One of the most attractive benefits of taking a home loan is that they help you save tax, while you prepare to invest in a fixed asset. Acquiring a home loan makes you eligible for tax rebates under Section 80C and Section 24 of the Income tax regulation.
Tax benefits get divided among co-applicants in case of a joint loan The division takes place in the same proportion in which the asset is owned by each co-applicant Each co-applicant can claim a maximum tax rebate of up to Rs. 1.50 lakh (One Lakh up to AY 2014-15) for principal repayment and Rs. 2 lakh (1.50 Lakh up to AY 2014-15)) for interest payment.
The very first condition is the house property has to be bought by the individuals jointly, and this should be in their joint names. The share of each holder should be clearly mentioned so that there is absolute clarity on the percentage ownership of each co-owner.
ax benefit
Joint holders can claim the maximum tax benefits individually. This means each holder can get a tax rebate of Rs. 1.50 lakh for principal repayment under Sec 80C and Rs. 2 lakh for interest payment under Sec 24.
The tax benefits are applied according to the proportion of the loan taken by everyone involved in the joint loan. For e.g. if the ratio of ownership is 70%:30% then the loan amount of 50 L will be split as 35 L and 15 L respectively and interest/principal applicable to the respective amounts will be taken into account for each individual taking the loan. For claiming your tax, it is best to procure a home sharing agreement, detailing the ownership proportion in a stamp paper, as legal proof for ownership.
To get the best out of the tax savings, it is good to let the partner with the higher pay make a higher contribution towards the home loan resulting in a better tax benefit collectively. In the case of an earning couple, this would make most sense as other expenses can be manged with the income of the person making a lesser share towards the loan. This would help you optimize the benefits from the tax exemption on principal and interest repaid.
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