Complete reference guide under Income Tax Department guidance. Slabs, deductions, HRA, ITR deadlines, and verified examples. Everything you need to know for FY 2025-26 / AY 2026-27 (April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026).
This guide uses publicly available Income Tax Department references for AY 2026-27. Do not rely on unverified summaries for filing. Before filing ITR, verify your Form 16, employer TDS treatment, selected tax regime, rebate eligibility, and latest return due-date notification.
| Area | Use this site for | Verify before filing |
|---|---|---|
| Tax slabs | New vs old regime estimate | Income Tax Department AY 2026-27 page |
| Standard deduction | Salary tax estimate | Form 16 / employer payroll calculation |
| Section 87A rebate | Zero-tax estimate where eligible | Residential status and taxable income conditions |
| HRA | Lowest-of-three educational estimate | Rent proofs, salary definition, city category, old-regime eligibility |
| Deductions | 80C/80D/home-loan planning | Actual proofs and limits applicable to your case |
| ITR due date | Checklist planning | Latest Income Tax Department notification |
Source note: Links on this site point users to official Income Tax Department references for verification.
| Income Range | Rate | Tax on Slab |
|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹4,00,000 | NIL | ₹0 |
| ₹4,00,001 – ₹8,00,000 | 5% | ₹20,000 |
| ₹8,00,001 – ₹12,00,000 | 10% | ₹40,000 |
| ₹12,00,001 – ₹16,00,000 | 15% | ₹60,000 |
| ₹16,00,001 – ₹20,00,000 | 20% | ₹80,000 |
| ₹20,00,001 – ₹24,00,000 | 25% | ₹1,00,000 |
| Above ₹24,00,000 | 30% | On amount above ₹24L |
Plus: 4% Health & Education Cess on total tax. Standard deduction for salaried: ₹75,000. Section 87A rebate: ₹60,000 (zero tax if taxable ≤ ₹12L).
| Income Range | Rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Up to ₹2,50,000 | NIL | Senior 60-80: up to ₹3L. Super senior 80+: up to ₹5L |
| ₹2,50,001 – ₹5,00,000 | 5% | 87A rebate makes this zero if total ≤ ₹5L |
| ₹5,00,001 – ₹10,00,000 | 20% | Allows all deductions |
| Above ₹10,00,000 | 30% | Plus 4% cess |
Under the new tax regime, salaried employees earning up to ₹12,75,000 gross pay zero income tax. Here's how:
This zero-tax benefit applies only when taxable income (after standard deduction) is ≤ ₹12,00,000. So the maximum gross salary = ₹12,00,000 + ₹75,000 standard deduction = ₹12,75,000.
For self-employed individuals (no standard deduction), the zero-tax limit is ₹12,00,000 gross.
HRA exemption should be calculated only after verifying the currently applicable Income Tax Rules and city category. RupeeCalc uses the standard explanatory formula for education and estimation, not as a legal/tax opinion.
| Condition | Amount considered |
|---|---|
| Actual HRA received | As per salary structure/Form 16 |
| Rent paid minus 10% of salary | Rent paid − 10% of Basic + eligible DA |
| City category limit | 50% of salary for eligible metro category; 40% for other cities, subject to verification |
Important: HRA exemption is generally relevant under the old tax regime. In the new tax regime, HRA exemption is not normally available. Always verify against the latest Income Tax Department guidance or a qualified tax professional before filing.
HRA exemption is usually the lowest of: (a) actual HRA received, (b) rent paid minus 10% of salary, and (c) the applicable city-category percentage of salary. Salary here generally means Basic + eligible DA for this calculation.
Source note: Verify the latest Income Tax Rules/notifications and Form 16 treatment before claiming HRA.
| Section | What it Covers | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 80C | EPF, PPF, ELSS, LIC, 5-year FD, NSC, tuition fees, ULIP, home loan principal | ₹1,50,000 |
| 80D | Health insurance premium — self, spouse, children | ₹25,000 (₹50,000 if senior citizen) |
| 80D (parents) | Health insurance for parents | ₹25,000 (₹50,000 if senior parents) |
| Section 24(b) | Home loan interest on self-occupied property | ₹2,00,000 |
| 80E | Education loan interest | No limit (8 years) |
| 80G | Donations to approved charities | 50% or 100% of donation |
| 80CCD(1B) | NPS additional contribution | ₹50,000 |
| HRA | Rent paid in non-owned accommodation | See HRA formula above |
| LTA | Leave travel allowance — actual travel cost | 2 trips in 4-year block |
| Professional Tax | State professional tax paid | Actual (max ₹2,500) |
Marginal relief prevents disproportionately high tax for income slightly above ₹12 lakh taxable in the new regime. Without marginal relief, a person with ₹12.01L taxable would pay full slab tax. With marginal relief, additional tax is capped at the income above ₹12L.
| Taxable Income | Tax Without Relief | Tax With Marginal Relief | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹12,00,000 | ₹60,000 → rebate → ₹0 | ₹0 | — |
| ₹12,10,000 | ₹1,500 | ₹10,000 → wait, capped at excess: ₹10,000 | — |
| ₹12,50,000 | ₹7,500 | ₹7,500 (no relief needed — less than excess of ₹50K) | — |
| ₹13,00,000 | ₹15,000 | ₹15,000 (excess = ₹1L, tax < excess) | — |
Marginal relief applies when: taxable income is between ₹12L and ~₹12.5L, and calculated slab tax exceeds the income above ₹12L. The income tax calculator at RupeeCalc applies marginal relief automatically.
All examples: new tax regime, salaried, FY 2025-26 / AY 2026-27. Verified against Income Tax Department guidance.
| Gross Salary | Taxable Income | Total Tax | Monthly Tax | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₹6L | ₹5,25,000 | ₹0 | ₹0 | 0.0% |
| ₹8L | ₹7,25,000 | ₹0 | ₹0 | 0.0% |
| ₹10L | ₹9,25,000 | ₹0 | ₹0 | 0.0% |
| ₹12L | ₹11,25,000 | ₹0 | ₹0 | 0.0% |
| ₹12.75L | ₹12,00,000 | ₹0 | ₹0 | 0.0% |
| ₹15L | ₹14,25,000 | ₹97,500 | ₹8,125 | 6.5% |
| ₹20L | ₹19,25,000 | ₹1,92,400 | ₹16,033 | 9.6% |
| ₹30L | ₹29,25,000 | ₹4,75,800 | ₹39,650 | 15.9% |
| ₹50L | ₹49,25,000 | ₹10,99,800 | ₹91,650 | 22.0% |
Source: Income Tax Department guidance (Income Tax Department slab guidance) · official Income Tax Department guidance. Verified April 7, 2026.
| Return | Deadline | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27) | July 31, 2026 | Non-audit cases, individuals. Filed under old 1961 Act. |
| FY 2025-26 — Audit cases | October 31, 2026 | Businesses requiring CA audit |
| FY 2025-26 — Belated return | December 31, 2026 | With late fee ₹1,000 (≤₹5L) or ₹5,000 |
| FY 2025-26 — Revised return | December 31, 2026 | To correct errors in filed return |
| FY 2026-27 / AY 2027-28 | July 31, 2027 | Typical non-audit individual due date if not extended; verify fresh official notifications before filing. |
Important: Due dates can change through official notifications. Always verify the latest Income Tax Department due-date notification before filing or revising a return.
Maintained by the RupeeCalc editorial workflow. Last checked: 29 May 2026. This page gives informational estimates only; verify official sources, your own documents, and a qualified professional before filing taxes, taking loans, investing, invoicing, or making compliance decisions.