TaxSaral

Section 198 · was Section 112A in the 1961 Act

LTCG on Listed Equity (STT paid) — 12.5% above ₹1.25L

Long-term capital gains on listed equity shares or equity MF units (with STT) are taxed at 12.5%. The first ₹1,25,000 of such gains per year is exempt. Must be held for more than 12 months.

Who it applies to: Long-term investors in listed equity shares and equity-oriented mutual funds.

Key points

  • The ₹1,25,000 exemption is per year per person — families can multiply this by holding in different names.
  • Gains above ₹1,25,000 are taxed at 12.5% — much lower than the 20% STCG rate.
  • Grandfathering: shares held before January 31, 2018 use the higher of actual cost or price on that date as base cost.
  • Planning tip: 'Harvesting' LTCG up to ₹1.25L/year (selling and re-buying) resets cost base at zero tax.

Worked examples

1. Long-term equity mutual fund redemption

Priya bought ₹1,00,000 of an equity mutual fund in 2023. She redeems it in 2026 for ₹3,00,000 after holding for 36 months.

Purchase price: ₹1,00,000
Redemption:     ₹3,00,000
LTCG:           ₹2,00,000

Exempt LTCG: ₹1,25,000 (threshold per year)
Taxable LTCG: ₹2,00,000 – ₹1,25,000 = ₹75,000

Tax: ₹75,000 × 12.5% = ₹9,375
Add 4% cess: ₹9,750

Result: Priya pays only ₹9,750 tax on a ₹2L profit. If she had redeemed just enough (₹2.25L) to limit LTCG to ₹1.25L, she would pay zero tax. She can 'harvest' the ₹1.25L each year by redeeming and reinvesting.

2. LTCG tax harvesting — zero tax strategy

Arun has an equity portfolio worth ₹30L with accumulated gains of ₹12L. He wants to reduce future LTCG liability systematically.

Strategy: Each year, sell equity to realise exactly ₹1,25,000 LTCG → zero tax
Reinvest immediately at the new (higher) market price
This resets the cost base for that portion

Year 1: Realise ₹1.25L LTCG → ₹0 tax, new cost base established at current price
Year 2: Same → ₹0 tax
...
Over 9+ years, can cycle through ₹12L+ of embedded gains at zero tax

Result: Tax harvesting is perfectly legal and widely used. By selling and re-buying systematically, Arun shifts his tax liability forward and eventually to zero (if done consistently) without changing his investment exposure.

Related sections

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Section references are based on the Income Tax Act 2025 (Tax Year 2026-27). Examples are illustrative; verify with a Chartered Accountant before filing.