In trying to tackle tax dodging, the tax people listen even more carefully to what workers/employees say about their House Rent Allowance (HRA). They come heavily against the wrong way of availing the tax breaks on rent without proper reality, especially using the wrong Permanent Account Numbers (PAN) of landlords.
The tax folks have put in place a tough system to double-check if the rent you say you are paying matches the PAN the landlord puts in your tax papers and records too. Basically, they want to ensure that the rent you claim to have been paid was actually paid and matches the income being reported to the owner’s PAN, hence making it count for taxes. The boss is said to verify the papers of his staff which are submitted for the HRA tax break. They do not have to check every detail, but they have to see if the rent papers and receipts are legit and do not lead to much of a tax break.
The law is very clear: bosses/employers have to collect enough proof for the tax breaks claimed by their workers but without exaggerating. However, they need to check enough to stop unneeded tax breaks. Chartered Accountant Chjson Daga, the man to be thanked for initiating AdvantEdge Consulting, insists that bosses need to check things properly in order to not let too many taxes go by the wayside.
If you claim false rent expenses, you’re in big trouble. About 8,000 to 10,000 cases were found in which people had claimed way too much HRA, such as over 10 lakh. In such cases, general involvement was of fake PANs, which ultimately led to large tax bills plus interest and fines.
In extreme cases, there might be legal actions that people have to face. Thus, this indicates how honest a person’s tax papers are.
CA Ved Jain, who was the former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), said that some people also misuse deductions for political donations, claiming the money to be given to political groups that hardly exist. That is part of a larger problem with how some people try to dodge taxes. So, if you are paying your taxes, be sure that the HRA claims are perfect to stay out of trouble. Even the employer needs to step up scrutiny to keep themselves from falling into a tax-evading pit. It is the job of all, ranging from the workers to their bosses, to make sure that the tax system remains fair and clear.
Meet Suhas Harshe, a financial advisor committed to assisting people and businesses in confidently understanding and managing the complexities of the financial world. Suhas has shared his knowledge on various topics like business, investment strategies, optimizing taxes, and promoting financial well-being through articles in InvestmentDose.com
