Clubbing of Income

11/05/2020 0 By indiafreenotes

Its all in the family. It may seem ordinary to invest money for a non earning spouse by way of fixed deposits, or other income earning assets or to set up bank accounts, mutual funds or other investments for children to provide for their needs in future. Usually, you are only taxed for your own income, but under certain special circumstances some incomes are ‘clubbed’ along with your income and you may be liable to pay tax on such clubbed income.

The intention here is to make sure there is no tax that escapes, in case an individual is moving assets or incomes in the family. In a situation where you have incurred a loss, such loss (wherever allowed to be adjusted against an income) is also not allowed to be transferred to anyone and will be ‘clubbed’ to your income.

In the case of Assets Transfer to Anyone

Transfer of Income: no transfer of assets: When you retain the ownership of an asset but decide to transfer its income by doing an agreement or any other way, the Act will still consider that income as your income and it will be added to your total income for taxation purposes.

Transfer of Asset: Which is revocable: When you transfer the ownership of an asset and make such transfer revocable, income from such an asset will continue to be added to your income.

Clubbing of Spouse’s Income

Here are some situations when your spouse’s income will get clubbed to your income and you’ll have to pay tax on it:

(1) Your spouse receives a salary from a company or a firm in which you have a substantial interest, then such salary will be clubbed with your income. Substantial Interest means you alone or with your relatives (husband, wife, brother, sister or your lineal ascendant or descendant) hold equity or voting power of a company which is 20% or more. Or in case of a firm you are entitled to 20% or more of the profits. Also, if both of your receive an income from such a firm or company, it will get taxed in the hands of the person whose taxable income is higher. There is one exception to this if your spouse receives the salary due to his/her application of technical or professional knowledge & experience then such salary will be taxed in the hands of the person receiving it and not clubbed.

(2) You transfer an asset to your spouse directly or indirectly without receiving adequate consideration (does not include where asset is transferred as part of a divorce settlement) income from this asset will be clubbed with your income. For example where the husband to reduce his tax liability transfers an asset worth Rs 100,000 to his wife for Rs 25,000. 3/4th of the income from this asset will be taxed in the hands of the husband. If he receives no consideration, in that case the entire income from this asset will be clubbed with the husband’s income. Although the clubbing provisions here exclude house property but in case you transfer a house property to your wife and do not receive adequate consideration, as per the Act, you will still be considered the ‘deemed owner’ and the income from the asset will be clubbed with your income.

(3) You transfer an asset to a person or an association of persons, directly or indirectly, without adequate consideration, so that the benefit arises to your spouse either now or on a deferred basis, income from such an asset will be clubbed with your income.

(4) Assume a situation where you provide money to your spouse (who is non working) and that money is invested by the spouse and a certain income is generated (from such money that you gave your spouse).The income that arises from such investment done by her can be clubbed to your income. However, if your spouse reinvests the income portion and earns further income then such income may not be clubbed with your taxable income.

Clubbing of Income of Minor Child (less than 18 years old)

(1) Some families make fixed deposits in the name of a minor child. Income of a minor is taxable in the hands of the parent whose total income is higher (before including the minor’s income). If the parents are divorced it is clubbed with the person who is maintaining the child. There is one exception to this rule – if the minor has earned an income because of his own manual work, or used his talent or specialized knowledge & experience OR in case of a minor who is disabled (based on definition of disability in Section 80U) and earns an income, such income will not be clubbed.

(2) When your minor child’s income is clubbed to your income exemption is available up to Rs 1500 for each such minor child. Which means if clubbed income is more than Rs 1500, Rs 1500 is the maximum exemption, however if clubbed income is say Rs 800 (less than Rs 1500) exemption is limited up to such lesser amount, Rs 800 in this case.

Clubbing of Income of a Major Child (18 or more than 18 years old)

You may be giving over some money to your major child (who may not be earning), in this case if the major child invests that money any income from these investments will not be taxable in your hands but will be taxed in the hands of the major child. So therefore, there will be no clubbing of income in case of a major child.

Clubbing of Income of a Son’s Wife

You transfer an asset to your son’s wife directly or indirectly without receiving adequate consideration income from this asset will be clubbed with your income. Or you transfer an asset to a person or AOP, for the immediate or deferred benefit of your son’s wife, without adequate consideration, directly or indirectly income from this asset will be clubbed with your income.

Assessment of Individual

Step 1: Compute the income of an individual under 5 heads of income on the basis of his residential status.

Step 2: Income of any other person, if includible u/ss 60 to 64, will be included under respective heads.

Step 3: Set off of the losses if permissible, while aggregating the income under 5 heads of income.

Step 4: Carry forward and set off of the losses of past years, if permissible, from such income.

Step 5: The income computed under Steps 1 to 4 is known as Gross Total Income from which deductions under sections 80C to 80U (Chapter VIA) will be allowed. However, no deduction under these sections will be allowed from short-term capital gain covered under section 111A, any long-term capital gain and winning of lotteries etc., though these incomes are part of gross total income.

Step 6: The balance income after allowing the deductions is known as total income which will be rounded off to the nearest Rs. 10.

Step 7: Compute tax on such Total Income at the prescribed rates of tax.

Step 8: Allow rebate of maximum Rs. 2,500 under section 87A in case of resident individual having total income upto Rs. 3,50,000. For details see below.

Step 9: Add surcharge @ 10% on total income exceeding Rs. 50,00,000 and upto Rs. 1 crore and 15% of such income tax in case of an individual having a total income exceeding Rs. 1 crore.

Step 10: Add education cess @ 2% and SHEC @ 1% on the tax (including surcharge if applicable).

Step 11: Allow relief under section 89, if any.

Step 12: Deduct the TDS, advance tax paid for the relevant assessment year and double taxation relief under section 90, 90A or 91. The balance is the net tax payable which will be rounded of nearest ten rupees and must be paid as self-assessment tax before submitting the return of income. 

Rebate of maximum Rs. 2,500 for resident individuals having total income up to Rs. 3,50,000 [Section 87A]

With a view to provide tax relief to the individual tax payers who are in lower income bracket, the Act has provided rebate from the tax payable by an assessee, if the following condition and satisfied:

  • The assessee is an individual
  • He is resident in India,
  • His total income does not exceed Rs. 3,50,000.

Quantum of Rebate:

The rebate shall be equal to:

  1. The amount of income-tax payable on the total income for any assessment year,

or

  1. Rs. 2,500,

whichever is less.