Why Do We Need Rent Receipts?

Feb 26,2020 / By Prahalad Singh / No Comment

Rent Receipts & Its Benefits:

A rent receipt is a record of the transaction of rent paid by a tenant to his/her landlord. A rent receipt is provided by the landlord upon collecting the rent from the tenant. It can be used for legal matters or tax benefits if you are eligible.

To claim House Rent Allowance (HRA), you are asked to submit important documents like rent receipts, rent agreement to your employer before the end of the financial year. If the amount of rent exceeds Rs 1 lakh/annum, the PAN No of the landlord is also required.

Are rent receipts required for every month?

It is not mandatory to submit rent receipts every month, but one must do it on a quarterly, half-yearly or annual basis.

Rent Receipts Sample:

What are the important points to note about the rent receipts?

Important points to note about the rent receipts:

The rent receipts for all the months for which you are claiming HRA is required to be submitted.

A revenue stamp is required to be affixed on rent receipts if cash payment is more than Rs. 5000/receipt. If rent is paid through cheque then revenue stamp is not needed.

If the annual rent paid exceeds Rs.1,00,000/year, it is compulsory to report PAN No of the landlord to claim HRA exemption. If the landlord refuses to give his/her PAN No, then you can’t claim HRA for the rent paid and your employer will deduct the TDS accordingly.

What is HRA?

House Rent Allowance (HRA) is a part of the salary given by an employer to his employee for his rented accommodation. HRA exemption can be claimed only if the employee is living in a rented house.

What are the necessary documents required to claim HRA?

To claim HRA, you are asked to submit important documents like rent receipts, rent agreement to your employer before the end of the financial year. If the amount of rent exceeds Rs 1 lakh/annum, the PAN No of the landlord is also required. This will help you get exemption in your form-16 and you can avoid further troubles during your Income-tax return filing.

Why rent receipts are required by a salaried person?

This will help them get exemption in their form-16 and they can avoid further difficulties during their Income-tax return filing. In another word, a salaried person uses rent receipts to claim House Rent Allowance (HRA) benefits in total taxable salary.

Why do I need to take a rent receipt from my house owner?

It is an important document used as evidence of the transfer of rent to the house owner.

What are the necessary elements of a rent receipt?

Date of Payment
Rental Period
Tenant Name
Landlord Name
House Address (for which you are paying rent)
Signature of Landlord
PAN No of the Landlord (if annual rent exceeds Rs.1,00,000 in a year)
Revenue Stamp (if amount paid in cash more than Rs 5,000)

Is rent receipt mandatory for claiming HRA?

Yes, the rent receipt is a mandatory document to claim HRA. If an employee receives HRA in excess of Rs. 3000/month, it is necessary to present rent receipts to the employer for claiming HRA. Even if your HRA is less than Rs. 3000/month, try to keep rent receipts with you in case the officer asks for them at a later date.

Why should I need to submit rent receipts to the HR Department?

As per the Income Tax rule of India, every person who pays salary is required to deduct tax at source(TDS), deposit with the government and then pay the remaining amount to the employee. During this process, if any employee makes a tax saving investment then the person liable for deducting tax. He has to consider and give the benefit of that investment and then deduct the tax on the net amount.

Usually, it has been seen that people present fake rent receipts, even when they are not living in rented accommodation. So, to counter this, HR departments have begun asking for rent agreements for giving HRA benefits.

Is there any last date fixed for submitting rent proof to the employer?

Normally, every employer has its own last date or deadline by which all investment proofs documents must be submitted. Extra TDS will be deducted from your take-home salary if you miss the deadline. However, you can claim the extra TDS deduction directly from your income tax return.

Who can claim HRA exemption?

If you meet the following conditions, you can claim HRA tax exemption:

You should be a salaried person.
You must accept HRA as a part of your salary package/CTC.
You should live in rented accommodation.

Can I claim both home loan deduction and HRA?

Yes, If you are a homeowner and you are paying back your home loan, you can claim HRA if you live in a rented property. You are allowed to get both the benefits to reduce your taxable income.

