Taxation: Homi Mistry

My Public Provident Fund (PPF) investments are managed by my agent. He has given a combined challan, mentioning another person’s name, as documentary evidence of the investments. However, the accountant in my office is not accepting it. Also, my passbook is with my agent who is currently out of town. He will return after 10 days (post the last date of submission with the accounts department). My PPF account is held with a nationalised bank. What are my alternatives?
You can provide a copy of the cheque issued towards your PPF contribution and your bank statements, as evidence for the PPF payment to the accounts department. Inform them that you will give a copy of the PPF passbook as soon as you receive it. In case they do not accept the documents and deduct the tax, you can claim a deduction for the PPF contribution in your income tax return.

I am a freelance artist. I spend substantial money on purchase of colours and art material. Can these be termed as business expenses? Can I claim a deduction? What documents can I submit as proof for my expenses?
Any expense incurred wholly and exclusively for the purpose of business or profession is allowed as a business expense, while computing the taxable income. Hence, the amount spent by you on purchase of colours and art material for a particular financial year can be deducted. Documents which you can submit as proof of the purchases are the invoices and receipts for colours and art material.

Last week, I submitted documents pertaining to my investments under Section 80C to the accounts department. I asked the accounts head if I was required to submit my rent receipts as well. I was told that if I had exhausted the 80C limit, I don’t have to show the rent slips. Although I haven’t exhausted the entire limit, I don’t understand how are the two related? How does the deduction for house rent allowance (HRA) work? I thought 80C was different from HRA.
Section 80C is a deduction section, while Section 10 (13A) deals with exemption for HRA. The two are, therefore, different. Investments made in tax saving instruments, such as the Public Provident Fund, National Savings Certificates, equity-linked savings schemes, life insurance premiums, etc, up to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh, are allowed as deduction from the taxable income under Section 80C of the Income Tax (I-T) Act. A further deduction of Rs 20,000 is allowed for investments made in notified long-term infrastructure bonds under Section 80CCF.

As for HRA, there is an exemption available, subject to certain conditions and limits prescribed under Rule 2A of the I-T rules. The prescribed limit is least of the following: HRA actually received by the employee, the amount by which the rent paid by the employee exceeds 10 per cent of the salary, or 50 per cent of the salary in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, and 40 per cent in other cities.

The writer is a tax partner at Deloitte, Haskins & Sells. Views expressed are personal, and not of the company. Send your queries to yourmoney@bsmail.in