Income Tax Deductions FY 2020-21

Learn about the various deductions available under Income Tax Act for FY 2020-21 and AY 2021-22

Section 80CCC – Insurance Premium

Deduction for premium paid for annuity plan of LIC or other insurer

Section 80CCC provides a deduction to an individual for any amount paid or deposited in any annuity plan of LIC or any other insurer. The plan must be for receiving a pension from a fund referred to in Section 10(23AAB). Pension received from the annuity or amount received upon surrender of the annuity, including interest or bonus accrued on the annuity, is taxable in the year of receipt.

Section 80CCD – Pension Contribution

Deduction for contribution to pension account

1. Employee’s contribution under Section 80CCD (1)
You can claim this if you deposit in your pension account. Maximum deduction you can avail is 10% of salary (in case the taxpayer is an employee) or 20% of gross total income (in case the taxpayer being self-employed) or Rs 1.5 lakh – whichever is less.
Until FY 2016-17, maximum deduction allowed was 10% of gross total income for self-employed individuals.

2. Deduction for self-contribution to NPS – section 80CCD (1B)
A new section 80CCD (1B) has been introduced for an additional deduction of up to Rs 50,000 for the amount deposited by a taxpayer to their NPS account. Contributions to Atal Pension Yojana are also eligible.

3. Employer’s contribution to NPS – Section 80CCD (2)
Claim additional deduction on your contribution to employee’s pension account for up to 10% of your salary. There is no monetary ceiling on this deduction.

Section 80D

Deduction for the premium paid for medical insurance
You (as an individual or HUF) can claim a deduction of Rs.25,000 under section 80D on insurance for self, spouse and dependent children. An additional deduction for insurance of parents is available up to Rs 25,000 if they are less than 60 years of age. If the parents are aged above 60, the deduction amount is Rs 50,000, which has been increased in Budget 2018 from Rs 30,000.
In case, both taxpayer and parent(s) are 60 years or above, the maximum deduction available under this section is up to Rs 1 lakh.

Section 80DD

Deduction for rehabilitation of handicapped dependent relative
Section 80DD deduction is available to a resident individual or a HUF and is available on:

1. Expenditure incurred on medical treatment (including nursing), training and rehabilitation of handicapped dependent relative
2. Payment or deposit to specified scheme for maintenance of handicapped dependent relative.
3. Where disability is 40% or more but less than 80% – fixed deduction of Rs 75,000.
4. Where there is severe disability (disability is 80% or more) – fixed deduction of Rs 1,25,000.

To claim this deduction a certificate of disability is required from prescribed medical authority.

Section 80DDB

Deduction for medical expenditure on self or dependent relative

1. For Individuals and HUFs below age 60

A deduction up to Rs.40,000 is available to a resident individual or a HUF. It is available with respect to any expense incurred towards treatment of specified medical diseases or ailments for himself or any of his dependents. For an HUF, such a deduction is available with respect to medical expenses incurred towards these prescribed ailments for any of the HUF members.

2. For senior citizens and super senior citizens

In case the individual on behalf of whom such expenses are incurred is a senior citizen, the individual or HUF taxpayer can claim a deduction up to Rs 1 lakh. Until FY 2017-18, the deduction that could be claimed for a senior citizen and a super senior citizen was Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000 respectively. This has now become a common deduction available up to Rs 1 lakh for all senior citizens (including super senior citizens) unlike earlier.

3. For reimbursement claims

Any reimbursement of medical expenses by an insurer or employer shall be reduced from the quantum of deduction the taxpayer can claim under this section.
Also remember that you need to get a prescription for such medical treatment from the concerned specialist in order to claim such deduction. Read our detailed article on Section 80DDB.

Section 80E

Deduction for interest on education loan for higher studies
A deduction is allowed to an individual for interest on loans taken for pursuing higher education. This loan may have been taken for the taxpayer, spouse or children or for a student for whom the taxpayer is a legal guardian.
80E deduction is available for a maximum of 8 years (beginning the year in which the interest starts getting repaid) or till the entire interest is repaid, whichever is earlier. There is no restriction on the amount that can be claimed.

Section 80EE

Deductions on home loan interest for first time home owners
The deduction under section 80EE is available only to home owners (individuals) having only one house property on the date of sanction of the loan. There is an additional deduction of Rs 50,000 available on your home loan interest on top of deduction of Rs 2 lakh (on interest component of home loan EMI) allowed under section 24.

