In India, for the Financial Year 2025-26, the basic tax-free income threshold is ₹2.5 lakh under the old regime (with higher limits for seniors) or up to ₹3 lakh in the new regime; however, significant rebates make incomes up to ₹5 lakh (old) or ₹7 lakh (new) effectively tax-free, with potential for zero tax on higher incomes like ₹12 lakh by using deductions, especially under the default New Tax Regime where ₹4 lakh is the initial tax-free slab.
Tax-free income in new tax regime (Financial Year 2025-26)
This means that individuals earning up to Rs. 12 lakh will have their tax liability effectively reduced to zero. For salaried employees, an additional standard deduction of Rs. 75,000 elevates the tax-free income threshold to Rs. 12.75 lakh.
The new regime is beneficial as there is zero tax liability for income upto Rs. 12 lakhs for FY 2025-26. Can you pay zero tax on Rs 12 lakhs salary ? Yes , You can pay Zero tax on Rs 12 lakhs salary by claiming deduction and exemption like HRA exemption , 80C deduction , Standard deduction , Housing loan interest etc.
In the new tax regime, no income tax is payable upto the total income of Rs. 7 lakh.
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) are taxed on income earned or collected in India. This could be from sources like property rent, share dividends, and investment and savings capital gains, if over a specified limit. Income earned outside India is not taxable in India.
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.
New rules for NRIs in India focus on stricter tax residency criteria from April 2026, increasing the stay threshold to 120 days for high-income NRIs (over ₹15 lakh Indian income) to become Resident but Not Ordinarily Resident (RNOR) and introducing "deemed residency" for high-income Indians in tax havens; also, higher TCS thresholds for LRS remittances (to ₹10L) and removal of TCS for education loans are recent changes from Budget 2025-26, alongside increased reporting of foreign assets.
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.
If you make ₹ 720,000 a year living in India, you will be taxed ₹ 145,160. That means that your net pay will be ₹ 574,840 per year, or ₹ 47,903 per month.
Unemployment compensation generally is taxable. Inheritances, gifts, cash rebates, alimony payments (for divorce decrees finalized after 2018), child support payments, most healthcare benefits, welfare payments, and money that is reimbursed from qualifying adoptions are deemed nontaxable by the IRS.
If you make ₹ 100,000 a year living in India, you will be taxed ₹ 12,000. That means that your net pay will be ₹ 88,000 per year, or ₹ 7,333 per month.
Everyone, including students, has something called a Personal Allowance. This is the amount of money you're allowed to earn each tax year before you start paying Income Tax. For the 2025/26 tax year, the Personal Allowance is £12,570. If you earn less than this, you usually won't have to pay any Income Tax.
As per the Finance Act 2025 tabled during the Union Budget 2025, individuals earning up to ₹12,00,000 will not have to pay any taxes under the new regime because of the increased rebate of ₹60,000. For salaried employees, incomes up to ₹12,75,000 will also be tax-free, thanks to the ₹75,000 standard deduction.
If you exceed this limit during your lifetime, the excess amount incurs federal gift tax. Any gift above the annual gift tax limit given during your lifetime reduces your lifetime gift tax limit.
One easy way to pay no income tax is to have little or no taxable income. For tax year 2025, taxpayers receive a standard deduction of $15,750 (singles or married persons filing separately) or $31,500 (marrieds filing jointly). For heads of households, the standard deduction is $23,625 for tax year 2025.
With the recent changes in the Indian Income Tax Act, it's now possible to pay zero tax on a salary of up to Rs. 7 lakhs. To pay zero tax on a 7 lakh salary using the old tax regime, maximize deductions: Claim Tax Rebate under Section 87A.
Inheritances are not considered income for federal tax purposes, whether you inherit cash, investments or property. However, any subsequent earnings on the inherited assets are taxable, unless it comes from a tax-free source.
As per NRI Foreign Currency Rules in India NRIs can carry up to US $5,000 in cash and US $10,000, including cash, traveler's cheque, etc. Anything above this limit must be declared before the customs department upon arrival. If the cash is in Indian currency, then only up to Rs 25,000 is allowed.
Many cited reasons such as a better work-life balance, personal privacy, and women's safety as key factors deterring them from returning to India. Some NRIs mentioned they're enjoying the freedom and convenience of life in the US, while others said they are worried about the infrastructure and civic sense in India.
In most cases, income earned in India is taxed in India first, and a foreign tax credit is provided in the US against the taxes paid in India. For instance, if a US-based NRI earns rental income in India and pays tax on it as per Indian slabs, that income still needs to be reported in their US tax return.