All you wanted to know about tax deductions in times of Covid

Only employer can decide to cut TDS later in the year

In this pandemic, can I ask my employer not to cut any tax at source as I am not too sure of my salary flow?
—Arvind Kumar
Every person making a specified type of payment (for instance, salary) is required to deduct at prescribed rates and deposit to the account of the government. However, TDS is merely pre-payment of taxes, and any excess tax paid may be claimed as refund in the income tax return.

Therefore, if your estimated total income exceeds the minimum amount not chargeable to tax, then employer is expected to deduct TDS. Thus, the employer is not bound to consider any request for non-deduction of TDS (though at his own discretion, the employer may decide to deduct TDS only in the future months, since TDS on salary is deducted only on estimation basis). If at the end of the year, total tax liability is less than the total TDS deducted, them the excess can be claimed as refund in the ITR.

My father-in-law had an EPF account and he died recently. His nominee was my mother-in-law who died earlier. How will the EPF money be divided between one son and two married daughters?
—Prasanna Narina
Since no nomination subsists in this case, the amount in the EPF shall be paid to family members in equal shares. Family, in the case of a male member means his wife, his children, whether married or unmarried, his dependent parents and his deceased son’s widow and children. Sons who have attained maturity or married daughters shall not be entitled to any amount if other members of ‘family’ as defined here exist.

Is it mandatory to give address of property for which I have taken a loan and am availing tax benefit under Section 80C and Section 24?
—Sushim Roy
While no documentary evidence is required for claiming investment-linked tax deductions, you have to furnish the address of the property for claiming deduction under Section 24. Particulars like address, ownership, share in property, type of property (whether self-occupied or let-out), etc., has to be furnished while declaring income under head ‘house property’, wherein you shall be entitled to claim deduction under Section 24 in respect of interest on borrowed capital. However, deduction under Section 80C will fall under chapter VI A deductions and the same can be claimed without declaring any particulars of the property.

The writer is director, Nangia Andersen Consulting. Send your queries to fepersonalfinance@expressindia.com