5 Good News for Senior Citizens in Budget 2018

Budget 2018 was good budget for Senior Citizens of the country and provided much needed relief. For income tax purpose, any citizens with age of 60 years or more is considered as senior citizen. We discuss the new income tax benefits for senior citizens below:

1. Rs 50,000 Tax exemption on Interest Income from Fixed Deposits and Recurring Deposits u/s 80TTB:

The interest rates had come down drastically in last few years and most senior citizens depend on fixed deposits for their regular income. The tax exemption of Rs 50,000 interest income from Post office or Banks under section 80TTB is good move to compensate for the same. However if you take benefit u/s 80TTB then you cannot claim tax benefit on interest received on savings bank account u/s 80TTA. This will lead to saving of Rs 2,600 for 5% tax slab, Rs 10,400 for 20% tax slab and Rs 15,600 for 30% tax slab.

Also Read: Best Interest Rate on Bank Fixed Deposits

2. Standard Deduction for Pensioners:

Budget 2018 has introduced standard deduction of Rs 40,000 for both salaried and pensioners. For salaried this is not much beneficial as medical reimbursement and transport allowance have been abolished. But as pensioners did not have these allowances, Rs 40,000 is straight deduction for them!

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3. Medical Insurance premium exemption increased u/s 80D:

The Medical Insurance premium and the preventive health check-up limit for senior citizens under section 80D has been increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000. This is good news in keeping with the ever increasing health care and related insurance costs.

Download: Excel based Income Tax Calculator for FY 2018-19

4. Deduction for medical treatment of critical illnesses increased u/s 80DDB:

The deduction for medical treatment of specified critical illnesses have been increased to Rs 1 Lakh. Earlier the limit was Rs 60,000 for senior citizens and Rs 80,000 for very senior citizens.

Following illness are covered under section 80DDB:

  • Neurological Diseases
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Malignant Cancers
  • AIDS
  • Chronic Renal failure
  • Hemophilia
  • Thalassaemia

Also Read: All about Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme

5. Interest TDS threshold raised to Rs 50,000 u/s 194A

There is TDS (tax deduction at source) for almost all kind of income. However as a relief to senior citizens Budget 2018 has raised the limit for TDS from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. So TDS would only be applicable for senior citizens if the annual interest income from a bank/post office is more than Rs 50,000.

Income Tax Benefit for Senior Citizens in Budget 2018
Income Tax Benefit for Senior Citizens in Budget 2018

LIC Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandhana Yojana extended:

Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandhana Yojana is a government backed pension scheme for senior citizens offering 8% returns. This scheme has now been extended till March 2020. Also the investment limit has been doubled from Rs 7.5 lakhs to Rs 15 lakhs. This is good scheme for senior citizens in lower tax bracket. But remember Senior Citizen Savings Scheme still offers higher interest rate but with shorter lock-in.

Overall this is a good Budget from Senior Citizens perspective and has provided much needed relief.

12 thoughts on “5 Good News for Senior Citizens in Budget 2018”

  1. for the financial year 2018-19 my pension will be about Rs.3,00,000 and interest on fixed deposits will be Rs.75,000 i.e. total income will become Rs.3,75,000/-, whether standard deduction of Rs.40000 and interest on FD of Rs.50000 can be deducted from total income of Rs.3,75,000 or I have to pay tax on the amount of above 3 lakhs i.e. for Rs.75000,please clarify

  2. A.Radha Krishna Rao

    Whether the premium “Global Personal Guard” (Accident insurance of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co., Ltd. premium of which was paid in favour of my wife who is having 68 years of age who is fully dependend on me is eligible to claim under 80(C) of Indian income tax Act. 1961

  3. TDS not required to be deducted under section 194A. Benefit also available for interest from all fixed deposit schemes and recurring deposit schemes.

  4. PALEMPALLY PULLAIAH

    Sir,

    Kindly let me know the 5 year senior citizen R D ( Recurring Deposits ) in a bank is eligible for tax exemption? If

    yes under which section of Income tax exemptions.

    Yours faithfully,

    Palempally Pullaiah.

    1. PALEMPALLY PULLAIAH

      Sir,

      I am paying an amount of Rs. 5000 /month in HDFC Bank for 5 years plan.My age is 70 years.
      Kindly let me know whether the principle amount is eligible for tax exemption ( for one year Rs. 5000×12 = 60000 ).

      Under which section of income tax rules.

      Thanking you
      PALEMPALLY PULLAIAH

  5. section 80D
    incometax exemption for sr citizen’s fo0r medical insurance?

    abnove a certain age the mediocal insurance wo’t apply
    Then how is this a benefit to sr citizens ?

    1. There are Insurance companies like Star Insurance which offer health insurance especially tailored for senior citizens.

  6. bikash mukhopadhyay.

    whether a senior citizen can invest both inPMVVY & SCSS i.e rs3000000/-(1500000/- in each) from 1st april 2018.

  7. No doubt FM has given lot to Sr citizens but what benefits Govt gives to taxpayers who give more than one third of their hard earned salary as Income tax?

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