Tax on Mutual Funds

Variables Determining the Taxation for Mutual Funds

The principles of Mutual Fund taxation are much simpler to understand when they are further broken down into smaller pieces.

So, let us start by taking a look at the four variables that affect the tax liability of Mutual Funds:

1) Types of Funds

Mutual Funds are divided into various groups for tax purposes like Equity-Oriented Mutual Funds, Debt-Oriented Mutual Funds, and so on.

2) Capital Gains

When you sell a capital asset for more money than it costs to purchase, you make a profit, known as a Capital Gain.

3) Dividend

A dividend is a portion of accumulated profits that the Mutual Fund house distributes to the scheme's investors; investors do not need to sell their assets to receive a dividend.

4) Holding Period

The tax you will pay on your capital gains depends on the Holding Period. Therefore, less tax will be due if your Holding Period is longer. Because India's income tax laws encourage longer holding times, keeping your investment longer lowers your tax burden.

How Do Mutual Funds Generate Profits?

Mutual Fund investing allows investors to profit from either Capital Gains or Dividend Income. Let us define them and examine their differences in more detail.

Profit from selling an asset for more than its cost is known as a Capital Gain. However, it is crucial to remember that Capital Gains are only realized upon redeeming the Mutual Fund units. As a result, the Capital Gains Tax on Mutual Funds only becomes due at redemption. Therefore, the tax on Mutual Funds redemption must be paid when the upcoming fiscal year's income tax returns are submitted.

Another way for investors in Mutual Funds to receive income from a fund is through Dividends. Based on its accumulated distributable surplus, the Mutual Fund declares Dividends.

When paid to investors, Dividends are distributed at the fund's discretion and immediately subject to taxation. Therefore, when investors receive a Dividend from their Mutual Funds, they must pay tax on it. The following section contains information on the previous and current Mutual Fund dividend tax regulations.

- Taxation of Dividends Provided by Mutual Funds

The Finance Act of 2020 made a change that eliminated the Dividend Distribution Tax. Investors were exempt from paying taxes on dividend income from Mutual Funds.

The fund houses that announced dividends deducted dividend distribution tax (DDT) before paying them to the Mutual Fund investors. The investor must pay taxes on the entire dividend income according to the income tax bracket under the heading "Income from Other Sources."

The Mutual Fund scheme's dividend is also subject to TDS (tax deducted at source). The AMC is now required to deduct 10% TDS under Section 194K from the dividend that the Mutual Fund distributes to its investors when the rules have changed if the total dividend paid to an investor during a financial year exceeds ₹5,000. You can claim the 10% TDS that the AMC has already taken out when you pay your taxes and only pay the remaining amount.

- Taxation of Capital Gains Provided by Mutual Funds

The holding period and type of Mutual Funds affect the tax rate on capital gains for Mutual Funds. The holding period is the time an investor holds units of a mutual fund. Put simply, the holding period is the time between the date of buying and selling Mutual Funds units.

The following categories apply to capital gains realized on the sale of Mutual Fund units-

- Taxation of Capital Gains Provided by Equity Funds

Mutual Funds classified as equity funds have an equity exposure of at least 65%. As previously stated, when you redeem your equity fund units within a holding period of one year, you realize short-term capital gains.

When you sell your equity fund units after holding them for at least a year, you realize long-term capital gains. These capital gains are tax-free, up to Rs 1.25 lakh per year.

Any long-term capital gains over this threshold are subject to a 12.5% LTCG tax, with no benefit of indexation.

- Taxation of Capital Gains Provided by Debt Funds

Debt mutual funds have entirely different taxation. If a debt investment is sold within 3 years, it will be deemed as STCG. This STCG will be added to the income of the investor and would be liable to be taxed according to the tax slab under which the investor falls.

If debt investments have a holding period of more than 3 years, they will be termed LTCG. They will attract an LTCG tax as per the individual's tax slab rate with no indexation benefits. 

Note: Indexation applies to only LTCG that's earned on non-equity-oriented mutual funds. 

Another important thing to note is that the fund manager will levy an STT of 0.001% if you plan to sell your equity fund units. STT does not apply to the sale of units in debt funds. 

It is essential to remember that debt funds no longer have the benefit of LTCG. The capital gains that arise from such funds will be liable to be taxed according to the tax slab rate under which an investor falls in.

- Taxation of Capital Gains Provided by Hybrid Funds

Whether a Hybrid Fund is equity-focused or debt-focused determines how the Mutual Fund taxes it. All other hybrid funds are debt-focused, while those with equity exposure over 65% are considered equity-focused schemes.

Depending on their equity exposure, hybrid funds may or may not be subject to the same tax regulations as Equity or Debt Funds.

- Securities Transaction Tax or STT

The Securities Transaction Tax is separate from the Capital Gains and Dividend Taxes. When you buy or sell Mutual Fund units of an Equity Fund or a Hybrid Equity-Oriented Fund, the government (Ministry of Finance) will assess an STT of 0.001%. On the other hand, the sale of Debt Fund units is exempt from STT.

Conclusion

In conclusion, investors can learn how Mutual Funds are taxed if they are concerned that their returns from Mutual Funds will be reduced after paying taxes. They can determine what is advantageous for them by calculating how the tax rules for long- and short-term investments in equity and debt funds differ.

By investing in tax-saver funds, they can reduce their tax obligations and generate corpus. Taxation for a type of fund is the same whether it is purchased in a lump sum or through an SIP (Systematic Investment Plan). However, long-term investments may be more tax-efficient than holding the units for a brief period.