Taxpayer makes use of espresso maker, laundry basket in bid to avoid wasting on tax

(This story initially appeared in on Might 02, 2022)

MUMBAI: In an income-tax (I-T) litigation over capital beneficial properties arising on sale of a flat, the Revenue-Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT)’s Mumbai bench discovered that the taxpayer had handled bills similar to for wallpaper and labour, furnishings, crockery and even kitchen home equipment similar to chimney, microwave and low maker because the “price of enchancment”. Even the acquisition worth of a laundry basket and a shoe rack cupboard was handled as a price of enchancment.

Tax legal guidelines present that the sale consideration minus the price of acquisition and value of enchancment (each of that are adjusted by making use of the associated fee inflation index) determines the capital beneficial properties. Greater the price of these two parts, decrease is the taxable capital beneficial properties and consequently the tax outgo. On sale of a flat held for greater than two years, the capital beneficial properties that come up is handled as long run and is topic to a tax at 20%.

Whereas the price of acquisition constitutes the acquisition worth of the flat and bills similar to registration price and dealer charges, the price of enchancment consists of capital expenditure that will increase the worth of the property.

In some instances, although, the idea of the price of enchancment is stretched too far. Pointless so as to add, on this case the place the taxpayer bought her flat for a sale consideration of Rs 1.1 crore, however throughout the related monetary yr 2015-16 claimed a price of enchancment of Rs. 19.8 lakh, the I-T division was not amused. The stand taken by the I-T division was backed by the ITAT.

“I stand to disagree with the rivalry of the appellant that each one the bills incurred had been obligatory for making the flat liveable. If the construction of the constructing is powerful and intact and there’s correct provide of electrical energy and water, the constructing is taken into account liveable. Aside from laying the tiles, the bills of which have been allowed by the I-T officer, no different enchancment of a everlasting nature involving utilization of capital asset has been caused to the property,” held Shamim Yahya, who constituted the only member bench of the ITAT.

Noting the lengthy record of things that had been included within the mixture sum of the price of enchancment, the ITAT member famous that there are equipment and luxurious gadgets and completely out of the purview of a capital asset.

Additional, just about the invoices of furnishings and fixtures that had been submitted as proof, the cost of such bills had been made in money and no proof of supply was given.

Puneet Gupta, director, Folks Advisory Companies, EY India, says, “A distinction ought to be made between capital prices that develop into an integral a part of the home versus the price of movable gadgets similar to furnishings and fittings, which will likely be handled as private results. The taxpayer should be capable to substantiate the expenditure with documentary proof.”