How Is Capital Gains Tax Calculated in India? (FY 2025-26)
Capital gains tax in India is levied on the profit you earn from selling a capital asset — shares, mutual funds, real estate, gold, bonds, or any other investment. The tax you pay depends on two key factors: the type of asset and the holding period. Getting this right is critical because the difference between short-term and long-term classification can change your tax rate from 20% to 12.5%, or even make a portion of your gains completely tax-free.
Step 1 — Determine the cost basis. Your cost basis (also called cost of acquisition) includes the purchase price plus any directly attributable expenses like brokerage, stamp duty, registration charges, and improvement costs. For inherited assets, the cost basis is the price at which the previous owner acquired the asset. For gifted assets, the cost to the person who gifted it becomes your cost basis. Securities Transaction Tax (STT) paid at the time of purchase can also be included in the cost basis.
Step 2 — Classify as short-term or long-term. The holding period varies by asset class: for listed equity shares and equity mutual funds, the threshold is 12 months; for debt mutual funds and bonds, it is 36 months; for immovable property, it is 24 months; and for gold, jewellery, and unlisted shares, it is 24 months. If you hold the asset beyond these periods, the gain qualifies as Long-Term Capital Gain (LTCG); otherwise it is Short-Term Capital Gain (STCG).
Step 3 — Apply the correct tax rate. For equity STCG, the flat rate is 20% under Section 111A. For equity LTCG, gains up to ₹1.25 lakh per financial year are exempt, and gains above that are taxed at 12.5% under Section 112A — no indexation benefit is available. For debt instruments and property, STCG is added to your income and taxed at slab rates, while LTCG is taxed at 20% with indexation (using Cost Inflation Index) or 12.5% without indexation, whichever is lower. Finally, add 4% Health and Education Cess on the computed tax.
A common mistake investors make is forgetting to account for advance tax obligations. If your total tax liability including capital gains exceeds ₹10,000 in a financial year, you must pay advance tax in quarterly instalments — failing to do so attracts interest under Sections 234B and 234C. Our income tax calculator can help you estimate your total liability including capital gains.