Cost of Inflation Index AY 2012-13 ~ Long term Capital Gains ~ Double Indexation

Double Indexation, FMP, Cost of Inflation Index AY 2012-13 ,To compute Long term Capital Gains Indexation, AY 2012-13, Tax Planning, Fixed Maturity Plans, Debt Funds Taxation, Real Estate Capital Gains
COST INFLATION INDEX TABLE – FINANCIAL YEAR 1981-82 ONWARDS:
Assessment Year (AY)
Financial Year (FY)
Cost Inflation Index (CII)
2014-15
2013-14
2013-14
2012-13
852
2012-13
2011-12
785
2011-12
2010-11
711
2010-11
2009-10
632
2009-10
2008-09
582
2008-09
2007-08
551
2007-08
2006-07
519
2006-07
2005-06
497
2005-06
2004-05
480
2004-05
2003-04
463
2003-04
2002-03
447
2002-03
2001-02
426
2001-02
2000-01
406
2000-01
1999-2000
389
1999-2000
1998-99
351
1998-99
1997-98
331
1997-98
1996-97
305
1996-97
1995-96
281
1995-96
1994-95
259
1994-95
1993-94
244
1993-94
1992-93
223
1992-93
1991-92
199
1991-92
1990-91
182
1990-91
1989-90
172
1989-90
1988-89
161
1988-89
1987-88
150
1987-88
1986-87
140
1986-87
1985-86
133
1985-86
1984-85
125
1984-85
1983-84
116
1983-84
1982-83
109
1982-83
1981-82
100

The cost of inflation index is useful for income-tax assesses in the computation of tax on long-term capital gains (for indexation purposes). In the previous two years, the cost inflation index rose 10 per cent and 12.5 per cent, respectively.
A cost inflation index helps reduce the inflationary gains, thereby reducing the long-term capital gains tax payout for the taxpayer. Currently, the income-tax law allows long-term capital gains to be computed after adjusting for inflation (Debt Mutual Funds, FMP’s, Real Estate Gains etc.) .
The cost of acquisition as well as the cost of improvement is adjusted for inflation between the date of purchase and date of sale (through the cost inflation index) before the long-term capital gain is ascertained. (~ The Hindu)

Assume, if the investor invested Rs 1,00,000 in the growth option on March 30, 2009 and redeemed the investment on April 2, 2010 for Rs 1,10,000 
The investment happened in financial year 2008-09, for which the government has declared cost inflation index of 582.
The investor redeemed the investment in financial year in 2010-11, for which the cost inflation index is 711.
The capital gains is Rs. 110,000 minus Rs. 100,000 i.e. Rs. 10,000.
The holding period is 367 days, which is more than 1 year. Therefore, it is a long term capital gain.
The maximum tax the investor has to bear is 10% (plus surcharge plus education cess) on the capital gain of Rs. 10,000. Thus, the maximum tax payable would be Rs. 1,000 (plus surcharge plus education cess).
Investor can benefit from indexation. The indexed cost of acquisition is Rs. 100,000 X 711 ÷ 582 i.e. Rs. 122,165. This is higher than the selling price of Rs. 110,000. Thus, the investor ends up with a long term capital loss of Rs. 12, 165. This can be set off against long term capital gains, as discussed in the next section.
Another point to note is that although the investor held the investment for slightly more than a year, the investor gets the benefit of indexation for two years viz. 2009-10 and 2010-11. Hence the name “double indexation” for such structures.
Mutual funds tend to come out with fixed maturity plans towards the end of every financial year to help them benefit from such double indexation. 
Largely investors are unaware about this benefit. This benefit can and should be taken by investing towards the end of a financial year, if the investor has surplus funds, because the capital gains virtually becomes tax free due to the double indexation benefit.

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