Capital gains tax kya hai, STCG vs LTCG, stocks mutual funds pe tax — complete Hindi guide Indian investors ke liye.
Published by The Retail Trader · AUG 03, 2026 · Features
Capital gains tax kya hai, STCG vs LTCG, stocks mutual funds pe tax — complete Hindi guide Indian investors ke liye.
Capital gains tax wo tax hai jo tumhe dena padta hai jab tum koi asset (stocks, mutual funds, property) bech ke profit kamaate ho.
Simple definition: > Capital gains = Selling price - Buying price. Tax us profit pe lagta hai.
Ye paanch baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Equity Stocks — STCG (Short-Term): < 12 months, LTCG (Long-Term): > 12 months
• Equity MF — STCG (Short-Term): < 12 months, LTCG (Long-Term): > 12 months
• Debt MF — STCG (Short-Term): < 36 months, LTCG (Long-Term): > 36 months
• Gold — STCG (Short-Term): < 36 months, LTCG (Long-Term): > 36 months
• Property — STCG (Short-Term): < 24 months, LTCG (Long-Term): > 24 months
Equity Stocks & Equity Mutual Funds:
• STCG — Holding Period: < 12 months, Tax Rate: 20%
• LTCG — Holding Period: > 12 months, Tax Rate: 12.5% (above ₹1.25L exemption)
Debt Mutual Funds:
• Any duration — Holding Period: Any, Tax Rate: Slab rate (your income tax rate)
Note: After April 2023, debt MF no longer gets indexation benefit.
Gold / Gold ETFs:
• STCG — Holding Period: < 36 months, Tax Rate: Slab rate
• LTCG — Holding Period: > 36 months, Tax Rate: 12.5% with indexation
₹1.25 lakh per year LTCG on equity is tax-free.
Example:
• You bought Reliance at ₹2,000, sold at ₹2,800 after 15 months
• Profit: ₹800 per share × 100 shares = ₹80,000
• LTCG: ₹80,000 (below ₹1.25L exemption)
• Tax: ₹0
Example 2:
• Profit: ₹3,00,000
• Exemption: ₹1,25,000
• Taxable: ₹1,75,000
• Tax: ₹1,75,000 × 12.5% = ₹21,875
Ye saat baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Equity Stocks — STCG: 20% (< 12 months), LTCG: 12.5% (> ₹1.25L, > 12 months)
• Equity MF — STCG: 20% (< 12 months), LTCG: 12.5% (> ₹1.25L, > 12 months)
• Debt MF — STCG: Slab rate, LTCG: Slab rate (no indexation)
• ELSS — STCG: 20% (< 36 months), LTCG: 12.5% (> 36 months)
• Gold ETF — STCG: Slab rate (< 36 months), LTCG: 12.5% with indexation
• SGB — STCG: Exempt if held till maturity, LTCG: 12.5% if sold early
• F&O — STCG: Slab rate (business income), LTCG: N/A
F&O income = Business income (not capital gains)
Ye chaar baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• F&O Profits — Business income, slab rate
• F&O Losses — Can set off against other income
• Speculative income — Can't set off losses
• Non-speculative (F&O) — Can set off, carry forward 8 years
Important: F&O losses can be set off against salary income. Ye bahut powerful hai tax planning ke liye.
Strategy 1: Harvest LTCG:
• Har saal ₹1.25L tak LTCG tax-free hai
• Stocks sell karo, immediately wapas kharido
• Tax-free profit book ho jaayega
• Cost price reset ho jaayega
Strategy 2: Set Off Losses:
• Short-term capital losses → Set off against STCG or LTCG
• Long-term capital losses → Sirf LTCG se set off
• Losses 8 years tak carry forward kar sakte ho
Strategy 3: ELSS (Tax Saving MF):
• Section 80C mein ₹1.5L deduction
• 3-year lock-in
• Equity returns + tax saving
Strategy 4: Hold for 12 Months:
• STCG 20% vs LTCG 12.5%
• 12 months hold karo → 7.5% tax bachao
• Plus ₹1.25L exemption
"Profit hua, badhiya!" — Tax calculate karo before celebrating.
11 months pe sell mat karo. 1 month aur wait karo → LTCG rate (12.5% vs 20%).
F&O = Business income. Capital gain mein show karna = tax notice.
Losses 8 years tak carry forward kar sakte ho. Har saal ITR file karo (even if no income).
Ye baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• 📌 CAPITAL GAINS TAX QUICK REFERENCE
• EQUITY STOCKS:
• 📊 STCG (< 12 months): 20%
• 📊 LTCG (> 12 months): 12.5% (above ₹1.25L)
• EQUITY MF:
• 📊 STCG (< 12 months): 20%
• 📊 LTCG (> 12 months): 12.5% (above ₹1.25L)
• DEBT MF:
• 📊 Any duration: Slab rate
• F&O:
• 📊 Business income: Slab rate
• 📊 Losses: Set off + 8 year carry forward
• EXEMPTION:
• 📊 ₹1.25L LTCG per year = tax-free
• TAX SAVING:
• ✅ Harvest LTCG (sell + rebuy up to ₹1.25L)
• ✅ Set off losses against gains
• ✅ Hold 12+ months for LTCG rate
• ✅ ELSS for 80C deduction
• ✅ F&O losses against salary income
• AVOID:
• ❌ Tax ignore karna
• ❌ STCG mein hold (1 month aur wait)
• ❌ F&O as capital gain (it's business income)
• ❌ Losses carry forward bhool jana
Ye chaar baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Mutual Fund Kya Hai?
• Share Market Kya Hai?
• Stock Market Kya Hai?
• NISM Certification Guide
The Retail Trader — educational market analysis. Not investment advice. Consult a CA for tax advice.
Ye article sirf educational hai — koi buy ya sell recommendation nahi, koi guaranteed return ka daawa nahi, aur koi advisory nahi. Rules, rates aur mechanics exchange, SEBI aur RBI time-time par badalte hain, isliye har number apne broker ya official source par khud verify karo.