Buying or selling property in India? Know all about the tax implications (2024)

Synopsis

NRIs selling house properties in India have to pay tax on the Capital Gains. The tax payable on the gains depends on whether it’s a short term or a long term capital gain.

Archit Gupta

Founder and CEO, Clear, Contributor Content

From being a software engineer in Silicon Valley to helming one of the India’s largest start-ups, Ar...Show more»

There is a fair amount of confusion about tax implications for NRIs who want to sell any house property that they may have in India. This article explores how much tax is payable and TDS deductible in the case of NRIs who want to sell property in India.

How are gains from property sales taxed to NRI?

NRIs selling house properties in India have to pay tax on the Capital Gains. The tax payable on the gains depends on whether it’s a short term or a long term capital gain.

When a house property is sold, after a period of 2 years (Reduced from 3 years to 2 years in Budget 2017) from the date it was owned – there is a long term capital gain. In case it is held for 2 years or less – there is a short term capital gain. Tax implications for NRIs are also applicable in the case of inheritance.

(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)

If the property has been inherited, remember to consider the date of purchase of the original owner to calculate whether it’s a long-term or a short-term capital gain. In such a case, the cost of the property shall be the cost to the previous owner.

How much tax is payable

Long term capital gains are taxed at 20%, and short term gains shall be taxed at the applicable income tax slab rates for the NRI based on the total income taxable in India for the NRI.

TDS deductible
When an NRI sells the property, the buyer is liable to deduct TDS @ 20%. If the property has been sold before 2 years (reduced from the date of purchase), a TDS of 30% shall be applicable.

How to save tax on capital gains
NRIs are allowed to claim exemptions under section 54 and Section 54EC on long term capital gains from the sale of house property in India.

Exemption under section 54
It is available when there is a long term capital gain on the sale of house property of the NRI. The house property may be self-occupied or let out. Please note – that you do not have to invest the entire sale receipt but the amount of capital gains. Of course, your purchase price of the new property may be higher than the amount of capital gains. However, your exemption shall be limited to the total capital gain on the sale.

Also, you can purchase this property either one year before the sale or 2 years after the sale of your property. You are also allowed to invest the gains in the construction of a property, but construction must be completed within 3 years from the date of sale.

Exemption under section 54F
It is available when there is a long term capital gain on the sale of any capital asset other than a residential house property. To claim this exemption, the NRI has to purchase one house property within one year before the date of transfer or 2 years after the date of transfer or construct one house property within 3 years after the date of transfer of the capital asset. This new house property must be situated in India and should not be sold within 3 years of its purchase or construction.

Also, the NRI should not own more than one house property (besides the new house) and nor should the NRI purchase within 2 years or construct within 3 years any other residential house.

Here the entire sale receipt is required to be invested. The capital gains are fully exempt if the entire sale receipt is invested. Otherwise, the exemption is allowed proportionately.

Exemption is also available under section 54EC
You can save the tax on your long term capital gains by investing them in certain bonds. Bonds issued by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) or Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) have been specified. These are redeemable after 5 years (Before 2018, it was 3 years) and must not be sold before the lapse of 5 years (Before 2018, it was 3 years) from the date of sale of the house property.

Note that you cannot claim this investment under any other deduction. You are allowed 6 months to invest in these bonds – though to be able to claim this exemption, you will have to invest before the return filing date.

The Budget for 2014 has specified that you can invest a maximum of Rs 50 lakhs in a financial year in these bonds. The NRI must make these investments and show relevant proof to the Buyer to ensure TDS is not deducted from the capital gains. The NRI can also claim excess TDS deducted at return filing and claim a refund.

Buying or selling property in India? Know all about the tax implications (2)ET Online

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)

Read More News on

nriindiarectdscapital gainsproperty in Indiatax

Read More News on

nriindiarectdscapital gainsproperty in Indiatax

Buying or selling property in India? Know all about the tax implications (2024)

FAQs

Buying or selling property in India? Know all about the tax implications? ›

During the sale of property by an NRI, the buyer is responsible for deducting Tax Deducted at Source (TDS). The standard NRI TDS on property sale is 20%. However, if the property is sold before two years (as calculated from the date of purchase), a higher TDS for NRI property sale (30%) will be applicable.

What are the tax implications of selling property in India? ›

The LTCG Tax is applicable when a particular property is sold after 24 months of buying it. The time period was reduced from 3 years to 2 years in Budget 2017. The rate of LTCG Tax is 20%. This is over and above the regular income tax payable by the seller, on the income earned through salary or business profit.

Is there any tax on buying property in India? ›

Buyers are required to follow TDS regulations, deducting 1% on the higher value between consideration or stamp duty value under Section 194IA. Taxation for sellers varies depending on whether the property is treated as stock in trade or a capital asset.

