Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed significant changes to the taxation of capital gains on equity market transactions in the 2024 budget. Here’s a summary of the key points:

1. Increase in Tax Rates for Long-term and Short-term Capital Gains:

• Short-term Capital Gains: Tax rate increased from 15% to 20% for listed shares and equity-oriented mutual funds held for twelve months or less.
• Long-term Capital Gains: Tax rate increased from 10% to 12.50% for holdings over twelve months. The tax-free threshold for long-term gains is raised from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.25 lakh.

2. Grandfathering Provisions:

• Shares or units acquired before February 1, 2018, can use the closing price or Net Asset Value as of January 31, 2018, as the cost of acquisition for capital gains computation.

3. Increase in Securities Transactions Tax (STT):

• Options in Securities: STT increased from 0.0625% to 0.1% of the option premium.
• Futures in Securities: STT increased from 0.0125% to 0.02% of the traded price.
• • •  

4. Changes in Taxation of Share Buybacks:

• The current scheme exempting shareholders from tax on buyback proceeds (tax paid by the company) is abolished.
• Buyback proceeds will now be treated as dividends and taxed at the shareholder’s applicable slab rate.
• Shareholders cannot claim the acquisition cost against buyback amounts, but they can claim the cost as a capital loss due to share extinguishment, which can offset eligible gains.

Read More: Budget 2024 All Updates 

These changes are set to apply from October 1, 2024, and are expected to impact the cash flow of small shareholders and potentially reduce the number of share buybacks.

Understanding the New Capital Gains Tax Regime

The Budget introduced a revised framework for capital gains tax, focusing on both short-term and long-term gains from equity investments. Below is a summary of the main modifications:

• Increased Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG) Tax: Previously, profits from selling equity shares or units of equity-oriented mutual funds held for less than a year were taxed at a flat 15% under Section 111A. Budget 2024 has increased this rate to 20%. This means investors who engage in frequent trading or short-term investment strategies will face a higher tax burden.
• Adjusted Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) Tax: Previously, long-term capital gains (LTCG) on listed shares held for more than a year were taxed at a concessional rate of 10% with an exemption limit of ₹1 lakh. Budget 2024 has introduced a new uniform LTCG tax rate of 12.5% for all financial and non-financial assets. However, the exemption limit has also been increased to ₹1.25 lakh. It’s important to note that the indexation benefit for non-equity assets, which adjusted for inflation, has been removed.

Impact on Equity Investors

These changes will have a multi-pronged effect on equity investors:

• Increased Tax Outflow: The higher tax rates for both STCG and LTCG will undoubtedly impact investors’ overall returns. For those engaging in frequent trading, the 20% STCG tax can significantly eat into profits. Similarly, the 12.5% LTCG tax, while still lower than the previous highest rate of 20%, will reduce the post-tax returns compared to the earlier 10% rate.
• Rebalancing Investment Strategy: The revised tax structure may prompt investors to re-evaluate their investment horizons. A longer holding period for LTCG benefits may encourage investors to focus on long-term wealth creation strategies. Additionally, exploring tax-efficient investment options like tax-saving Equity Linked Saving Schemes (ELSS) might become more attractive. Diversification across asset classes can also help mitigate the overall tax impact.
• Impact on Equity Mutual Funds: Equity mutual funds, a popular investment vehicle for many, will also be affected by the increased LTCG tax. Investors holding equity mutual funds for more than a year will face a slightly higher tax burden compared to the previous regime.