Section 80G

Deduction for donations towards Social Causes
The various donations specified in u/s 80G are eligible for deduction up to either 100% or 50% with or without restriction. From FY 2017-18 any donations made in cash exceeding Rs 2,000 will not be allowed as deduction. The donations above Rs 2000 should be made in any mode other than cash to qualify for 80G deduction.

a. Donations with 100% deduction without any qualifying limit

• National Defence Fund set up by the Central Government
• Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund
• National Foundation for Communal Harmony
• An approved university/educational institution of National eminence
• Zila Saksharta Samiti constituted in any district under the chairmanship of the Collector of that district
• Fund set up by a State Government for the medical relief to the poor
• National Illness Assistance Fund
• National Blood Transfusion Council or to any State Blood Transfusion Council
• National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities
• National Sports Fund
• National Cultural Fund
• Fund for Technology Development and Application
• National Children’s Fund
• Chief Minister’s Relief Fund or Lieutenant Governor’s Relief Fund with respect to any State or Union Territory
• The Army Central Welfare Fund or the Indian Naval Benevolent Fund or the Air Force Central Welfare Fund, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Cyclone Relief Fund, 1996
• The Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund during October 1, 1993 and October 6,1993
• Chief Minister’s Earthquake Relief Fund, Maharashtra
• Any fund set up by the State Government of Gujarat exclusively for providing relief to the victims of earthquake in Gujarat
• Any trust, institution or fund to which Section 80G(5C) applies for providing relief to the victims of earthquake in Gujarat (contribution made during January 26, 2001 and September 30, 2001) or
• Prime Minister’s Armenia Earthquake Relief Fund
• Africa (Public Contributions — India) Fund
• Swachh Bharat Kosh (applicable from financial year 2014-15)
• Clean Ganga Fund (applicable from financial year 2014-15)
• National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse (applicable from financial year 2015-16)

b. Donations with 50% deduction without any qualifying limit

• Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund
• Prime Minister’s Drought Relief Fund
• Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust
• The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation

c. Donations to the following are eligible for 100% deduction subject to 10% of adjusted gross total income

• Government or any approved local authority, institution or association to be utilized for the purpose of promoting family planning
• Donation by a Company to the Indian Olympic Association or to any other notified association or institution established in India for the development of infrastructure for sports and games in India or the sponsorship of sports and games in India

d. Donations to the following are eligible for 50% deduction subject to 10% of adjusted gross total income

• Any other fund or any institution which satisfies conditions mentioned in Section 80G(5)
• Government or any local authority to be utilized for any charitable purpose other than the purpose of promoting family planning
• Any authority constituted in India for the purpose of dealing with and satisfying the need for housing accommodation or for the purpose of planning, development or improvement of cities, towns, villages or both
• Any corporation referred in Section 10(26BB) for promoting the interest of minority community
• For repairs or renovation of any notified temple, mosque, gurudwara, church or other places.

Section 80GGA

Donations made towards scientific research or rural development
Section 80GGA allows deductions for donations made towards scientific research or rural development. This deduction is allowed to all assesses except those who have an income (or loss) from a business and/or a profession.

Mode of payment: Donations can be made in the form of a cheque or by a draft or in cash; however, cash donations in excess of Rs 10,000 are not allowed as deductions. 100% of the amount that is donated or contributed is considered eligible for deductions.

Section 80GGC

Deduction on contributions given by any person to political parties
Deduction under section 80GGC is allowed to an individual taxpayer for any amount contributed to a political party or an electoral trust. It is not available for companies, local authorities and an artificial juridical person wholly or partly funded by the government. You can avail this deduction only if you pay by any way other than cash.

Section 80 TTA

Deduction from Gross Total Income for Interest on Savings Bank Account
Section 80TTA provides a deduction of Rs 10,000 on interest income. This deduction is available to an Individual and HUF.
This deduction is allowed on interest earned:

• From a savings account with a bank
• From a savings account with a co-operative society carrying on the business of banking
• From a savings account with a post office

This deduction is NOT allowed on interest earned on time deposits. Time deposits mean deposits repayable on expiry of fixed periods. It shall not be allowed for

• Interest from fixed deposits
• Interest from recurring deposits
• Any other time deposits

Maximum Deduction – The maximum deduction is limited to Rs 10,000. If your interest income is less than Rs 10,000, the entire interest income will be your deduction. If your interest income is more than Rs 10,000, your deduction shall be limited to Rs 10,000. (You have to consider your total interest income from all banks where you have accounts).

How to claim the deduction – First add your total interest income under the head ‘Income from Other Sources’ in your Return. The deduction is shown under section 80 Deductions under section 80TTA.

Section 80U

Deduction for person suffering from physical disability
A deduction of Rs.75,000 is available to a resident individual who suffers from a physical disability (including blindness) or mental retardation. In case of severe disability, one can claim a deduction of Rs 1,25,000.