The interest income from tax-free bonds is completely tax-free. Furthermore, these bonds are exempt from TDS (tax deducted at source). However, because the principle amount invested in tax-free bonds does not qualify for a tax deduction under Section 80C, it is advisable to record your interest income.
Tax-free bonds are available in both physical and electronic form. When compared to bank FDs, tax-free bonds provide a more tax-efficient return for investors in the higher tax bands.
Because these programs are issued on behalf of the government, the chances of default on principal and interest payments are quite minimal. It also provides financial protection as well as a predictable monthly or annual income. As a result, it is relatively risk-free.
Tax-free bonds cannot be liquidated as quickly as debt mutual funds, for example. Liquidation of tax-free bonds may be difficult due to the fact that government bonds are long-term assets with longer lock-in periods.
The lock-in period for tax-free bonds is longer, ranging from 10 to 20 years. You are unable to withdraw your funds before to the maturity date. As a result, please ensure that you will not want this money soon after investing.
Tax-free bonds can be purchased online or in person using a Demat account. To meet short-term financial goals, you can purchase tax-free bonds on the secondary market.
The return on these bonds is mostly determined by the purchase price. This is due to the fact that they are traded in little quantities with a small number of buyers and sellers.
When considering the tax exemption on interest, the rate of interest offered on tax-free bonds often varies from 5.50 percent to 6.50 percent, which is quite appealing.
The interest is paid to the bondholder once a year. The rates, however, are subject to change because they are linked to the current rate of government securities. If you invest in tax-free bonds at current yields, you may obtain a 6% tax-free return.
In India, what kind of tax-free bonds are available?
Are you a senior citizen, a high-net-worth individual, or someone who pays the highest tax rate and wants to invest in debt securities? If you answered yes, you should look into tax-free bonds. If you want to invest for a period of 10 years or more, HUDCO (NE series), PFC (N8 series), or IIFCL bonds are good options (N4 series). The remaining term on these bonds is 12-13 years.
If you want to invest for a shorter period of time, try REC (NI series), IREDA (N7 series), NABARD (N2 series), or HUDCO (NI series) bonds (ND series). The remaining term on these bonds is 6-10 years.
Here are a few of the best-performing Tax Free Bonds to consider. HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED offers a 9.01 coupon rate, MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED offers a 9, POWER FINANCE CORPORATION LIMITED offers an 8.92 coupon rate, INDIA INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE COMPANY LIMITED offers an 8.91 coupon rate, and so on.
1) What are tax-free bonds, and how do they work?
Bonds that are tax-free are debt instruments that are typically issued by public sector entities (PSUs). A public sector undertaking collects funds from investors for a set period of time in exchange for issuing a tax-free bond and promising to refund the funds at the conclusion of the bond’s term. It also pledges to pay a fixed annual interest rate for the duration of the bond. On the maturity date, the corporation redeems the bond and credits the maturity proceeds to the investor’s bank account.
2) What distinguishes tax-free bonds?
- Issued at face value: These bonds are normally issued with a Rs 1000 face value. To put it another way, one unit of the tax-free bond costs Rs 1000 at the moment of issuance.
- There is a coupon rate on the bonds. Power Finance Corporation (PFC), for example, issued the N6 series of bonds at an annual interest rate of 8.43 percent. It means that bondholders will receive an annual interest rate of 8.43 percent. Interest is paid either semi-annually or annually, depending on the bond’s issuance date.
- Bonds are issued for periods of more than 5 years and can last up to 2030 years. They can be held till maturity by an investor. These bonds can be traded on stock exchanges such as the NSE and BSE. If an investor needs money before the bonds mature, they can sell them on the stock exchange.
3) What is the tax-free status of interest earned on tax-free bonds?
The fact that the interest generated on tax-free bonds is tax-free is the most tempting feature to investors. Section 10 of the Income Tax Act makes this possible. Because the interest paid to investors is tax-free, persons in the highest tax bracket who want to invest in debt securities prefer to buy these bonds.
4) What are the dangers of tax-free bonds?
Tax-free bonds are typically issued by PSUs with the union government as the primary stakeholder. As a result, the chance of default is quite minimal. However, liquidity can be an issue. In the case of several of these bonds, trade volumes are minimal. If you want to sell them on the exchange, you can have a hard time finding a buyer. Even if you find a buyer, you may not be able to get the price you want.
5) How do you go about purchasing tax-free bonds?
There are two ways to purchase tax-free bonds. You can either apply for the bonds when the firm issues a new bond issue, or you can acquire bonds that have already been issued and are listed on the stock exchange from another bondholder who wants to sell.
