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It is a misconception that person’s tax liabilities end with his life. Filing an income tax return (ITR) is mandatory if your income is taxable. But, it’s not only the living who are required to pay their taxes. ITR for deceased person also needs to be filed in case where a person dies and had taxable income. It is common that after the death of the taxpayer, family members often concentrate only on the debts, investments, savings accounts, insurance and transfer of estates of the deceased and ignore the taxation aspect.
On the death of the assesse, the income from his / her assets and the tax liability is transferred to his / her legal heirs. So, it becomes liability of legal heirs / representative to file the return on his behalf and such heirs can pay taxes in their representative capacity. The return needs to be filed for the income earned by person passed away during that financial year up to the time of his/her death.
Procedure of filing ITR as representative of deceased assessee
Get the legal heir certificate: To register as legal heir, any of the following documents are accepted as legal heir certificates:
Register on income tax website as legal heir: According to section 159 of Income Tax Act 1961, the legal heir or representative is deemed the assessee. Registration as a legal heir is must for e-filing of return on behalf of deceased person. Legal heir needs to register online by submitting his details with the details of deceased. He is required to upload legal heir certificate along with other documents like copy of Death Certificate, copy of the PAN Card of the deceased, self-attested PAN copy of the Legal heir.
Computation of income of the deceased: The total earnings of the deceased during the year have to be bifurcated into two parts – Income earned while he was alive and income earned after the date of his death. Income earned during the period of April 1 to the date of death shall be considered as deceased person’s own and legal heir is supposed to file return for this income in name of deceased assessee. Income earned after the date of death till the end of the financial from the inherited asset shall be considered as legal heir’s income and he would be liable to pay tax on this income.
Filing ITR of the decease: After successful registration, the legal heir has to file the return on behalf of the deceased for income earned from the 1st April of the financial year till the date of death. The legal heir needs to log in to E-filing portal for online filing of the tax return using his own. Then the legal representative should furnish the details of the deceased like his name, PAN, date of birth, Date of death etc. Also, he need to provide the scanned copy his PAN, the death certificate, PAN copy of deceased.
Key points to consider while filing ITR of a deceased assessee
Extent of liability of a legal representative: The liability of the legal heir would be limited to the extent of assets of the deceased which are or might come into his possession. The money to recompense the taxes does not go out of the legal heir’s pocket.
Claiming refund on behalf of deceased assessee: Where there is any refund of a tax has to be claimed in the Income-tax return a deceased assessee, the refund can be received by the legal heir just like he/she can file ITR on behalf of the deceased assessee. Usually, the refund is directly credited to the bank account. If the deceased tax payer holds a joint account with the legal heir, then it becomes convenient to receive the amount. In case of absence of a joint account, the account can be operated by the nominee who is appointed by the deceased. In the absence of a nominee, the legal heir can operate the account.
Tax compliances that legal representative need to be adhere to while filing his own ITR
Carry forward and Set off of Deceased Person’s Business loss: When a legal heir takes over in the business of his predecessor by inheritance, he is entitled to carry forward the loss incurred by the previous owner. However, the total period of carrying forward cannot exceed 8 assessment years immediately succeeding the assessment year for which the loss was first computed.
Tax on inherited property: The tax on inheritance, called ‘Estate Duty’ was abolished in 1985 and so, there is no tax on inheritance in India. Transfer of capital asset under inheritance will is not taxable in hands of deceased as well.
Though no tax shall arise either in hands of a legal heir or deceased at the time of inheritance, yet capital gain tax liability arises in hands of a legal heir in case of subsequent sale of the inherited property. For calculation of capital gain on proceeds from sale of inherited property, the actual cost of acquisition is taken as the same at which the property was acquired by the previous owner. While determining the period of holding of, the period of holding of inherited assets by the deceased shall also to be taken into consideration.
Surrender of the PAN card: Legal heir is advisable to surrender the PAN card of the person who is no more, after submission of his last income-tax return and payment of tax dues or receipt of a refund if any.
We cannot compensate for the loss of your loved ones, but can definitely help you in the complex process of filing his / her tax returns .For further assistance click here.
