Friends,
Income Tax Department of India has declared that from F/Y 2011-12 a person who attains the age of 60 will be considered as Senior Citizen for the calculation of Income Tax purpose and will be regarded as senior citizen and shall enjoy better tax rates .Let us say , date of birth of Mr X is 15h March 1952 , so he becomes 60 years old on 15th March 2012. Can Mr X claim benefit of Senior Citizen for FY 2011-12 ?
This is obvious question in minds of all would be senior citizens. Shyamal Dey of Kolkata asks “To get the benefit of tax rate meant for Senior Citizen whether it would be enough to cross the age limit meant for Senior citizen during any time of a particular Previous Year and if so, please quote the authority.”
Yes, Mr X will get benefit of Sr. Citizen . The reason is that the Part III of the First Schedule of Finance Act 2011 gives rate for the Senior Citizen and it clearly says as under
| (1) where the total income does not exceed Rs. 2,50,000 | Nil; |
| (2) where the total income exceeds Rs. 2,50,000 but does not exceed Rs. 5,00,000 | 10 per cent of the amount by which the total income exceeds Rs.2,50,000; |
| (3) where the total income exceeds Rs. 5,00,000 but does not exceed Rs. 8,00,000 | Rs. 25,000 plus 20 per cent of the amount by which the total income exceeds Rs. 5,00,000; |
| (4)where the total income exceeds Rs. 8,00,000 | Rs. 85,000 plus 30 per cent of the amount by which the total income exceeds Rs. 8,00,000. |
“Sixty Years at any time during the previous year” means that even if for a day , you become 60 years old, tax rate given in Part III of Schedule 1 of Finance Act 2011 will be applicable.
