The Government has granted further extension of timelines of compliances under Income Tax Act. It has also announced tax exemption for expenditure on COVID-19 treatment and ex-gratia received on death due to COVID-19. The details are as follows.
Tax exemption for Covid treatment
Many taxpayers have received financial help from their employers and well-wishers for meeting their expenses incurred for treatment of Covid-19. In order to ensure that no income tax liability arises on this account, it has been decided to provide income-tax exemption to the amount received by a taxpayer for medical treatment from employer or from any person for treatment of Covid-19 during FY 2019-20 and subsequent years, the government said.
Tax exemption to dead Covid victims
Unfortunately, certain taxpayers have lost their life due to Covid-19. Employers and well-wishers of such taxpayers had extended financial assistance to their family members so that they could cope with the difficulties arisen due to the sudden loss of the earning member of their family.
In order to provide relief to the family members of such taxpayer, it has been decided to provide income-tax exemption to ex-gratia payment received by family members of a person from the employer of such person or from other person on the death of the person on account of Covid-19 during FY 2019-20 and subsequent years. The exemption shall be allowed without any limit for the amount received from the employer and the exemption shall be limited to Rs 10 lakh in aggregate for the amount received from any other persons, said the government,
Extension of timelines
In view of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, taxpayers are facing inconvenience in meeting certain tax compliances and also in filing response to various notices. In order to ease compliances to be made by taxpayers during this difficult time, reliefs are being provided. We are highlighting a few extensions here.
* TDS statement – The Statement of Deduction of Tax for the last quarter of the Financial Year 2020-21, required to be furnished on or before 31st May, 2021 under Rule 31A of the Income-tax Rules,1962 (hereinafter referred to as “the Rulesâ€), as extended to 30th June, 2021 vide Circular No.9 of 2021, may be furnished on or before 15th July, 2021.
* TDS certificate – The Certificate of Tax Deducted at Source in Form No.16, required to be furnished to the employee by 15th June, 2021 under Rule 31 of the Rules, as extended to 15th July, 2021 vide Circular No.9 of 2021, may be furnished on or before 31st July, 2021.
* Section 54 compliance – The compliances to be made by the taxpayers such as investment, deposit, payment, acquisition, purchase, construction or such other action, by whatever name called, for the purpose of claiming any exemption under the provisions contained in Section 54 to 54GB of the Act, for which the last date of such compliance falls between 1st April, 2021 to 29th September, 2021 (both days inclusive), may be completed on or before 30th September, 2021.
* 15G/15H documents – Uploading of the declarations received from recipients in Form No. 15G/15H during the quarter ending 30th June, 2021, which is required to be uploaded on or before 15th July, 2021, may be uploaded by 31st August,2021.
* Aadhaar and PAN linkage – Last date of linkage of Aadhaar with PAN under section 139AA of the Act, which was earlier extended to 30th June, 2021 is further extended to 30th September, 2021.