You can apply for a bond in either physical or demat format when applying for a new issue. However, you’ll need a trading and demat account to buy and sell bonds on the secondary market. You must place a buy order from your trading account in order to purchase the bonds. The bonds will be credited to your demat account at the moment of clearing and settlement. Similarly, you must submit a sell order from your trading account to sell the bonds. The exchange will debit the bonds from your demat account at the moment of clearing and settlement.
If you hold the bonds until they mature, the issuing business will redeem them and credit the redemption value to your bank account.
6) What are the tax implications of tax-exempt bonds?
For tax purposes, you must understand the following phases of a bond as an investor:
- At the time of issuance: Some financial instruments are eligible for a tax deduction at the time of purchase or issuance. Please keep in mind that tax-free bonds do not qualify for any tax benefits at the time of purchase or issuance.
- Annual interest earned on the bond: Under Section 10 of the Income Tax Act, annual interest earned on tax-free bonds is tax-free. As a result, any interest you earn on these bonds is tax-free in your hands as an investor. The interest earned on these bonds is not subject to tax deducted at source (TDS).
- Capital gains: Depending on the price at which you acquired and sold the tax-free bond, you will either have a capital gain or a capital loss if you sell it before it matures. The capital gain will also be classed as either a short-term or long-term capital gain, depending on the bond’s holding period. If you generate capital gains from a tax-free bond, they are taxable, whether they are short-term or long-term.
- Maturity proceeds: If you hold the bond until it matures, the corporation will redeem it at face value (the price at which you bought the bond from the company). As a result, there will be no capital gain when the bond is redeemed at maturity. There will be no capital gain tax since there will be no capital gain.
7) Who should buy tax-exempt bonds?
Tax-free bonds are a good option for investors looking for debt instruments with tax-free interest income. Tax-free bonds are an option for senior citizens, high net worth individuals (HNIs), and others in the highest income tax bracket. These bonds typically have a long term of more than five years, ensuring a steady, tax-free income for a long time.
Tax-free bonds are more tax-efficient than bank fixed deposits from the standpoint of taxes. The interest on a bank fixed deposit is taxable, but the interest on tax-free bonds is not.
8) What corporations are known for issuing tax-free bonds?
9) What considerations should an investor make while purchasing bonds on the secondary market?
The face value of the bonds issued by the corporation differs from the price at which they are exchanged in the secondary market. The market price of a bond is determined by the change of market interest rates after the bond has been issued.
Interest rates and bond prices are inversely related. As a result, if market interest rates rise, bond prices will fall. Bond prices will climb if market interest rates fall. No new tax-free bonds were issued by any company in the current year (2021) or the previous year (2020). In addition, following the economic impact of COVID-19, the RBI has decreased interest rates in FY 2020-21. As interest rates fall, the market prices of all bonds issued prior to 2020 have risen.
All tax-free bonds with a face value of Rs 1000 issued before 2020 are selling at a market price ranging from Rs 1085 to Rs 1500 as of July 2021. The market price is determined by criteria such as when the bond was issued, the coupon rate at which it was issued, the remaining time to maturity, the seller’s price forecast, and so on. So, when purchasing tax-free bonds on the secondary market, bear the following considerations in mind.
When you buy tax-free bonds on the secondary market, you will be paid annual interest based on the coupon rate. Your real return, however, will be determined by the market price at which you purchased the bond.
For example, REC Limited issued a Rs 1000 tax-free bond (NH series) with a coupon rate of 7.43 percent per annum. Assume you purchased the bond at a market price of Rs 1325 in July 2021. The corporation would pay you Rs 74.3 in annual interest (7.43 percent p.a. on the face value of Rs 1000). However, you must consider a return of Rs 74.3 on a Rs 1325 investment when computing your actual yearly return (bond market price). As a result, your annual return will be 5.61 percent.
10) The majority of tax-free bonds are now selling at a discount to their face value. Will this be the case in the future as well?
The RBI slashed interest rates to multi-year lows in FY 2020-21 to aid the Indian economy’s recovery from the COVID-19-induced recession. Most bonds’ prices have risen as a result of the interest rate drop, and they now trade at a premium to their face value.
Interest rates appear to have reached a nadir in July 2021. Since the last few months, the RBI has kept interest rates unchanged. The RBI is expected to normalize liquidity in the future before gradually raising interest rates. Bond prices are predicted to fall as interest rates rise due to their inverse relationship with interest rates.
The bond’s market price will fall below the face value of Rs 1000 once market interest rates exceed the coupon rate at which it was issued. The bond is considered to be selling at a discount to the face value when the market price falls below the face value.
In India, how may I invest in tax-free bonds?
