusing, take help from a Certified Financial Planner.

You can harvest the loss now to set off gains later.

Book losses smartly to reduce future capital gains tax.

After cleaning up, move the proceeds to your medium bucket.

Step 5: Mutual Fund Review
You hold Rs. 12 lakhs in mutual funds.

Find out the type of each fund.

If these are equity funds, hold them long-term.

If returns are low or risk is high, shift to hybrid funds.

Avoid investing in index funds.

Index funds cannot protect capital in falling markets.

They simply copy the market blindly.

Actively managed funds are safer.

Professional fund managers take timely actions.

They reduce your risk and improve consistency.

Step 6: EPF Strategy
You have Rs. 3 lakhs in EPF.

EPF earns stable tax-free interest.

Do not withdraw unless it’s urgent.

Keep it as part of your long-term reserve.

Step 7: Monthly Income Setup
Use short-term and medium-term buckets to get income.

Start SWP from mutual funds for Rs. 40,000 monthly.

Use fixed income tools for Rs. 30,000 more.

Review this every year with a Certified Financial Planner.

Adjust amounts if needed based on inflation.

Step 8: Tax Planning and Awareness
Income from mutual funds is taxable.

Long-term capital gains above Rs. 1.25 lakhs taxed at 12.5%.

Short-term gains taxed at 20%.

Debt fund gains taxed as per your slab.

Plan redemptions to avoid tax shocks.

Harvest profits in a planned manner.

Step 9: Avoid These Common Mistakes
Do not invest in real estate.

It is illiquid and needs physical handling.

Do not buy annuities.

They give poor returns and lock your money.

Do not fall for insurance + investment combos.

If you already hold such policies, review them.

Consider surrender if return is poor.

Reinvest the proceeds into mutual funds.

Step 10: Use a Certified Financial Planner
A Certified Financial Planner gives structured and unbiased advice.

They help you with fund selection, SWP setup, rebalancing.

They guide you with tax-saving and risk control.

Their ongoing service is crucial at your life stage.

Choose someone with experience and clear credentials.

Finally
You are in a better financial position than many.

You have no loans, no dependents, and have built good savings.

With a calm and simple plan, you can replace your income safely.

You do not need to take risky steps now.

You have already shown strength by managing your life and job for 5 years.

Now your money should serve you with peace and stability.

Break your capital into buckets.

Get monthly income through safe withdrawals.

Review regularly with a Certified Financial Planner.

Avoid unnecessary complexity or noise.

You deserve a peaceful financial life.

Your health is precious. Let money be your quiet support.

Invest safe. Withdraw smart. Sleep well.

You are already doing well. Just add clarity and structure.

Best Regards,
K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,
Chief Financial Planner,
www.holisticinvestment.in
https://www.youtube.com/@HolisticInvestment

...Read more

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.

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