Tax dept not to take action on cash deposits made after declaring income under IDS

The government has said no adverse action will be taken by Financial Intelligence Unit or the income-tax department solely on the basis of the information regarding cash deposit made consequent to the declaration under the black money scheme.

 

Credit for unclaimed tax deducted at source made on declared income shall be allowed and no capital gains tax or TDS (tax deducted at source) shall be levied on transfer of declared benami property from benamidar to the declarant without consideration.

 

To reassure people about the Income Declaration Scheme, 2016, which will close on September 30, the Central Board of Direct Taxes has come out with sixth set of clarifications in form of frequently asked questions.

 

It has again assured those wanting to declare unaccounted assets or income that information in respect of a valid declaration would be confidential and not be shared with any law enforcement agency nor shall be enquired into by the income-tax department itself.

 

The scheme provides an opportunity to persons who have not paid full taxes in the past to come forward and declare their undisclosed income and assets. The scheme came into effect on June 1, 2016 and is open for declarations up to September 30, 2016.

 

A total tax of 45 per cent including surcharge and penalty has to be paid.

 

The amount payable under the scheme can be deposited in instalments. As per the latest clarification, assets declared under the scheme are to be valued at cost of acquisition or at fair market price as on June 1, 2016 as determined by the registered valuer, whichever is higher.

 

However, an option for valuation of registered immovable property on the basis of stamp duty value of acquisition adjusted with the Cost Inflation Index has also been provided.

 

The amount of fictitious liabilities recorded in audited balance sheet and not linked to acquisition of an asset can be disclosed under the scheme as such. The period of holding of declared registered immovable assets shall be taken on the basis of the actual date of registration.

 

The valuation report obtained by the declarant from a registered valuer shall not be questioned by the department. However, the valuer’s accountability will remain, it said.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/tax/tax-dept-not-to-take-action-on-cash-deposits-made-after-declaring-income-under-ids/articleshow/54022802.cms

IDS: CBDT issues circular endorsing validity of e-declarations

The CBDT has issued an order endorsing the legal validity of the e-declarations made under the ongoing domestic black money window, known as the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS).

With only a month left for the IDS to close on September 30, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said for those entities who make declarations of their domestic untaxed assets in the online mode, the Commissioner rank officer of its Central Processing Centre (CPC) in Bengaluru will be “deemed” as the authority for receiving such declarations under the relevant sections of the I-T Act.

“In continuation to Circular No 19 of 2016, dated 25th May, 2016, the Commissioner of Income-tax, Centralised Processing Centre, headquartered at Bengaluru shall exercise the concurrent powers and functions in respect of the declaration referred to in section 183 of the Finance Act, 2016 which has been furnished electronically under digital signature and shall also be deemed to be the Principal Commissioner or the Commissioner for the purposes of section 186 of the Finance Act, 2016 in respect of such declaration,” the CBDT said.

The CPC based in Bengaluru is the nodal wing of the tax department to receive online filings and Income Tax Returns.

There are two options to file black money declarations under the one-time IDS, one by filling up physical form before a Principal Commissioner of Income Tax in any part of the country and the other by the official e-filing portal of the I-T department.

“The circular has been brought out to endorse the legal validity of IDS declarations made by the e-filing website. It was issued keeping in mind the legal requirement,” a senior official said.

The CBDT, till now, has issued five sets of clarifications or frequently asked questions (FAQs) containing answers to various questions on the implementation of the IDS.

The government, sometime back, had extended the deadline for payment of tax and penalty under IDS and allowed declarants to pay the amount in three instalments by September 30 next year.

The first instalment of 25 per cent under the IDS 2016 will have to be paid by November 2016, followed by another 25 per cent by March 31, 2017.

The remaining amount will have to be paid to the exchequer by September 30, 2017.

Earlier the tax, surcharge and penalty under the black money disclosure window were required to be paid by November 30.

The scheme was announced by the government with an aim to bring out black money from the domestic economy.

The government had come out with a similar scheme for Indians holding undisclosed income abroad.

The scheme will apply to undisclosed income whether in the form of investment in assets or otherwise, pertaining to financial year 2015-16 or earlier.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/ids-cbdt-issues-circular-endorsing-validity-of-edeclarations/article9056076.ece

Black money window: CBDT issues notification to ensure secrecy

CBDT today issued a notification making it clear that information about those who declare their black money under the compliance window, ending September 30, will be kept secret.

The notification states that “no public servant shall produce before any person or authority any such document or record or any information or computerised data or part thereof as comes into his possession during the discharge of official duties in respect of valid declaration under the Income Declaration Scheme, 2016.”

The notification also quotes provisions of section 138 of the Income Tax Act which states that taxpayer related information is confidential and cannot be shared.

The fresh notification was issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), a senior official said, as the department was getting a number of queries with regard to the confidentiality under the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) or the one-time domestic black money compliance window.

Trade associations and industry bodies had also taken up the issue during their meeting with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley recently.

“The notification now gives legal sanctity to the word of the government that all information related to IDS will be kept confidential. It is aimed to end apprehensions in the minds of potential declarants that their information will find its way in the hands of other probe agencies or will reach the public domain,” the official said.

The IDS is open for four months, between June 1 and September 30 and the CBDT and the IT department have introduced a number of measures to make it a success.

CBDT has so far issued three sets of clarifications on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to clear doubts and answer queries about the IDS.

The department has also published a country-wide list of registered asset valuers for those who wish to declare their untaxed funds and properties under this window.

The CBDT has also directed the taxman to step up publicity by advertising about the IDS at posh markets, clubs and showrooms. Besides, it has promised full privacy would be ensured for those making disclosures for better collections.

Under the scheme, the declarants will have to pay a total of 45 per cent in tax and penalty by November this year. Individuals and entities making disclosures will have immunity from prosecution.

IDS was announced with an aim to flush out black money from the domestic economy. It will apply to undisclosed income whether in the form of investment in assets or otherwise, pertaining to financial year 2015-16 or earlier.

Declarations under IDS can either be made online on the official e-filing website of the tax department or before various regional Principal Commissioners of I-T department.

Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/53155906.cms