What are the important points to check in your Rent Agreement?

Important points to check in your rental agreement are:-

Rent agreement should be on Rs 500 stamp paper or as per the stamp rate prevailing in your state.

It can be registered for 11 months only. For more than 12 months, the rent agreement is not registered instead lease deed is to be favored which requires registration.

Every year, the rent agreement is renewed after 11 months with the revised rent.
Both landlord and tenant are required to follow the notice period as mentioned in the agreement.

How payments of rent help us in saving tax?

There can be three circumstances when you are paying rent for your rented accommodation:-

When HRA is a part of your CTC & you submit the rent payment proof to your HR
When HRA is a part of your CTC & you forget to submit the rent payment proof to your HR
When HRA is not a part of your CTC

What to do when your landlord refuses to give his/her PAN No?

Landlord’s PAN is compulsory if the paid rent is more than Rs 1 lakh annually or Rs 8,300 monthly. If the landlord does not have PAN No, he has to give a declaration for the same.

If the total rent paid exceeds Rs 1 lakh annually, it is necessary to quote the landlord’s PAN No to claim an exemption. However, if your landlord refuses to give his PAN No, you can’t claim HRA and finally, your employer will deduct the TDS, accordingly.

Can I pay rent to my parents and claim HRA?

Yes, you can claim the HRA exemption by paying rent to your parents. But it is always advisable to have a rent agreement. You would need rent receipts to claim HRA exemption. Also, your parents need to show rental income from you in their income tax return.

Can HRA be claimed for paying rent for 2 houses?

This could only be possible when you live in both the houses in a specific year for proportionate months.

Can you claim the HRA deduction of a non-salary component?

Section 80GG enables taxpayers to claim a deduction in case you are not in receipt of HRA but still paying rent. A deduction is allowed in the following situation:

Rent paid minus 10% of adjusted total income

25% of the adjusted total income

Rs 2,000/month

Can HRA be claimed by both wife and husband?

Yes, because both are paying rent. But it will be better if your landlord issues two separate rent receipts or defines the proportion of rent paid by each person on the rent receipt.

Can I claim both HRA and a home loan?

If you have bought a house with the help of a home loan and live in another house on rent, you can claim tax benefit for both. But if the house you bought and the house you live in is in the same city and you should have a valid reason for not living in the house that you have, to prove to Income Tax Officer. The reason could be that the house you own is too far from your workplace, or traveling is very difficult during pick hours.

Can HRA be claimed if I own a house?

No, you can’t enjoy the tax benefits of HRA if you live in your own house.

What happens when I stay in a rented home for only a few months?

Yes, you can only claim the HRA exemption for the months you paid rent for.

I am planning to change my job this year. Can I share my old rent receipts with the new company?

In case your current employer allows HRA exemption from a previous job’s income, you might have to submit your old rent receipts. It is necessary to reveal the salary from your previous employment to your current employer in Form 12B.

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Is Indian Real Estate Sector Going to Revive in 2020?

Feb 11,2020 / By Prahalad Singh / No Comment

Real Estate Sector in India

The real estate sector in India has been witnessing weak sales for the last few years, resulting in a sharp drop in its significant contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Overall, the year 2019 proved to be a mixed year for the nation’s realty sector as the commercial sector flourished but that was not the case with residential real estate. However, some positivity has been seen in the market as a result of various announcements made by the government last year. Government announcements like NHB raising liquidity for Housing Finance Companies, relaxation of External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) funds, and approval of a Rs 25,000-crore alternate fund have all been made at a positive pace.

Nation’s real estate sector saw a fall after banks limited lending activity post the NBFC crisis in 2018 and the situation worsened further in 2019 to a sharp demand crisis. Not just the real estate sector but a large number of other industries indirectly related to the sector have also suffered the heavy winds of low demand.

Real estate developers, consumers, and investors have been facing the burden of the fall in the housing segment for the last few years. From unsold inventories to incomplete construction to delayed projects, the segments had faced a lot of difficulties that have been pointing to negative sentiments.

