Ascertaining total income is one major task of the procedure involved in levying tax on an assessee. The task of assessing the income returned and determination of tax liability is called ‘assessment’. The term ’assessment’ has been used in the Income-tax Act meaning differently contexts. In certain situations, it refers to computation of income, sometimes to the determination of tax payable and in some cases to the whole procedure laid down in the Act of imposing tax liability on assessee. Assessment of income relating to one Financial Year (FY) starts in the succeeding financial year, which is called Assesment Year (AY). Income tax assessment procedure begins when an assessee files his return of income to the income tax department. Filing of return [Sec 139 (1)] A person has to file return of income in the prescribed form within the specified time limit if his total income exceeds Continue reading
Income Tax Concepts
Dual Income Taxation
The Dual Income Tax (DIT) is a combination of both comprehensive income tax system and flat tax system. It is not a plain comprehensive system with a single progressive tax development or a flat tax with only a proportional tax, but a combination of both. It attempts to tax the personal capital income at a uniform (low) proportional tax while maintaining a (higher) progressive rate on the labour income. This taxation system was first introduced in Denmark 1987, other northern countries as Finland, Norway or Sweden followed. Until today the Norwegian system is seen as the most experienced one and is seen as very respected for the consistency with which it was implemented. Until today the system as such had to be subject to changes. Germany introduced the dual income tax system in 2009. Income was taxed according to the global tax system with the progressive taxation method whereas capital Continue reading
Flat Tax System
An alternative to the global tax system or comprehensive taxation system is the so called flat tax system. Herewith a flat proportional taxation for all net income types, capital, labor and other income is installed. This taxation system does not consider the taxpayers ability to pay taxes but sets a flat level for all income types. Some east European countries (Russia and Slovakia) have installed this taxation system. Russia replaced its progressive taxation system with a single flat tax rate of 13%. Under a pure flat tax without deductions, companies could simply, every period, make a single payment to the government covering the flat tax liabilities of their employees and the taxes owed on their business income. For example, suppose that in a given year, XYZ Company earns a profit of 3 million, pays 2 million in salaries, and spends an added 1 million on other expenses the IRS deems Continue reading
Income from Salary
DEFINITION According to [Sec 17 (1)] Salary includes (i) wages; (ii) any annuity or pension; (iii) any gratuity; (iv) any fees, commissions, perquisites or profits in lieu of or in addition to any salary or wages; Continue reading
Income from House Property
The annual value of any property comprising of building or land attached to the vicinity of the building of which the assessee is the owner, is chargeable to tax under the head income from house property. But if the assessee occupies the building or land attached to the vicinity of the building for the purpose of business or profession carried on by him, then it is not chargeable to tax. For income to be taxed as income from house property the following points should be noted 1. Building or land attached thereto. Building means a permanent constructed structure. Building includes residential house , bungalows, docks, warehouse, any block of bricks or stone work covered by a roof etc. The use of the building is immaterial. It may be let out for residential purpose, Continue reading
Comprehensive Income Taxation
The comprehensive income tax system also known by other synonyms as global income tax, unitary income tax or synthetic income tax is the most used taxation system in western European countries. It has got its name due to the fact that all income types are seen as a one and therefore are added together and taxed as one whole income. It was seen as the ideal tax system in Europe because in its original form it could align fully with the “ability to pay principle” and to both tasks of simplicity and fairness. This method is composed as a system which adds together all the taxpayer’s income (from labor, capital, rent and business) in a single measure and taxes it with a single progressive tax. Labor income is usually defined as income earned from activities as an employed individual. Capital income can take a variety of forms such as dividends, Continue reading