These tax-free bonds are available in both physical and demat form to investors. The subscription period for tax-free bonds is open for a limited time, and you must purchase these bonds within that time frame. If the bonds are purchased in tangible form, the investor must provide his or her Permanent Account Number (PAN).
In India, are bonds taxable?
Interest generated on government bonds is subject to income tax. Interest earned on government bonds is taxed in the same way as interest earned on bank fixed deposits is taxed. That is, depending on the tax system you have chosen, the interest you receive will be taxed at the income tax rate applicable to your income.
What is the procedure for purchasing NHAI tax-free bonds?
There is no way to buy these bonds online, so you’ll have to go to their office and fill out a paper form. You can hold these bonds in either physical or demat form after purchasing them, but there is no way to buy them online.
NHAI or REC: which bond is better?
REC bonds have a somewhat higher rating than NHAI bonds. Because NHAI bondholders must request for surrender of bonds at maturity, which is after 5 years, and only then is the maturity amount redeemed and paid by cheque or ECS. It will be automatically redeemed and paid by check or ECS in the case of REC bonds.
Is it possible to lose money in a bond?
- Bonds are generally advertised as being less risky than stocks, which they are for the most part, but that doesn’t mean you can’t lose money if you purchase them.
- When interest rates rise, the issuer experiences a negative credit event, or market liquidity dries up, bond prices fall.
- Bond gains can also be eroded by inflation, taxes, and regulatory changes.
- Bond mutual funds can help diversify a portfolio, but they have their own set of risks, costs, and issues.
What is the procedure for purchasing RBI 7.75 bonds?
They can only be held in the form of a demat. These bonds are available from nationalized banks as well as large private sector banks such as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank. Axis Bank’s representative confirmed that the bank distributes RBI bonds.
Are the RBI bonds secure?
Given the advantages of RBI Bonds that we just discussed, you may be wondering why you should invest in RBI Bonds. The solution is straightforward. These bonds are not only safe and secure, but also extremely rewarding.
RBI Bonds are issued on behalf of the Government of India, therefore they are completely secure for any citizen to invest in, despite the long lock-in term they provide to their investors.
Such government bonds are an excellent option for anyone wishing to invest their money in a safe, hassle-free environment. These bonds outperform other investment options such as tax-free bonds or even Fixed Deposit (FD) accounts since they offer a greater return, a safer source of income, and a shorter lock-in period than FD accounts and tax-free bonds.
The rbi rates of interest, also known as coupon rates, are a primary highlight of this investment because these bonds have no credit risk (possibility of failure of the borrower to repay a loan or debt).
RBI Bonds are a way for the government to raise funding for projects and initiatives. Because they are issued by the Reserve Bank of India on behalf of the government, they are far safer than any other type of investment.
Overall, in an investing world where security is paramount, rbi floating rate interest rate bonds are one of the most reliable investment options for people of all income levels, particularly those in the middle.
Individuals can purchase RBI bonds.
The RBI Retail Direct Scheme, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday, allows individuals to buy treasury bills, dated securities, sovereign gold bonds (SGB), and state development loans (SDLs) directly from main and secondary markets.
Retail investors (individuals) will be able to open an online Retail Direct Gilt Account (RDG Account) with the Reserve Bank of India under the initiative (RBI). These accounts can be linked to their bank accounts for savings.
Individuals’ RDG Accounts can be used to engage in government securities issuance and secondary market operations via the screen-based NDS-OM.
Only banks, primary dealers, insurance companies, and mutual funds can use NDS-OM, a screen-based electronic anonymous order matching system for secondary market trading in RBI-owned government securities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the RBI Retail Direct Scheme in virtual mode earlier in the day.
The Reserve Bank of India-Retail Direct (RBI-RD) Scheme, “a important milestone in the growth of the government securities (G-sec) market, will bring G-secs within easy reach of the ordinary man by simplifying the procedure of investment,” the central bank stated in a statement.
Retail direct investors will be able to give government assets to other retail direct investors via the internet.
Transaction payments can be made quickly and easily using a savings bank account via online banking or a unified payments interface (UPI). Investors can get guidance and other resources on the portal itself, as well as by calling the toll-free number 1800-267-7955 (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) or sending an email.
Investor services include transaction and balance statement provisions, a nomination facility, securities pledge or lien requirements, and gift transaction provisions.
The RBI stated that “no fees will be paid for amenities offered under the scheme,” and that the scheme intends to give investors with a safe, simple, direct, and secure platform.
If they have a savings bank account in India, a PAN, any officially legitimate document for KYC purposes, a valid email ID, and a registered mobile number, retail investors can apply for the scheme and maintain an RDG account.
On the day of settlement, securities purchased will be credited to the RDG Account.
(The Business Standard staff may have modified just the headline and image of this report; the remainder is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)