In spite of the government’s measures to revive the weak realty market, there has been no positive result except limited growth of just 1% in the year 2019 but far from reaching its full potential.

According to the International Monetary Fund, India’s economy grew by about 4.8% in 2019, a sharp drop from 6.8% in 2018. Similarly, unemployment rose to 7.5% in the last 3 months of 2019.

There is an urgent need to approach the challenge of liquidity suffered by the sector, especially after the NBFC cash crisis. Liquidity will improve sentiment in the market with a regular supply of ready to move-in homes. If the challenge is not tackled on priority, it will block the confidence of developers as well as buyers which may seriously affect the realty sector as well as the economic growth of the country.

Few bold govt measures that could revive the real estate market in the year to come including tax rebate hike, personal tax relief, higher liquidity, better land reforms and fast infrastructure development for raising homebuyer sentiments.

The industry body has also suggested the government to reconcile the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), GST and individual taxes to help increase demand for unsold properties, which increased sharply in 2019.

The reviving real estate sector would also improve overall demand as the sector employs a large number of laborers belonging to lower-income groups. As a result, it could lead to a strong rise in rural demand.

However, it needs to be noted that the measures are not yet sufficient in size and will not be able to cater to real estate developers (small and big) and players in Tier 2 and 3 cities. Most importantly, the measures need to be backed by other factors mentioned below to bring in a proper resolution. Instant step in terms of implementation of several schemes and processes is expected to bring momentum into the sector in 2020.

Budget 2020-21 Fails to Address Major Concerns of Realty SectorFreal estate

It offers a few solutions to revive the nation’s weak economy. The government’s $428 billion budget for 2020-21 considered a series of modest initiatives, including planned investments in new roads and airports and personal income tax cuts, along with an increase in bank deposit insurance to encourage customers worried by high-profile bank failures.

But it offered no large incentive plan to produce more jobs or money in the pockets of India’s 1.3 billion residents, most of whom rarely get their food through farming or work in the informal economy. Nor did the budget offer any additional support for the country’s weak financial institutions.

Few Govt measures that may put real estate back on track in 2020 includes:

Industry Status

For a long time, the real estate market demands an industry status that can help it with finances at a lower cost, especially at times when the availability of funding is a major barrier for the industry.

Single-window clearance

The sector, which is struggling to deal with multiple government offices for project approval, wants a single-window clearance facility to initiate the project implementation faster.

Removal of Multiple Rates or Taxes

Multiple rates or taxes need to be removed into a single standard GST rate.

Incorporation of Stamp Duty under GST

The cancellation of stamp duty or its incorporation under GST.

Lowering Interest Rates

In 2019, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the policy rates (Repo Rate) by 135 basis points. But the registered commercial banks didn’t follow the procedure. So the average marginal cost of lending rate (MCLR) of banks has decreased by only 64 bps. The lower interest rates will benefit to decide the existing liquidity crisis and boost housing demand.

Rebate in Income Tax

Rebate in individual income tax will be another help to the sector as it will decrease the financial burden of the buyers and improve their expendable income.

Housing Loan Interest Rates to be Reduced

Interest rates on housing loans also need to be reduced to encourage demand and sales. Restoration of income tax gains on a 2nd home can benefit homebuyers in a big way.

Notional Rental Income

We expect the government to release organizations involved in real estate business from the burden of tax on notional rental income or the period of 1 year should be extended to 5 years. This is pushing buyers away from the market and affecting the sector as well.

Restriction on Home Loan Interest Paid

The govt should also remove the restriction of an additional deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh paid on a home loan up to Rs 35 lakhs with total values not exceeding Rs 45 lakhs.

The government should implement land reforms and amend the acquisition process.

People’s Expectations:

It is expected that the real estate sector will hopefully observe a growth story in 2020. Covering 1,600 projects with 458,000 housing units under the center’s announcement will help in raising buyer confidence and is expected to generate significant employment. We expect the govt to give full support to the sector not just in terms of the announcement but also implementation. The year 2020 needs a device to protect developers from the existing liabilities and stuck projects. It also needs to incentivize stressed projects in various ways.

