My wife has received some money being the second holder in an FD with her mother (now deceased). The FD maturity amount is to be shared with all her brothers and sisters, as per the legal heir certificate (there is no will). As of now, the bank has deleted the name of the first holder on submitting the death certificate. How does she account for these amounts? Already a portion was shared but the entire TDS isn’t being shown in her name.

HH Bernard As per the provisions of Section 56(2)(x) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (‘the Act’), a sum of money received by way of inheritance should not be considered as taxable in the hands of the recipient. Thus, money received by your wife as legal heir of her mother shall not be taxable in her hands. Her share of such receipt will be required to be considered by her as an exempt income and accordingly reported while filing her tax return for the subject year. Regarding claim of TDS, your wife will be required to claim credit of her share of proportionate TDS in her hands along with proportionate share of interest income, and the balance TDS (for siblings’ share) will be required to be passed on to respective siblings. Such bifurcation must be appropriately reported in your wife’s income-tax return form (under TDS schedule) for the financial year in which tax has been deducted.

My father-in-law (78 years) is a retired government official earning a monthly pension from Central Government. Is he eligible to invest under PMVVYor SCSS? What are the tax benefits/liabilities, if any, subject to his eligibility?

Ashim Sanyal

The primary eligibility criteria for both the schemes mentioned by you i.e. Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) and Senior Citizen Savings Scheme (SCSS), is that the individual opening the account should be 60 years of age or more. The schemes do not have any restriction on the maximum entry age or for retired central government employees. NRIs/ HUFs are not eligible for SCSS. As your father-in-law is 78 years of age and assuming he is a resident in India (pre-requisite for SCSS), he shall be eligible to invest in both the scheme.

Both schemes do not provide any tax benefits at the time of making investments. The pension received from the scheme shall also be taxable in the recipient’s hand at applicable slab rates, as ‘Income from Other Sources’.

I have invested around ₹4 lakh in some mutual fund schemes, all being regular plans with dividend options. They have deducted tax on the dividend amounts paid during financial year 2020-2021. Will the mutual funds issue Form 16A and will the details of taxes deducted and remitted to the Government be reflected in Form 26AS of the tax department? Also, can I claim refund of the tax so deducted on filing my return of income? Please clarify.

J R Ravindranath

As per section 194K of the Income-tax Act, 1961, any person, making payment of dividend from mutual funds, shall at the time of credit of such income or at the time of making payment (exceeding ₹5,000), whichever is earlier, shall deduct tax at source (TDS) at 10 per cent. The deductor is required to file the details of such TDS in quarterly withholding tax statement (Form 26Q) and TDS certificate (in Form 16A) is required to be issued by the deductor within prescribed timelines. Details of such income and corresponding TDS shall reflect in your Form 26AS for FY 2020-21. You can file an income tax return and show your dividend income as also any other income which needs to be declared. Basis your taxable income and resultant tax payable, you can claim credit for TDS on dividend and claim a refund, if any.

The writer is a practising chartered accountant. Send your queries to taxtalk@thehindu.co.in

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