Tax on Mutual Funds
If you own mutual funds, you need to know how to pay taxes on them. There are two kinds of taxes you will incur: capital gains and ordinary income. Capital gains are taxes you’ll pay on the profit you make from selling your mutual fund shares. When you sell your mutual funds, you’ll receive a 1099-DIV from the fund house. You will then file a Schedule D with your Form 1040.
Investing in mutual funds can be taxed differently depending on the amount you’ve invested. For example, if you’re holding 500 shares of a mutual fund with a NAV of $9 per share, and you sell them for $10 each, you’ll realize a gain of $1 per share. If you’re in the 24% tax bracket, you’ll owe $120 in tax on the sale. You can deduct short-term capital gains at ordinary income rates, but long-term capital gains are taxed at much higher rates.
If you’re new to mutual fund investing, it’s a good idea to research the taxation of mutual funds before you invest. By understanding the taxation of mutual funds, you’ll be less likely to incur exit loads or incur tax liabilities. Many online calculators can help you figure out potential returns from mutual fund investments. You can also use an income tax calculator to determine your tax liabilities before investing.
Taxation of equity and debt mutual funds varies according to the type of mutual funds you buy. Equity-oriented funds have a lower tax rate than debt funds, but debt funds have a lock-in period of three years. If you’re investing in gold through mutual funds, you’ll have to pay the same rate as equity funds. However, you can also pay taxes on the income you receive from gold investments.
Dividends from mutual funds are taxed at the investor’s tax slab, and will be subject to 10% TDS if the amount exceeds Rs. 5,000. The new regulations were created to lower the tax burden on small investors. For instance, a Mr. X invested Rs. 1 lakh in a mutual fund scheme in April 2016. On April 1, 2019, he sold the mutual fund and earned a capital gain of Rs. 50k.
There are many ways to invest in mutual funds. A good way to get a higher return is to invest in debt-oriented funds. These funds have lower tax rates than equity-oriented mutual funds. You can also choose to invest in money market funds, which are short-term risk-free debt instruments. These funds offer a low risk of principal loss and reasonable returns. They generally outperform the average savings account.
If you plan on holding mutual funds for a long time, you must know when to pay taxes on the income generated by these investments. Dividends from mutual funds are taxed when they exceed Rs. 10 lakhs per year, and the tax on the money you make will depend on how long you hold them. To minimize your tax burden, you should read the prospectus and other documentation about each fund.
