a. In case of long-term capital gain, capital gain = final sale price – (transfer cost + indexed acquisition cost + indexed house improvement cost).
Indexed cost of acquisition = cost of acquisition x cost inflation index of the year of transfer/cost inflation index of the year of acquisition.
Indexed cost of improvement = cost of improvement x cost inflation index of the year of transfer/cost inflation index of the year of improvement.
b. Section 54 of income tax act gives relief to a taxpayer who sells his residential house and from the sale proceeds he acquires another residential house.
Following conditions should be satisfied to claim the benefit of section 54.
The benefit of section 54 is available only to an individual or HUF.
The asset transferred should be a long-term capital asset, being a residential house
property.
Within a period of one year before or two years after the date of transfer of old
house, the taxpayer should acquire another residential house or should construct a
residential house within a period of three years from the date of transfer of the old
house. In case of compulsory acquisition the period of acquisition or construction
will be determined from the date of receipt of compensation (whether original or
additional).
With effect from Assessment Year 2020-21, the Finance Act, 2019 has amended Section 54 to extend the benefit of exemption in respect of investment made in two residential house properties. The exemption for investment made, by way of purchase or construction, in two residential house properties shall be available if the amount of longterm capital gains does not exceed Rs. 2 crores. If assessee exercises this option, he shall not be entitled to exercise this option again for the same or any other assessment year.
2. No TDS is required to be deducted if sale consideration is less than Rs 50 lakhs. If the payment is made by instalments, then TDS has to be deducted on each instalment paid.
TDS is to be paid on the entire sale amount. For example, if you have bought a house at Rs 55lakh, you have to pay TDS on Rs 55 lakh and not on Rs 5 lakh (i.e. Rs 55 lakh – Rs 50 lakh). This is applicable even when there is more than 1 buyer or seller.