Tax Assignment
Tax Assignment
Tax Assignment
The avid goal of every taxpayer is to minimize his Tax Liability. To achieve this
objective taxpayer may resort to following Three Methods :
o Tax Planning
o Tax Avoidance
o Tax Evasion
It is well said that “Taxpayer is not expected to arrange his affairs in a such manner
to pay maximum tax “ . So, the assessee shall arrange the affairs in a manner to
reduce tax. But the question what method he opts for ? Tax Planning, Tax
Avoidance, Tax Evasion !
Let us see its meaning and their difference.
Tax Planning involves planning in order to avail all exemptions, deductions and
rebates provided in Act. The Income Tax law itself provides for various methods for
Tax Planning, Generally it is provided under exemptions u/s 10, deductions u/s 80C
to 80U and rebates and relief’s. Some of the provisions are enumerated below :
For availing benefits, one should resort to bonafide means by complying with the
provisions of law in letter and in spirit.
Where a person buys a machinery instead of hiring it, he is availing the benefit of
depreciation. If is his exclusive right either to buy or lease it . In the same manner
to choice the form of organization, capital structure, buy or make products are the
assesse’s exclusive right. One may look for various tax incentives in the above said
transactions provided in this Act, for reduction of tax liability. All this transaction
involves tax planning.
5.1.1. Why Every Person Needs Tax Planning ?
Tax Planning is resorted to maximize the cash inflow and minimize the cash outflow.
Since Tax is kind of cast, the reduction of cost shall increase the profitability. Every
prudence person, to maximize the Return, shall increase the profits by resorting to
a tool known as a Tax Planning.
• The Planning should be done before the accrual of income. Any planning
done after the accrual income is known as Application of Income an it may
lead to a conclusion of that there is a fraud.
• Tax Planning should be resorted at the source of income.
• The Choice of an organization, i.e. Taxable Entity. Business may be done
through a Proprietorship concern or Firm or through a Company.
• The choice of location of business , undertaking, or division also play a very
important role.
• Residential Status of a person. Therefore, a person should arranged his stay
in India such a way that he is treated as NR in India.
• Choice to Buy or Lease the Assets. Where the assets are bought, depreciation
is allowed and when asset is leased, lease rental is allowed as deduction.
• Capital Structure decision also plays a major role. Mixture of debt and equity
fund should be balanced, to maximize the return on capital and minimize the
tax liability. Interest on debt is allowed as deduction whereas dividend on
equity fund is not allowed as deduction.
2. Long Term Tax Planning : Long range tax planning means a plan chaled
out at the beginning or the income year to be followed around the year. This type of
planning does not help immediately as in the case of short range planning but is
likely to help in the long run ;
e.g. If an assessee transferred shares held by him to his minor son or spouse,
though the income from such transferred shares will be clubbed with his income u/s
64, yet is the income is invested by the son or spouse, then the income from such
investment will be treaded as income of the son or spouse. Moreover, if the
company issue any bonus shards for the shares transferred , that will also be
treated as income in the hands of the son or spouse.
It is an act of dodging tax without breaking the Law. It means when a taxpayer
arranges his financial activities in such a manner that although it is within the four
corner of tax law but takes advantages of loopholes which exists in the Tax Law for
reduction of tax a liability. In other words though he has complied the letter of law
but not the sprit behind the law.
Following transactions are held as Tax Avoidance which are :
• Where tax law is complied with by using colorable devices which means that
use o dubious method or a method which is unfair for reduction of tax
liability.
• Where the fact of the case is presented in a false manner.
• Where the sprit behind the law is avoided.
• There is a malafide intention.
It means that method adopted for reducing tax liability should be within the
framework of law. If it is not within the framework of law, it amounts to tax
avoidance and not Tax planning.
Any illegal method which leads to reduction of tax liability is known as Tax Evasion.
The Tax Evasion is resorted to by applying following dishonest means :