At the same time, the central government has projected that the economic growth would rebound to as much as 6.5% for the current fiscal year.

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Real Estate expectations from Union Budget 2020

Jan 29,2020 / By Hozefa Sanwari / No Comment

Union Budget 2020 Expectations

The Union Budget 2020 will be presented on 1st February by the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. Given the policy reforms undertaken by the government over the past couple of years, the real estate industry is hopeful that the upcoming budget will provide the much-needed impetus. The year 2019 saw the government take numerous steps to help improve market sentiment and revive real estate demand. Reforms such as capital gain benefit, tax exemption on notional rent, incentivizing Affordable Housing, the revised rental income limit for TDS, and thrust on infrastructure growth were highlights of the Union Budget 2019.

This time around, the sector expects the Budget 2020 to lower the GST rates on under-construction projects, increase the NBFC credit liquidity, implement single-window clearances for project approvals, redefine the Affordable Housing price bracket, allocate additional funds for PMAY scheme, and fuel investment in infrastructure.

In this backdrop, Commonfloor conducted a real estate survey on builders across India to capture their expectations from the Budget 2020. More than 300 builders participated in this survey to express their views and expectations.

The majority of the builders (31%) expect the Budget to lower the GST on under-construction projects. GST reduction clubbed with the revival of Input Tax Credit can provide relief to the builders and housing can be made available at lower prices. After the reduction in GST rates in 2019, the government had withdrawn Input Tax Credit. The next key expectation of real estate is to address the challenge of NBFC (Non-banking Financial Company) liquidity. Liquidity will ensure positive momentum with a steady supply of ready-to-move homes. Also, single-window clearances can aid in procuring quick approvals so that project delays can be avoided. In the past few years, Affordable Housing has been the major growth driver. Still, it needs some reforms as currently only those houses are awarded affordable status and subsequently reduced GST rate of 1% which has a carpet area less than 60 sq.m. and falls under the price cap of Rs 45 lakh (GST rate for under-construction house is 5%)

Around 50% of the builders surveyed feel that the increase in Home Loan tax exemption is the primary factor boosting real estate demand. A further extension to the existing 2-lakh tax rebate on home loan interest rates will push the fence-sitters to buy homes. It could result in a higher demand for housing, especially in the affordable and mid-segment categories. Interestingly, “Redefinition of Affordable Housing” and “Income Tax Removal on Notional Rent” got equal responses from the builder community. The abolition of income tax on notional rent from the second self-occupied house benefits those with two houses and encourages home buying.

One-third of the builders surveyed feel that the GST rates are the most vital component hurting homebuyers’ sentiment. Apart from GST, project delays and high property prices are the other factors that affect consumer sentiments. Builders feel that the initial aid of Rs 25000 cr last-mile funding for stalled projects is insufficient for the realty sector and that it needs to be executed on a larger level on a priority basis. Moreover, home loan interest rates and high government taxes such as stamp duty and registration could be reduced to propel demand in the market.

Foreign Direct Investment is a key driver of economic growth and a medium of non-debt finance for any country’s economic development. One-fourth of the builders surveyed responded that single-window clearance will streamline the approval process and can bring about a major boom in FDIs for the realty sector. The next two major factors that can drive FDI are ‘clarity on entry-exit norms’ and ‘stamp duty exemption on FDI transfer’. More FDI in real estate will provide the necessary thrust to the current slump in the market.

Builder Bytes

Ajith Alex George, Director of 42 Estates says, “The real estate category in India requires bold fiscal measures from the union budget. The sector is going through a liquidity crisis with stalled projects across India, an economic booster required for the industry as a whole. Ease of Funding both on the supply and demand side along with quicker processing can again make this one of the key growth sectors. Approvals of projects have gotten better however there could be better clarity on some of the norms and changes in regulations, especially around taxation. Single-window clearance and query handling can make the process easier for the sector.

