Treatment of Cash Credit
Date: 27-8-2015
Any sum found credited in the books of the taxpayer, for which he offers no explanation about the nature and source thereof or the tax authorities are not satisfied by the explanation offered by the taxpayer, is termed as cash credit. In this part you can gain knowledge about various provisions relating to tax treatment of cash credit.
Basic provisions
The provisions relating to tax treatment of cash credit are given in section 68. As per section 68, any sum found credited in the books of a taxpayer, for which he offers no explanation about the nature and source thereof or the explanation offered by him is not, in the opinion of the Assessing Officer, satisfactory, may be charged to income-tax as the income of the taxpayer of that year.
In case of a taxpayer being a closely held company (i.e., not being a company in which the public are substantially interested), if the sum so credited consists of share application money, share capital, share premium or any such amount by whatever name called, any explanation offered by such company shall be deemed to be not satisfactory, unless:
(a) |
the person, being a resident in whose name such credit is recorded in the books of such company, also offers an explanation about the nature and source of such sum so credited; and |
(b) |
such explanation in the opinion of the Assessing Officer has been found to be satisfactory. |
The above discussed provisions of share application money, share capital, etc., shall not apply if the person, in whose name such sum is recorded, is a venture capital fund or a venture capital company as referred to in section 10(23FB).
Conditions to be satisfied for applicability of section 68
From the reading of section 68, following conditions can be stated to attract the applicability of section 68 :
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Assessee has maintained 'books' |
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There has to be credit of amounts in the books maintained by the taxpayer of a sum during the year. |
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The taxpayer offers no explanation about the nature and source of such credit found in the books or the explanation offered by the taxpayer in the opinion of the Assessing Officer is not satisfactory. |
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If the taxpayer is a closely held company and the sum so credited consists of share application money, share capital, share premium or any such amount by whatever name called, any explanation offered by such company shall be deemed to be not satisfactory, unless: |
(a) |
the person, being a resident in whose name such credit is recorded in the books of such company, also offers an explanation about the nature and source of such sum so credited; and [As amended by Finance Act, 2015] |
(b) |
such explanation in the opinion of the Assessing Officer has been found to be satisfactory. |
If all the above conditions exist, sum so credited may be charged to tax as income of the taxpayer of that year.
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