The Mumbai bench of the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) recently ruled that the date of possession should be considered to determine eligibility for a tax benefit under section 54 of the Income-tax (I-T) Act for an under-construction property. This decision is crucial for taxpayers because section 54 provides a tax benefit on capital gains if the profit from the sale of a property is reinvested in a new residential property within specified timeframes.
Under section 54 of the I-T Act, taxpayers can reduce their tax liability on capital gains by investing in a new residential property. Specifically, the new property must be purchased within one year before or two years after the sale of the original property. Alternatively, if the new property is under construction, it must be completed within three years from the date of the sale of the original property. The ITAT’s ruling clarifies that for under-construction properties, the critical date for determining the tax benefit is when the possession of the property is taken rather than the date of purchase or registration.
ITAT Case Breakdown: Key Details and Rulings
In a recent notable case involving a non-resident couple for the financial year 2010-11, the Income Tax (I-T) officer disallowed their claimed exemption under section 54 of the Income-tax Act and assessed each individual’s taxable income to be approximately Rs 36 lakh. The officer also imposed penalties on the couple, accusing them of ‘concealment of income’ or ‘furnishing inaccurate particulars of income’ due to their purportedly incorrect deduction claim.
The couple had sold their old house on February 10, 2011, which meant they needed to purchase the new house between February 11, 2010, and February 9, 2013, to qualify for the tax benefit. However, the I-T officer denied the benefit, arguing that the couple had entered into an agreement with the builder for the new house on July 25, 2009, which was outside the stipulated period.
The taxpayers appealed this decision, and the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) ruled in their favor. The ITAT bench clarified that merely signing the agreement did not equate to acquiring the new property. Instead, the key date was when the possession of the new house was taken, which in this case was February 2, 2011. This date fell within the prescribed period, thus entitling the couple to the tax benefit under section 54.
Section 54 Tax Benefit Explained
Section 54 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 provides a tax benefit on Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) arising from the sale of a residential property. This benefit is available to individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs). To qualify for this exemption, the capital gains must be reinvested in the purchase or construction of another residential property within specified timelines.
Key Provisions of Section 54:
- Eligibility: The tax benefit under section 54 is available if the LTCG is generated from the sale of a residential house property.
- Reinvestment Timeline:
- Purchase: The new residential property must be purchased either one year before or two years after the sale of the original property.
- Construction: The construction of the new residential property must be completed within three years from the original property’s sale date.
- Amount of Exemption: The exemption amount under section 54 is the lesser of the following:
- The actual capital gains from the sale of the original residential property.
- The amount invested in the new residential property.
- Important Conditions:
- The new residential property must be situated in India.
- If the new property is sold within three years of its purchase or construction, the exemption claimed will be revoked, and the capital gains from the sale of the new property will be subject to tax.
- On the date of the transfer of the original property, the taxpayer must not own more than one residential house property, other than the new property.
By reinvesting the capital gains from the sale of a residential property into another residential property, taxpayers can defer or potentially eliminate their tax liability on the gains, making section 54 a valuable tool for tax planning.
The interpretation of this ITAT ruling can significantly impact taxpayers’ planning and execution of property investments, ensuring they can effectively utilize the tax benefits provided under section 54. By focusing on the possession date, taxpayers now have a clearer timeline for qualifying for these benefits, potentially leading to substantial tax savings when reinvesting in new properties.