How can I avoid income tax on property sale in India? ›

How to save tax on the sale of residential property
  1. Indexation benefit in house sale. ...
  2. Joint ownership of property for tax benefit. ...
  3. Reduce selling expenses. ...
  4. Buy new property (Exemption under Sec 54) ...
  5. Invest in bonds (Exemption under 54EC) ...
  6. Tax loss harvesting. ...
  7. Invest in Capital Gain Account Scheme (CGAS)
Sep 14, 2023

How much tax I have to pay if I sell my house in India? ›

Tax: Long-term capital gains on sale of house property are taxed at 20%. For a net capital gain of Rs 63, 00,000, the total tax outgo will be Rs.12,97,800. This is a significant amount of money to be paid out in taxes.

What are the tax implications for NRI buying property in India? ›

Income Tax Rules for NRIs

TDS with 20% shall be levied when the NRI bought the property via the non-resident and LTCG is taken. On purchasing via resident, NRI should deduct a 1% TDS when the sale rate surpasses Rs 50 lakh. Up to 80% of the whole property value, NRI can avail for the home loans.

Can a US citizen sell property in India? ›

A NRI is permitted under Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rules to sell a property they own in India. There are restrictions about who they'll be able to sell properties and land to¹: Most properties can be sold to a resident of India, or another NRI.

Who is exempt from property tax in India? ›

If you've taken a home loan for the purchase or construction of a property, then you can claim exemptions under this section even before buying or initiating the construction of your house. However, you have to complete the construction within three years to claim the maximum tax* deduction of ₹2 Lakh.

Who pays property tax in India? ›

In India, owners of real estate properties are subject to pay a property tax. It is an annual charge levied by the Government of India on property owners. This tax is collected by the local government or the Municipal Corporation, whoever is authorised to do so in a given state.

Does paying property tax give ownership in India? ›

No, since the property is registered in another person's name, paying taxes does not give anyone the right to take possession. So you don't have to worry about that. But you must change the name in the property tax to avoid future disputes. Tap here to get the property registered to your name from NoBroker today.

Do senior citizens have to pay capital gains tax in India? ›

For senior citizens, short term capital gains will be exempted from tax if the limit of 15% is not altered. In addition to this, there is a tax exemption provision under section 80 L. As per this section, they can avail an exemption on interest up to Rs 12,000 p.a.

Can you avoid capital gains tax by buying another house in India? ›

Section 54F of Income Tax Act: Capital Gains Can Be Invested Multiple Times To Buy A New Residential House Property. Income Tax allows exemption on the long term capital gain if you invest in a new residential property subject to certain conditions.

Is property sale taxable in India for senior citizens? ›

The senior citizens are not exempt from paying capital gains tax. Capital gains tax is applicable to individuals, including senior citizens, on the profit earned from the sale of capital assets such as real estate, stocks, and mutual funds.

How to avoid capital gains tax in India? ›

Tax Exemptions on Capital Gain on Sale of Property
  1. If the capital gains have been reinvested in only two housing properties. ...
  2. The total capital gains should not exceed Rs. ...
  3. The investment must be made either within one year before the date of transfer or within two years after the date of transfer.

How to avoid capital gains tax on inherited property in India? ›

How to Save Capital Gains on Inherited Property?
  1. Purchase bonds issued by REC, NHAI, IRFC, or PFC within six months of the sale.
  2. Maximum exemption: Rs. 50 lakh per financial year.
Apr 25, 2024

How to avoid short-term capital gains tax on property in India? ›

Indian residents below 60 years of age will be exempted from paying Income Tax on short term capital gain on sale of property if the profit stays within Rs. 2,50,000. Indian residents between the age of 60 to 80 years will enjoy a higher exemption limit of Rs. 3,00,000 on the sale of a property.

How to calculate the capital gains tax on a property in India? ›

Long-term capital gain = Final Sale Price – (indexed cost of acquisition + indexed cost of improvement + cost of transfer), where: Indexed cost of acquisition = cost of acquisition x cost inflation index of the year of transfer/cost inflation index of the year of acquisition.

How do I pay capital gains tax on property in India? ›

Short-term capital gains are taxed as per the income tax slab rates applicable to the individual. For instance, if the short-term capital gain is Rs 6 lakh and the person falls in the 30% tax bracket, then he/she has to pay 31.20% on Rs 6 lakh, i.e. Rs 1,87,200.

Is capital gains tax exempt on sale of property in India? ›

Section 54 of the Income Tax Act states exemption on long-term capital gains for the sale of a residential property. An entire capital gain needs to be invested to claim full exemption. When all capital gains are not invested, the leftover amount is charged for taxation as long-term capital gains.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Nathanael Baumbach

Last Updated:

Views: 6382

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nathanael Baumbach

Birthday: 1998-12-02

Address: Apt. 829 751 Glover View, West Orlando, IN 22436

Phone: +901025288581

Job: Internal IT Coordinator

Hobby: Gunsmithing, Motor sports, Flying, Skiing, Hooping, Lego building, Ice skating

Introduction: My name is Nathanael Baumbach, I am a fantastic, nice, victorious, brave, healthy, cute, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.