Nowadays, various types of messages go viral on social media, many of which prove to be misleading and false. These days, one such message is becoming increasingly viral. It is being claimed in this message that senior citizens above 75 years of age will not have to pay tax. The logic behind this is the completion of 75 years of independence. But is it true? Let us try to find out the truth of this claim.
What is the claim in the viral message?
It is written in the viral message that on the occasion of completion of 75 years of India’s independence, the Central Government has announced complete exemption from tax to senior citizens above 75 years of age.
The message said:
“The Government of India has taken a big decision that senior citizens above 75 years of age will no longer have to pay any tax on their income. They have also been exempted from filing Income Tax Returns (ITR). Under this, there will be no tax on income from pension and other schemes.
Apart from this, the message also mentions that
“Senior citizens have to submit ’12-BBA’ form to the bank to get tax exemption. This information has been given by quoting Suresh Pote, Secretary of Maharashtra Senior Citizens Federation.
What is the truth of the viral claim?
To know the truth of this message, PIB (Press Information Bureau) did a fact check on behalf of the government. Fact check has made it clear that this claim is completely fake.
PIB Fact Check tweeted:
- The government has not made any announcement that senior citizens above 75 years of age have been completely exempted from tax.
- This claim is false and misleading.
What does the Income Tax Act say?
Although there is a special provision in the Income Tax Act for senior citizens above 75 years of age, it is completely different from the viral message.
- Under Section 194P of the Income Tax Act, only those senior citizens whose income is limited to pension and interest are exempted from filing Income Tax Returns (ITR).
- But, this does not mean that the tax has been completely waived off.
- Tax is calculated by the bank and if tax is due, it is deducted directly by the bank.
Official statement from the government
The government has made it clear that
- No new rule or law has been passed in which senior citizens are given complete exemption from tax.
- If tax is payable on the income of a senior citizen, it will have to be paid as per rules.
- Only those senior citizens, whose income is from pension and interest, can get exemption from filing ITR, but the responsibility of tax deduction will be with their bank.
Misleading purpose of viral message
Such fake messages are often spread on social media to mislead people.
- Its purpose may be to create misunderstandings on government policies.
- People share these messages without knowing the truth, due to which wrong information spreads rapidly.
What to do to avoid confusion?
- Trust official sources: Always visit the government website, PIB, or official social media handles to know the veracity of any government announcement.
- Fact check: If any information seems doubtful, do fact-check it before sharing it.
- Do not spread misleading messages: Do not share any message whose authenticity has not been verified.
