Long Term Capital Gains Tax (LTCG) – Tax on Long-term capital gains on equity funds (2024)

The capital gains you earn from equity funds are subject to capital gains tax. You have either short-term or long-term capital gains depending on the holding period of your investment. For instance, the capital gains you earn from equity funds for a holding period up to one year are called short-term capital gains or STCG. You have the STCG taxed depending on your income tax bracket.

Budget 2022 update
The FM proposes to restrict the surcharge for AOPs having only companies as its members to 15%. IT is applicable to AOPs whose total income during the financial year exceeds Rs 2 crores.

Also, the surcharge on long term capital gains(LTCG) on listed equity shares, units, etc., has been capped at 15%.

What are capital gains

You have capital gains as the increase in the value of a capital asset over some time. It is realised only once the capital asset is sold. If you hold an equity-oriented fund for a year or more and then sell it, your capital gains are called long-term capital gains.

How are Mutual Funds classified for taxation?

Refer this table to know how the various types of mutual funds attract tax liability.

Type of Fund

Applicable Tax Rate

Equity Funds

10% on entire amount above 1 lakh

Equity Oriented Hybrid Funds

10% on entire amount above 1 lakh

Unlisted Equity Funds

20% on entire amount, without indexation benefit

What are long-term capital gains on equity-oriented funds

The long-term capital gains (LTCG) on the sale of listed equity shares have been made taxable from 01 April 2018. In the case of equity investing, long-term means a holding period of more than one year from the date of purchase. Long-term capital gains are the profits earned on the sale of listed equity shares.

Before the Union Budget 2018 was amended, the LTCG earned on the sale of equity shares was tax-free in the hands of investors. Such equity shares had already been subject to Securities Transaction Tax (STT).

Only the short-term capital gains were taxed at a rate of 15%. The objective behind letting LTCG tax-free was to increase the participation of investors in equity markets in India. Owing to the exemption, the investors had started perceiving equities as a favourable investment vehicle. However, LTCG on equity-oriented funds is subject to taxation after the Union Budget 2018.

The Long-term capital gains (LTCG) over Rs 1 lakh on listed equity shares per financial year is taxable at the rate of 10% without the benefit of indexation.

How to calculate long-term capital gains on equity-oriented funds with examples

Suppose XYZ had invested Rs 1,50,000 in an equity fund in May 2016 at a NAV of Rs 10. All the units of the equity-oriented fund were redeemed in June 2019 at a NAV of Rs 30. You have the gains earned by XYZ as long-term capital gains (LTCG) on equity-oriented funds as the investment was held for over a period of one year.

You have XYZ having a total of 15,000 units (Rs 1,50,000 / Rs 10) of the equity fund in May 2016.

ParticularsAmount (Rs)
Sale Consideration (A) (15,000 units @ Rs 30)
4,50,000
Less: Cost of acquisition (B)
1,50,000

Long-term capital gains (LTCG) (A-B)

3,00,000

Period of Holding

(More than one year)

Tax Rate
10%

LTCG above Rs 1 lakh in a financial year

2,00,000 * 10% = 20,000

How to save LTCG on equity-oriented funds

You can offset capital gains from equity-oriented funds against any capital loss incurred on the sale of these funds. However, a long-term capital loss can be set off only against long-term capital gains.

If you cannot adjust your capital losses in the same year, you are allowed to carry them forward for the next eight years. You can set off these losses against your capital gains in the following years. However, you must file your ITR and show these losses even when you don’t have any income.

LTCG on Equity linked Savings Scheme (ELSS)

An equity-linked savings scheme or ELSS invests the bulk of the assets in stocks across market capitalisation. It has a three year lock-in period and qualifies for the Section 80C tax deduction.

You have long term capital gains (LTCG) from ELSS after the compulsory lock-in period of three years taxed at 10% without indexation. However, only LTCG from ELSS above Rs 1 lakh per financial year is subject to long-term capital gains taxation rules.

LTCG tax on ELSS with example

Suppose you had invested Rs 1.5 lakh in an ELSS in July 2016. You have redeemed all units of the ELSS in August 2019 after the lock-in period of three years at Rs 3 lakh. Your long term capital gain (LTCG) from ELSS is Rs 1.5 lakh.

You don’t incur LTCG tax on capital gains from ELSS up to Rs 1 lakh. However, you have to pay long-term capital gains tax on (Rs 1,50,000 – Rs 1,00,000) Rs 50,000 at 10%. You will incur an LTCG tax of Rs 5,000 (10% of Rs 50,000) on your capital gains from ELSS.

You may earn long-term capital gains, LTCG on investments made in ELSS through SIP (Systematic Investment Plan). You have the first-in-first-out rule for the calculation of LTCG on ELSS through SIP. However, you would have redeemed units only after the three year lock-in period. It means you would incur LTCG tax at 10% on long term capital gains above Rs 1 lakh a year.

LTCG on Mutual Fund SIP

If you invest in mutual funds through SIP, then all of the installments will be considered as different investments. So they will be taxed accordingly as short term or long term assets.

