TAX BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO SENIOR CITIZENS

A person becomes senior citizen under Income Tax Act in any year after attaining the age of 60 years even for one day. Once he attains 60 years, his status as senior citizen in that financial year, gives him some relief .There are not many. These are listed below:

1. Higher Exemption Limit
From F.Y. 2011-12 Qualifying age for Senior Citizens has been reduced from 65 years to 60 years and exemption limit for Senior Citizens has been enhanced from Rs. 2,40,000 to Rs. 2,50,000. A new category of Very Senior Citizens, 80 years and above, has been created who will be eligible for a higher exemption limit of Rs. 5,00,000.

2. Reverse mortgage for senior citizens
Reverse mortgage’ – a concept introduced by Finance 2007 -provides that a senior citizen will be able to avail of monthly income streams by mortgaging a house owned by him. For more details read the

3. Tax benefits on medical insurance hiked
A senior citizen can avail of higher of higher deduction of Rs 20,000 u/s Section 80D.

4. Higher Deduction u/s 80DDB
Section 80DDB provides deduction to an assessee in case of expense on medical treatment of specified ailments. Generally this deduction is available upto Rs 40,000 . However , if the patient is a senior citizen, then deduction of Rs 60,000 is allowable.

5. No Routine Income Tax Scrutiny of Senior Citizens -Appreciating the concern of these taxpayers and with a view to mitigate their hardships, Central Board of Direct Taxes has reviewed its scrutiny selection procedure. In order to redress the grievance, it has been decided that during the financial year 2011-12, cases of senior citizens and small taxpayers, filing income-tax returns in ITR-1 and ITR-2 will be subjected to scrutiny only where the Income Tax department is in possession of credible information. Senior citizens for this purpose would be individual taxpayers who are 60 years of age or more.