From the home buyers’ perspective, interest rates on home loans have to be reduced, we have been hearing further reduction on personal tax rates and stamp duties, this can strengthen the buying power of the home buyers which will have a compounding impact on the industry as both residential and commercial projects would get a better demand-side environment. The government is already doing its bit with the PMAY showing good traction, a further increase in subsidy rates for affordable housing can further help percolate this initiative. These steps might give the much-needed boost to the confidence of the developers and buyers alike.”

Mr. Amarjit Bakshi, CMD at Central Park says “Initiatives have already been taken to aid the real estate sector, such as tax concessions and availability of low-cost loans for developers and buyers. Reforms were put into place to promote rental housing as well as boost affordable housing, empowering the middle class and first-time home buyers.

We expect policy changes to boost consumption in the economy and improved liquidity for the industry by easing fund availability for the real estate sector, enabling the sector to come back on track, since it generates more than 6.5% of the GDP. It is expected that to boost investor interest, the limit of home loan interest will be increased. Announcing an industry status to the sector will bring manifold benefits.

Conclusion:

The implementation of the above-mentioned measures will help revive real estate growth to a great extent and give a thrust to home buying sentiments, which in turn will revive the economy. To generate cash flows for struggling builders, it is quite evident that the stress fund will be a big boost, but it would address only a small portion of the stalled projects. The rest could only be addressed by NBFCs and banks.

The real estate sector has long needed an industry status that can help to procure finances at a lower cost, especially now, when credit availability is a major headwind. The momentum of infrastructure development should continue from last year so that growth is decentralized and migration to urban centers remain under check. The real estate sector is optimistic that the upcoming budget will usher fresh stimulus in terms of bold fiscal measures to outperform its growth from last year.

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Section 80EE – Income Tax Deduction on Home Loan Interest

Jan 15,2020 / By Prahalad Singh / No Comment

Home loan tax benefit under section 80EE

What is Section 80EE and its advantage?

Section 80EE permits Income Tax benefits on the interest portion of the home loan taken from any public/private financial institution. The deduction permitted under this section is for the interest paid on a home loan for up to a maximum of Rs 50,000/fiscal. You can continue to claim the deduction until you have fully repaid the loan amount.

What are the features of the Section 80EE deduction?

Following are the feature of Section 80EE Deduction under Income Tax:

The deduction under section 80EE is available only for individuals. This means, if you are a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), an association of persons (AOP), a company or any other kind of taxpayer, you can not claim any benefit under this section.
This deduction i.e. up to Rs. 50,000 is over and above the Rs 2 lakh limit under section 24 of the Income Tax Act.
To claim this deduction, you should not own any other house property on the date of the loan sanction from a financial institution.

What is the maximum amount of tax-deductible for a home loan?

The maximum tax-deductible under specified sections for a home loan is listed below:

Income Tax Act Sanctions	Nature of home loan deduction	Maximum amount deductible
Section 80EE	Additional home loan interest tax benefit for first-time homebuyers	Rs 50,000
Section 80C	Tax deduction on the principal repayment	Rs 1.5 lakh
Section 24	Tax deductions on the interest amount payable	Rs 2 lakh

How to Calculate Home Loan Interest?

Your home loan interest rate directly affects how affordable the loan is and how conveniently you can repay it. Considering your repayment is in the form of EMIs that include both interest and principal parts, a lower home loan interest keeps down your EMIs. Therefore, it is best to choose a lender who offers low home loan interest rates. It is always advisable to calculate your home loan interest rate before you submit your application.

How Home Loan Interest is Calculated in India?

In India, there are two types of home loan interest rates i.e. fixed and floating. When you choose a fixed interest home loan, the interest stays constant throughout the loan period. On the other hand, when you choose a floating interest rate, it changes from time to time. There are several factors that are taken into consideration to arrive at a value for either type of interest rate.

Can I claim tax benefits on home loan for an under-construction property?

The following rules apply for such deduction for an under-construction property:

If the construction is completed within 5 years, a deduction of Rs.2 lakh is applicable.
If the construction is not completed within 5 years, only up to Rs.30,000 is deductible.

What are the eligibility criteria for claiming Section 80EE Deductions?

