Capital Gains Tax Calculator on Property (2026)

Calculate LTCG and STCG tax on property sale with indexation benefit, CII data, and Section 54/54EC exemption guidance.

Transaction Details

Tax Calculation

Long Term Capital Asset (LTCG)
Indexed Cost of Acquisition₹28,58,268
(Purchase Price adjusted for inflation using CII)
Capital Gains₹20,91,732
₹4,18,346
@ 20% on gains with indexation benefit

Tax Savings Calculator (Section 54 / 54EC / 54F)

Enter reinvestment amounts to see how much tax you can save. These exemptions apply only to long-term capital gains.

Reinvest gains in residential property
NHAI/REC/PFC/IRFC bonds within 6 months
Reinvest net sale proceeds in a house
Total Exemption₹0
Tax After Exemption₹4,18,346
Tax Saved₹0

Exemptions (Section 54)

You can save tax on Long Term Capital Gains by reinvesting the gain amount into another residential property within:

  • 1 year before the sale
  • 2 years after the sale (for purchase)
  • 3 years after the sale (for construction)

Or by investing in 54EC Capital Gain Bonds (max ₹50 Lakhs) within 6 months.

Capital Gains Exemption Comparison: Section 54 vs 54EC vs 54F

SectionEligible Asset SoldWhere to InvestMax ExemptionLock-in PeriodTime Limit to Invest
Section 54Residential house propertyAnother residential house propertyNo limit (full capital gains exempt)3 years — cannot sell new property1 year before or 2 years after sale; 3 years if constructing
Section 54ECAny land or building (long-term)NHAI, REC, PFC, or IRFC bonds₹50 lakh (per financial year)5 years — bonds cannot be sold/pledgedWithin 6 months from the date of sale
Section 54FAny long-term capital asset (not a residential house)Residential house propertyNo limit (proportional — based on reinvested amount vs net sale proceeds)3 years — cannot sell new property1 year before or 2 years after sale; 3 years if constructing

How Indexation Works

Indexation is a method to adjust the purchase price of an asset for inflation over the holding period. The government publishes a Cost Inflation Index (CII) each financial year. By inflating the original cost to current-year terms, indexation reduces the taxable capital gain and, consequently, your tax liability.

Formula:

Indexed Cost of Acquisition = Purchase Price × (CII of Sale Year ÷ CII of Purchase Year)

Example with real numbers:

  • Purchase price in FY 2010-11: ₹30,00,000  |  CII = 167
  • Sale price in FY 2024-25: ₹1,20,00,000  |  CII = 363
  • Indexed cost = ₹30,00,000 × (363 ÷ 167) = ₹65,20,958
  • Capital gain without indexation = ₹90,00,000
  • Capital gain with indexation = ₹54,79,042 — a reduction of ₹35,20,958
  • Tax saved at 20% = approximately ₹7,04,192

As this example shows, indexation can reduce your taxable gain by nearly 40% over a 14-year holding period. The longer you hold the property and the higher inflation rises, the greater the indexation benefit. This is why long-term capital gains on property are taxed at a flat 20% with indexation — a significantly lower effective rate than income tax slabs for most taxpayers.

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Capital gains tax is levied on the profit earned from selling a property. If you hold the property for more than 24 months (changed from 36 months in Budget 2024), it is classified as Long Term Capital Gain (LTCG) taxed at 20% with indexation benefit. If held for less than 24 months, it is Short Term Capital Gain (STCG) added to your income and taxed at your slab rate.

Indexation adjusts your purchase price for inflation using the Cost Inflation Index (CII) published by the government. Formula: Indexed Cost = Purchase Price × (CII of Sale Year / CII of Purchase Year). This reduces your taxable capital gain significantly. For example, a property bought in 2015 for ₹50L and sold in 2025 for ₹1.5Cr has an indexed cost of ~₹71.5L (using CII 254→380), reducing gains from ₹1Cr to ~₹78.5L.

Three main exemptions: (1) Section 54 — Reinvest LTCG into another residential property within 1 year before or 2 years after sale (3 years for construction). (2) Section 54EC — Invest up to ₹50L in capital gain bonds (NHAI, REC, PFC, IRFC) within 6 months. (3) Section 54F — Invest sale proceeds in residential property if you don't own more than one other house. Each has specific conditions and limits.

LTCG (Long Term Capital Gain) applies when property is held for 24+ months. Tax rate: 20% with indexation benefit. STCG (Short Term Capital Gain) applies when held for less than 24 months. The gain is added to your total income and taxed at your applicable slab rate (5-30%). For most taxpayers, LTCG treatment is significantly more tax-efficient.

The CII for 2025-26 is 380 (expected). For 2024-25 it is 363, 2023-24 is 348, 2022-23 is 331. The government notifies CII each year. Our calculator includes the latest CII data for accurate indexation calculations.

Yes. If you sell property and do not claim any exemption (Section 54, 54EC, or 54F), you must pay capital gains tax. For LTCG, that is 20% with indexation. For STCG, it is taxed at your income slab rate. To save tax without buying another property, invest in 54EC bonds (up to ₹50L) within 6 months of sale.

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