How to calculate short-term and long-term capital gains taxes on stocks

There is a lot of confusion among investors about the tax implications of equity market gains. Though almost all investors have the vague idea that they have to pay tax on gains from their stock market investments, they are unaware of the basic taxation rules and limits for it. In this story, ZeeBiz decodes how to calculate tax on equity investments. 

To understand the calculation, one has to know what the long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax and the short-term capital gains (STCG) tax are. 

But first, let's understand what the capital gains tax is. A capital gains tax is a levy on the profit that an investor makes from the sale of an investment, such as stocks. These gains are further divided into two categories: STCG and LTCG.

How to calculate LTCG on stocks?

After making an investment in stocks, if one sells equity shares after one year of acquisition, the seller is considered to have made long-term capital gains (LTCG).

As per Arpit Gupta, Assistant Manager, Taxation & Finance, Compliance Calendar LLP, "For LTCG, the exemption is up to Rs 1 lakh on gains from equity, and after that, 10 per cent tax is levied without benefit of indexation." 

Note: In order to calculate the LTCG on shares bought, the indexed purchase price of the asset has to be calculated.

The indexed purchase price is calculated by adjusting the purchase price of stocks based on the prevailing inflation rate.

The following formula is used to calculate LTCG:

LTCG = Sale value of long-term equity assets - (the cost of asset acquisition + expenses incurred owing to their sale or transfer).

How to calculate STCG on stocks

If an investor sells stock within 12 months from the date of purchase, the seller is said to make short-term capital gains. STCG results when the selling price of shares is higher than the purchase price.

For STCG, the tax is applicable at the rate of 15 per cent, as per Compliance Calendar LLP's Gupta.

The following formula is used to calculate STCG:

Short-term capital gain calculation: The sale price of the share minus (purchase price of the share + expenses on sale) 

How to set off long- and short-term capital losses? 

Long-term capital loss (LTCL) can be set off only against any other long-term capital gain and can be carried forward for the succeeding eight years from the year in which the loss was incurred. 

Meanwhile, Short Term Capital Loss (STCL) can be set off against STCG and LTCG and carried forward for the succeeding eight years from the year in which the loss was incurred.

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