Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Debt Fund Tax Depends on When You Bought Units
How debt fund profits are taxed depends partly on when the fund units were bought.
For specified debt funds bought on or after April 1, 2023, profits are added to your income and taxed at your tax-slab rate, even if you hold the units for a long time.
The article says these newer investments do not get indexation or long-term capital gains treatment.
Older units may be treated differently if held for more than 24 months.
The article says gains on those older units are taxed at 12.5%, without indexation.
If they were held for 24 months or less, the gains are short-term.
People with total taxable income within the stated nil-tax threshold may not owe tax on the gains.
The article says debt-oriented funds invest at least 65% of assets in debt and money market instruments.
For specified debt-oriented fund units bought on or after April 1, 2023, gains are taxed at the investor’s income-tax slab rate regardless of holding period.
Units bought before April 1, 2023 may qualify for long-term capital gains treatment when held for more than 24 months.
The article states that gains on such older units are taxed at 12.5% without indexation; holdings of 24 months or less are treated as short-term gains.
It says investors whose total taxable income, including the gains, falls within the stated nil-tax threshold of up to ₹12.75 lakh under the new regime may owe no income tax on those gains.
- Who
- Investors in specified debt-oriented mutual funds.
- What
- Tax treatment of gains differs according to when fund units were purchased and how long older units were held.
- When
- The key purchase cutoff is April 1, 2023; the article also refers to a holding period of more than 24 months for older units.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- Changes announced in the Union Budget 2023 altered the tax treatment of gains on specified debt fund units bought from April 1, 2023.
- Debt-oriented fund definition
- A scheme investing at least 65% of its assets in debt and money market instruments.
- Purchase cutoff
- April 1, 2023.
- Units bought on or after cutoff
- Gains are taxed at the investor’s applicable income-tax slab rate, irrespective of holding period.
- Older units and holding period
- Units bought before April 1, 2023 may qualify for long-term capital gains treatment if held for more than 24 months.
- Rate stated for older long-term gains
- 12.5%, without indexation benefits.
- Nil-tax threshold cited
- The article says there may be no tax if total taxable income falls within the applicable threshold, stated as up to ₹12.75 lakh under the new tax regime.