Threshold for TDS on payment of interest on debentures
Under the existing provisions of section 193 of the Income-tax Act, a person responsible for paying interest to a resident individual on listed debentures of a company, in which the public are substantially interested, is not required to deduct tax on the amount of interest payable if the aggregate amount of interest paid during a financial year does not exceed Rs.2,500/- and the interest is paid by account payee cheque. However, in the case of unlisted debentures of a company, no threshold limit is specified for deduction of tax on payment of interest.
In order to reduce the compliance burden on small assessees and companies, it is proposed that no deduction of tax should be made from payment of interest on any debenture, (whether listed or not) issued by a company, in which the public are substantially interested, to a resident individual or Hindu undivided family, if the aggregate amount of interest on such debenture paid during the financial year does not exceed Rs.5,000 and the payment is made by account payee cheque.
This amendment will take effect from 1st July, 2012.
