Money received from parents in India is generally not taxable in India for the receiver, regardless of the amount, because parents are classified as "relatives" under the Income Tax Act. There is no upper limit on the amount, but it is advisable to document the transfer via bank records to avoid issues.
As per section (3) of the Gift Tax Act, 1958, gift tax was abolished in India in 1998. You will not be taxed on the gifts received from relatives. Gifts received (from relatives or non-relatives) on the occasion of marriage, under a Will, or in contemplation of death of the donor are tax-free.
Receiving a gift from your Indian parents is not taxable, but once you cross the $100,000 threshold, Form 3520 is mandatory. Ignoring this form can lead to serious penalties.
At a glance:
You don't have to report gifts to the IRS unless the amount exceeds $17,000 in 2023. Any gifts exceeding $17,000 in a year must be reported and contribute to your lifetime exclusion amount. You can gift up to $12.92 million over your lifetime without paying a gift tax on it (as of 2023).
NRIs can send tax-free gifts to relatives in India, but gifts to non-relatives over ₹50,000 annually may be taxable for the recipient under Indian tax law.
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) can repatriate a maximum of $250,000 without stringent formalities on money transfers from India to the USA. As per Section 206C(1G) of the Income Tax Act, there is no applicable TCS when NRIs transfer money from their NRO to their NRE account.
Maximum marginal rate is the highest rate of tax at any income level. This means for those with incomes between Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore, 39% will be the highest applicable tax rate, and for those with incomes above Rs 5 crore, it will be 42.74% — the highest tax rate since 1992.
Yes, you can gift your son $100,000, but since it's over the 2025 annual exclusion of $19,000, you'll need to file a gift tax return (Form 709), though you likely won't owe taxes unless you've already used up your large lifetime exemption (over $13.99 million in 2025). Your son pays no tax on the gift, but you, as the giver, must report the amount exceeding the annual limit, which counts against your lifetime exemption.
For gifts or bequests from a nonresident alien or foreign estate, you are required to report the receipt of such gifts or bequests only if the aggregate amount received from that nonresident alien or foreign estate exceeds $100,000 during the taxable year.
Sending money to family members as a gift is usually not taxed in India. Money you send from your foreign salary is also generally not taxed in India. In the US, gifts over a certain amount must be reported, so it is best to check the current gift tax limits.
So, for example, if you receive ₹5 lakh from your sister, or gift ₹10 lakh to your son, there is no tax liability on the gift amount in either case.
Navigate to the 'Exempt Income' Section: In the ITR 2 form, this is found under Schedule EI (Exempt Income). Enter Details of the Gift: In the 'Other exempt income' field, specify the nature and amount of the gift received from relatives.
So, can't avoid gift tax on Rs. 1 crore in India. However, if this gift is received from a relative, or inheritance, or received in marriage, then you do not have to pay any taxes. Can I save tax by gifting money to parents?
You can receive up to €3,000 per year, per person completely tax-free, and this amount doesn't count towards your lifetime threshold. For example, if your parent gives you €3,000 each year for 10 years, you receive €30,000 tax-free, without reducing your €400,000 Group A threshold.
Gift Limits and Lifetime Exemptions
For 2025, the limit is $19,000. That means you can give anyone up to $19,000 without having to deal with the gift tax. There's no limit on how many people can receive your gift. So you could hand out $19,000 to 10 people and not trigger any annual gift tax issues.
Yes, you can gift your son $100,000, but since it's over the 2025 annual exclusion of $19,000, you'll need to file a gift tax return (Form 709), though you likely won't owe taxes unless you've already used up your large lifetime exemption (over $13.99 million in 2025). Your son pays no tax on the gift, but you, as the giver, must report the amount exceeding the annual limit, which counts against your lifetime exemption.
You can gift as much money as you want to your children in theory, but large gifts may be subject to tax. For the 2025/26 tax year , every UK citizen has an annual tax-free gift allowance of £3,000. This enables you to give money to your children in lump sums without worrying about inheritance tax (IHT).
To Relatives – Any amount transferred to parents, spouse, children, or siblings is fully tax-free under the Gift Deed Rules in Income Tax. To Non-Relatives – Up to ₹50,000 per financial year is tax-free.
Step-Up in Basis for Inherited Assets
One tax advantage of leaving assets after death is the step-up in basis. This provision allows heirs to inherit assets at their fair market value at the time of death, effectively resetting the capital gains tax to zero for any appreciation during the decedent's lifetime.
Examples of income that are not taxable in India include agricultural income, gifts and inheritances, interest on EPF and PPF, scholarships and awards, life insurance proceeds, leave encashment, gratuity, Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG), and interest on tax-free bonds.
1. Who is the highest taxpayer in India in FY 2023–24? Reliance Industries is the highest tax-paying company, and Akshay Kumar tops among individual celebrities.
According to government reports, while over 7 crore people file tax returns, only a fraction of them actually pay taxes because many fall below the taxable income threshold or use deductions to reduce liability.