Buying a home is one of the major milestones for many individuals in India, and home loans play a big role in making this dream a reality. A home loan not only helps you to become a proud owner of your home but also gives you an added advantage to reduce your income tax obligations as per the Income Tax Act of 1961. But before you go on to apply for that home loan, it is important to understand that one of the most important parts of the home loan journey is to understand the role of Income Tax Return (ITR) filling.
This process of filing returns ensures that you are compliant with the rules of the government and therefore also significantly increases the chances of approval of your home loan.
When you apply for a home loan it might feel financially challenging, but it will only save you lots of money if you can understand the various tax deductions that you can avail on home loans. In this article, we will deep dive into the world of ITR, why it is a crucial step for home loans, and also take you through a step-by-step guide to ease you through the process of filing ITR for home loans.
By now, most of us are aware that home loans not only make our dream of buying a home a reality but also grant us ways to reduce our income tax. During the 2023 budget speech, Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, provided an extension of the deadline for additional deductions on interest payments linked to home loans until 31 March 2024. It is imperative to note that this extension applies to all home loans sanctioned before the end of March 2022.
Under the Income Tax Act, of 1961, home loan borrowers can claim deductions on both the principal repayment (under Section 80C) and the interest paid on the home loan (under Section 24 and Section 80EEA).
Now before we jump straight to the steps to declare home loans for Income Tax Rebate, let us understand where the deduction can be claimed. The below table can help you understand that very easily.