The Rules Since Budget 2024
Capital gains taxation was rebuilt in July 2024 and the same rules apply for FY 2026-27. There are now only two holding periods: 12 months for listed shares and equity mutual funds, and 24 months for everything else — property, gold, unlisted shares and debt funds. The old 36-month rule is gone, though many websites still quote it. This calculator takes your purchase and sale dates and classifies the gain itself, so you never have to guess.
How Each Asset Is Taxed
Listed equity and equity funds: short-term gains are taxed flat at 20% under Section 111A, and long-term gains at 12.5% under Section 112A after a ₹1.25 lakh yearly exemption. Shares bought on or before 31 January 2018 keep their grandfathering — the cost steps up to the fair market value on that date. Everything else — property, gold, unlisted shares — pays 12.5% on long-term gains without indexation, and here is the part most calculators get wrong: short-term gains on these assets are taxed at your slab rate, not at a flat 20%. That is why this calculator asks for your slab when it matters.
Property Bought Before 23 July 2024: You Have a Choice
For land or a building bought before 23 July 2024, resident individuals and HUFs may pay either 12.5% on the plain gain or 20% on the indexed gain using the Cost Inflation Index — whichever is lower. Long-held property usually wins with indexation; recently bought property usually wins with the flat rate. This calculator computes both side by side and tells you which to choose. Improvement costs index off the year each was spent.
Two Special Cases Worth Knowing
Debt mutual funds bought on or after 1 April 2023 are always short-term under Section 50AA, no matter how long you hold them — the gain is added to your income at slab rates. And the Section 87A rebate never applies to special-rate gains, so equity gains can leave tax payable even when your salary alone would be tax-free; the income tax calculator handles that interaction.
What This Calculator Does Not Include
Surcharge is excluded because it depends on your total income (it is capped at 15% on listed-equity gains). Reinvestment exemptions under Sections 54, 54F and 54EC — buying another house or capital-gains bonds — can reduce or eliminate property LTCG and deserve professional advice. Please consult a chartered accountant before filing.