The Eligibility criteria for claiming 80EE deductions under home loan requires a taxpayer has to make sure of the following points:

Only individual taxpayers can claim deduction under Section 80EE on properties purchased either individually or jointly. If an individual has bought a property jointly with his or her spouse name and they are both paying the installments of the loan, then both can individually claim this deduction.
E-tax benefits are not applicable to the Association of Persons (AOP), companies, Hindu Unified Families (HUF), trusts, etc.
Tax benefits under Section 80EE can only be claimed by first-time home buyers. For claiming this deduction, the individual must have taken the loan from a financial institution for buying his/her first home or residential property.
Section 80EE is applicable on a per-person basis instead of a per property basis.
To claim this benefit, it is not mandatory for the taxpayer to live or stay in the property for which he or she is claiming this deduction. Borrowers residing in rented houses can also claim this deduction.

What are the conditions for claiming deductions under Section 80EE?

The following are the conditions for claiming deduction u/s 80EE:

The loan must be approved between 01.04.2016 to 31.03.2017
The loan amount taken for the house must be Rs 35 lakhs or less
Value of the house should be Rs 50 lakhs or less
The loan must be approved by a Financial Institution (FI) or a Housing Finance Company (HFC)
As on the date of the approval of the loan, no other house property must be owned by you.
The deduction can only be claimed by individuals for the house purchases jointly or singly.

What are Tax Benefits on Principal Re-paid?

U/S 80C of the Income Tax Act, the maximum deduction allowed for the repayment of the principal amount of home loan is Rs. 1.5 lakh. Deduction u/s 80C also covers investments done in the PPF Account, Tax Saving Fixed Deposits, National Savings Certificate, Equity Oriented Mutual funds, etc. subject to the maximum of Rs. 1.5 lakhs.

Apart from this, there are stamp duty and registration charges that one can claim under the above-mentioned section. However, the claim can only occur in the year in which the payment has been made.

There is a provision under which this repayment of the principal amount of housing loan is allowed. The deduction is only possible after the house gets fully completed and there is a completion certificate issued by the local body for the same. Any under-construction house is not going to be a part of this section.

Is home loan top-up eligible for tax deduction?

A home loan top-up is eligible for tax deduction u/s 24(b) and 80C only if it is used for -

Acquisition/construction of a residential property.
Renovation or repair of such property.
Such claims should also be availed with valid receipts and documents.

Who can Claim Section 80EE Deduction?

Section 80EE deduction can be claimed by an individual for the amount paid as interest on the home loan. The maximum deduction u/s 80EE is Rs.50,000. Section 80EE deduction can be claimed over and above the deduction of section 24 and section 80C which are Rs. 2,00,000 and Rs. 1,50,000 respectively.

What is Covered U/S 80EE?

Section 80EE, Income Tax Deduction on Home Loan Interest. Section 80EE allows income tax benefits on the interest portion of the house property loan taken from any financial institution. As per this section, you can claim a deduction of up to Rs. 50,000 per fiscal.

What is the difference between Section 80EE and Section 24?

The deduction for interest on a home loan can be claimed u/s 24 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The limit u/s 24 is Rs. 2,00,000. This deduction can only be claimed if the owner or his or her family members live in the house property. The whole interest shall be put off as a deduction in case the house is on rent.

If one is able to satisfy both conditions of the sections i.e. Section 24 and Section 80EE, the individual can avail benefits under both sections. In order to do that, the individual will first need to consume the limit u/s 24 and then claim the additional benefit u/s 80EE. Hence, the deduction u/s 80EE is in addition to the limit of Rs. 2,00,000, as u/s24.

Is There Home Loan Tax Benefit on a Second Home?

If you are taking a second home loan to buy another property, tax gains are applicable to the due interests. Here, you can claim the whole interest amount paid as no cap is applied here.

At present, individuals can claim only one property as self-occupied and make tax payments on the other based on notional rent. In the February 2019’s Interim Budget, a proposal has been put forward saying that an individual can claim a second home as self-occupied property. This tries to help borrowers save more money in the form of taxes.

Category : Home loan