Senior citizens above 75 exempted from paying income tax? Know what govt says on viral claim

Are senior citizens aged above 75 exempt from paying income tax? A post has gone viral on social media platforms like WhatsApp claiming that as India commemorates 75 years of its Independence, senior citizens above 75 will not have to pay income tax any longer. Is there any truth in this claim?

PIB Fact Check unit termed the claim as ‘fake’. Take a look at the entire post shared by PIB Fact Check on its social media platform ‘X’ handle.

“Central Government’s Big Announcement – These People Will Not Have to Pay Tax. The Modi government will not have to pay tax to the senior citizens of the country, because on the completion of 75 years of India’s independence, senior citizens above 75 years of age will no longer have to pay tax on their income. Senior citizens in India live on income from pensions and other schemer have to pay any tax on their income and they will not have to file income tax returns as senior citizens have been given exemptions in this,” the fake message circulating on WhatsApp and social media platforms reads.

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“According to the information given by the Central Board of Direct Government has changed the law to provide tax exemption to senior citizens important changes between Rule 31. Rule 31A. Form 16 and 240, and citizen: 75 years of age will have to submit a 12-88A application to the bank to get tax exemption,” the fake post says.

Who is a senior citizen and a super senior citizen?

A senior citizen is a resident Indian who is of the age of 60 years and above and a super senior citizen is a resident Indian who is of the age of 80 years and above at any time during the respective financial year.

Higher exemption limit for senior and super senior citizens

For ordinary individual taxpayers, the basic exemption limit, up to which he is not required to pay any tax, is presently fixed at Rs 2.50 lakh for AY 2024–25 under the Old Tax Regime. However, for senior citizens the basic exemption limit is fixed at a higher figure of Rs 3 lakh. Super senior citizens do not have to pay any tax or file return up to Rs 5 lakh of annual total income.