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Long Term Capital Gains Tax (LTCG) – Tax on Long-term capital gains on equity funds (2024)

FAQs

Long Term Capital Gains Tax (LTCG) – Tax on Long-term capital gains on equity funds? ›

Long-term capital gains tax rates for the 2024 tax year

How are long term capital gains from equity funds taxed? ›

You make long-term capital gains on selling your equity fund units after holding them for over one year. These capital gains of up to Rs 1 lakh a year are tax-exempt. Any long-term capital gains exceeding this limit attracts LTCG tax at 10%, without indexation benefit.

How do I avoid Ltcg tax on equity? ›

By implementing tax harvesting, you can strategically manage your equity mutual fund holdings to keep long-term returns below the Rs. 1 lakh threshold, thus avoiding long-term capital gains tax upon redemption.

How to calculate long term capital gain tax on equity shares? ›

Long term capital gain on share is calculated by deducting the sale price and cost of acquisition of an asset that has been held for more than 12 months by an investor.

Do you pay capital gains on long term investments? ›

Assets held for one year or less are subject to short-term capital gains taxes, while assets held for longer than one year are subject to long-term capital gains taxes. Long-term capital gains are typically taxed at lower rates, meaning there may be a benefit to holding onto your assets for longer before you sell them.

What is capital gains tax on equity investments? ›

So STCG at 15% applies to capital gains from Equity Mutual Fund units held for 12 months or less. For a holding period exceeding 12 months, capital gains from Equity Mutual Funds are treated as LTCG. The LTCG rate, in this case, is 10% of cumulative capital gains over Rs. 1 lakh for a financial year.

Do you pay capital gains tax on equity? ›

Even if the value of your stocks goes up, you won't pay taxes until you sell the stock. Once you sell a stock that's gone up in value and you make a profit, you'll have to pay the capital gains tax. Note that you will, however, pay taxes on dividends whenever you receive them.

What is long-term capital gain on equity? ›

Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) on shares and equity-oriented mutual funds in India are taxed at a 10% rate (plus surcharge and cess) if they reach Rs. 1 lakh in a fiscal year. LTCG is defined as profits on the sale of shares or equity-oriented mutual funds held for more than a year.

What is long-term capital gain on equity mutual fund? ›

Long-term capital gains on mutual funds are available when you sell your equity shares after holding on to them for more than a year. When your long-term capital gains are above Rs 1 lakh, you will have to bear taxes on them. The LTCG on mutual funds tax rate is 10% with no indexation benefit.

How to calculate LTCG tax on mutual funds? ›

The profit of Rs 1,60,000 (200*1800 – 200*1000) is called long-term capital gains. You have to pay the long-term capital gains tax on the gains that are above Rs 1 lakh in a financial year. You have the LTCG tax on Rs 60,000. (Rs 1,60,000 – Rs 1,00,000) at 10%.

How to calculate long-term capital gain on equity mutual fund? ›

Long-term capital gain = Final Sale Price - (indexed cost of acquisition + indexed cost of improvement + cost of transfer), where the indexed cost of acquisition equals the cost of acquisition x cost inflation index of transfer/cost inflation index of acquisition.

How much tax do you pay on long-term stock gains? ›

Long-term capital gains tax is a tax applied to assets held for more than a year. The long-term capital gains tax rates are 0 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent, depending on your income. These rates are typically much lower than the ordinary income tax rate.

What is the exemption for long-term capital gains tax? ›

Capital gains up to Rs 1 lakh per year are exempted from capital gains tax. Long-term capital gain tax rate on equity investments/shares will continue to be charged at 10% on the gains. On the other hand, short-term capital gains tax on shares or equity investments will be charged at 15%.

At what age do you not pay capital gains? ›

Capital Gains Tax for People Over 65. For individuals over 65, capital gains tax applies at 0% for long-term gains on assets held over a year and 15% for short-term gains under a year. Despite age, the IRS determines tax based on asset sale profits, with no special breaks for those 65 and older.

Are capital gains taxed twice? ›

The taxation of capital gains places a double tax on corporate income. Before shareholders face taxes, the business first faces the corporate income tax.

How are capital gain distributions from mutual funds taxed? ›

Under current IRS regulations, capital gains distributions from mutual fund or ETF holdings are taxed as long-term capital gains, no matter how long the individual has owned shares of the fund.

Are long term equity shares taxable? ›

In India, shares long term capital gains tax (LTCG) and equity-oriented mutual funds incur a 10% tax (plus surcharge and cess) if they surpass Rs. 1 lakh in a fiscal year. LTCG applies to profits from the sale of shares or equity-oriented mutual funds held for over a year.

How are capital gains in mutual funds taxed? ›

Mutual Funds classified as equity funds have an equity exposure of at least 65%. As previously stated, when you redeem your equity fund units within a holding period of one year, you realize short-term capital gains. Regardless of your income tax bracket, these gains are taxed at a flat rate of 15%.

How are capital gains calculated on mutual funds? ›

Long-term capital gain = Final Sale Price - (indexed cost of acquisition + indexed cost of improvement + cost of transfer), where the indexed cost of acquisition equals the cost of acquisition x cost inflation index of transfer/cost inflation index of acquisition.

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