Tax planning is the smart process of organizing your finances to legally reduce the amount of tax you owe. It means making the most of available deductions, exemptions, and credits under the law to improve your tax efficiency.
The goal? To minimize your tax liability while staying fully compliant with the rules.
It’s important to note that tax planning is not the same as tax evasion. While tax evasion is illegal and involves hiding income or falsifying information, tax planning is completely legal. It’s about understanding the tax laws in your country and using them wisely.
With proper tax planning, you avoid both overpaying and underpaying your taxes — and that means more savings, less stress.
Short-range tax planning: Under this method, tax planning is thought of and executed at the end of the fiscal year. Investors resort to this planning in an attempt to search for ways to limit their tax liability legally when the financial year comes to an end. This method does not partake long-term commitments. However, it can still promote substantial tax savings.
Long-term tax planning: This plan is chalked out at the beginning of the fiscal and the taxpayer follows this plan throughout the year. Unlike short-range tax planning, you might not be offered with immediate tax benefits but it can prove useful in the long run.
Permissive tax planning: This method involves planning under various provisions of the Indian taxation laws. Tax planning in India offers several provisions such as deductions, exemptions, contributions, and incentives. For instance, Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, offers several types of deductions on various tax-saving instruments.
Purposive tax planning: Purposive tax planning involves using tax-saver instruments with a specific purpose in mind. This ensures that you obtain optimal benefits from your investments. This includes accurately selecting the appropriate investments, creating an apt agenda to replace assets (if required), and diversification of business and income assets based on your residential status.
1. To minimise litigation: To litigate is to resolve tax disputes with local, federal, state, or foreign tax authorities. There is often friction between tax collectors and taxpayers as the former attempts to extract the maximum amount possible while the latter desires to keep their tax liability to a minimum. Minimising litigation saves the taxpayer from legal liabilities.
2. To reduce tax liabilities: Every taxpayer wishes to reduce their tax burden and save money for their future. You can reduce your payable tax by arranging your investments within the various benefits offered under the Income Tax Act, 1961. The Act offers many tax planning investment schemes that can significantly reduce your tax liability.
3. To ensure economic stability: Tax payer's money is devoted to the betterment of the country. Effective tax planning and management provide a healthy inflow of white money that results in the sound progress of the economy. This benefits both the citizens and the economy.
4. To leverage productivity: One of the core tax planning objectives is channelising funds from taxable sources to different income-generating plans. This ensures optimal utilisation of funds for productive causes.