21-08-2013, 04:57 PM
INCOME UNDER THE HEAD SALARIES - I
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INTRODUCTION
As discussed in an earlier lesson, income means a receipt in the form of money or
money’s worth which is derived from definite source with some sort of regularity
or expected regularity. These definite sources of income are salaries, house
property, business or profession, capital gains and any other source. If an income
is not derived from any of these sources, it is not taxable under the Income Tax
Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred as ‘Act’). For example, if a person finds a purse
containing Rs.1000 on road, it is not treated as income since it is not received
from any definite source.
We have also learnt that scope of total income is determined with reference to
residential status of a person i.e. total income of each person is based on his
residential status. Once we know what incomes of a person are taxable, then we
need to know how to compute total taxable income according to the provisions of
Income Tax Act.
OBJECTIVES
After reading this lesson, you should be able to understand:
Classification of income into various heads.
Concept of salary income
Incomes forming part of salary
The computation of basic salary in grade system
Types of commission an employee can get
The concept of allowances
Various income tax provisions for computing taxable value of allowances
Computation of taxable value of allowances
HEADS OF INCOME
Income of a person is classified into 5 categories. Thus, income belonging to a
particular category is taxed under a separate head of income pertaining to that
category. Section 14 of the Act, has classified five different heads of income for
the purpose of computation of total income.
BASIC SALARY
All employees are entitled to a basic salary which is fixed as per their respective
terms of employment either as a fixed amount or at a graded system of salary.
Under this graded system, apart from the basic salary at which the employee will
start, annual increments to be given to the employee are pre fixed in the grade.
For example, if a person is employed on 1st May, 2004 in the grade of 12000 –
300 – 15000, this means that he will start at a basic salary of Rs.12000 from 1st
May, 2004. He will get an annual increment of Rs.300 w.e.f. 1st May, 2005 and
onwards every year on the same date till his basic salary reaches Rs.15, 000. No
further increment is given thereafter till he is promoted and placed in other grade.
FEES, COMMISSION AND BONUS
Any fees or commission paid or payable to an employee is fully taxable and is
included in salary. Commission payable may be at a fixed amount or a fixed
percentage of turnovers. In both the cases, it is taxable as salary only when it is
paid or payable by the employer to the employee. When commission is based on
fixed percentage of turnover achieved by employee, it is included in basic salary
for the purpose of grant of retirement benefits and for computing certain
exemptions that we will discuss later on.
TAXABLE VALUE OF ALLOWANCES
Allowance is a fixed monetary amount paid by the employer to the employee
(over and above basic salary) for meeting certain expenses, whether personal or
for the performance of his duties. These allowances are generally taxable and are
to be included in gross salary unless specific exemption is provided in respect of
such allowance.