ITR Form Plans To Add Another Column For Crypto Profits

Alongside the approval of Cryptocurrency in the country, India’s Government also prepares steps to collect tax revenues from crypto profits. As a result, ITR forms will add a separate column in 2023 for cryptocurrencies to disclose gains over crypto-assets and taxes, Revenue Secretary, Tarun Bajaj, said on Monday.

The government has mandated a new tax on all crypto profit transactions. Starting April 1st, there will be a charge of 30% for any wagers placed in this manner. The same treatment as winnings from horse races or other speculate-related activities. Crypto tax is being introduced for the first time in India’s history.

Related Reading | ITR form to have a separate column for crypto income

Bajaj said that proposing taxes on cryptocurrencies is not new as gains are always taxable, and the purpose of mentioning it is to provide certainty over the issue.

Revenue Secretary affirmed;

The provision in the Finance Bill is related to taxation of virtual digital assets. It is to bring certainty in taxation of cryptocurrencies. It does not convey anything on its legality which would come out once the bill (on regulating such assets) is introduced in Parliament.

Currently, the government authorities are in law-making on crypto use and have not published any draft yet.

India’s First-Ever Central Bank-backed Cryptocurrency

In the meantime, the RBI, the central bank of India, will release a native cryptocurrency in the next fiscal year to enable cheaper processes and efficient currency management. 

Related Reading | India to get its own digital currency by RBI next year

“Consumers will pay 30% tax plus cesses and 15% surcharge on cryptocurrencies’ incomes over 5 million INRs,” added Bajaj while announcing ITR form new column addition.

“Next year, the ITR form will show a separate column for crypto. So, yes, you will have to disclose,” he stated.

The news of launching RBI’s digital currency, 30% tax liability, and the NFT tokens was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the budget speech on Tuesday.

It shows that India keeps moving in adopting this emerging industry like others on the globe.

Bajaj added more to his words;

The Government was obvious that it has to push for a tax on income from crypto assets. So we have brought in the maximum rate and levied 30 percent, with an applicable surcharge. We have also brought in TDS, so we will now track the transactions.

The new budget also brought 1% TDS tax on the transfers of digital assets over R.S 10,000 in a year. While gifting transfers will have tax in the hands of the recipient. Similarly, Individuals or HUFs that would require to get audited under the I-T Act will have a threshold limit of R.S 50,000 a year for TDS.

The 1% TDS will operate from July 1, while the profits tax will start from April 1.

No Deduction Allowed While Computing Crypto Incomes

Moreover, while computing the income of such transactions, deduction of any type of allowance or expenditure would not be allowed. It also specifies that losses from such transfers of digital currencies would not be set off for other incomes.

“Since cryptocurrency did not have economic value, deductions are not allowed,” Bajaj Stated.

The crypto market in India has sharply grown to 641% beyond June 2021, as per the report of blockchain research firm ChainAnylsis published in October.

Crypto Gains Are Always Taxable 

“It was always taxable. I’m bringing certainty in tax. If you show crypto in the ITR form, you will have different head crypto, and it will charge you 30 percent tax. Crypto-tax inclusion in the Budget was for awareness that crypto is taxable.

Tax over crypto gains are liable even now, said Bajaj by explaining that an Assessing Officer will assess the ITR on crypto income that will be shown to him.

“If somebody says it’s a long-term capital gain tax (LTCG), tax officer may say no it’s not LTCG tax, it is a business income and hence liable to 30 percent tax,” the official said.

Regarding the taxability of cryptocurrency before April 1, Bajaj revealed,

For transactions before April 1st you will show in some head in your ITR and the Assessing Officer will do an assessment for you.

Currently, some people show their gain, and some do not. Once the TDS is introduced and enforced, the RBI sector will automatically know the details of each person, said Revenue Secretary.

                   Featured image from Pixabay, chart from TradingView.com