So, should you borrow money to acquire, construct,
repair, renew or reconstruct property on or
after April 1, 1999, you get a deduction of
up to Rs 1.5 lakh. The criteria being: the
property has to be acquired or constructed
by March 31, 2003 and be self-occupied.When
put in figures, this is quite an amount:
1. Assume taxable income of Rs 4 lakh, placing
the assessee in the highest tax bracket.
2. Assume interest payment during the first
financial year is Rs 1.60 lakh
3. Taxable income stands reduced to Rs 2.5
lakh (Rs 4 lakh - Rs 1.5 lakh being the maximum
limit)
4. Total tax amounts to Rs 49,980 (tax of
Rs 49,000 + surcharge of Rs 980)
5. Tax saved is Rs 45,900 (tax @30% on Rs
1.5 lakh plus 2% surcharge as the investor
is in the highest tax bracket)
• That brings
us to Section 88 of the Income Tax Act.
You get a 20% rebate on repayment of principal
during a financial year. Once again, over
the years, the principal repayment eligible
for rebate has been enhanced from Rs 10,000
to the current limit of Rs 20,000. Stamp duty,
registration fee or other such expenses paid
for the purpose of transfer of such house
property to the assessee is also considered
under this amount.
Going back to our earlier example:
1. Taxable income of Rs 4 lakh
2. Taxable income stands reduced to Rs 2.5
lakh
3. Tax before rebate and surcharge: Rs 49,000
(no surcharge is computed as surcharge is
applicable on tax payable after allowing for
rebate under Section 88)
4. Rebate of Rs 4,000 (20% of Rs 20,000 being
principal repayment)
5. Tax less rebate of Rs 4,000 + surcharge
@ 2%= Rs 45,900
6. Tax saved = Rs 49,900 (Rs 45,900 as shown
above plus rebate of Rs 4,000)


