Moonlighting is the buzzword in the IT sector currently. Many software professionals look at the trend as an opportunity while the companies have expressed their concerns. For the uninitiated, moonlighting refers to doing a side gig while being employed. But let’s keep aside the debate and focus on the tax angle. Are there tax risks to moonlighting?
Business Today spoke to Sujit Bangar, Founder, Taxbuddy.com to find out.
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Which ITR form should you fill if you are moonlighting?
If you are salaried, its ITR-1. If you have income from freelancing activity, you will have to change your ITR form. The income from freelancing will be considered as 'income from profession' and you will have to file ITR-4.
What will be the taxable income for those moonlighting?
As freelancing income is 'income from profession', we should not make the mistake of taking full receipts as income. We can take incidental expenses as deduction from those expenses. For example, data charges, proportionate cost of electricity expenses, and subscription charges of various tools used while serving those assignments. As long as income from these receipts is not more than Rs 50 lakh, one can claim a minimum taxable income of 50 per cent of the gross receipts. For example, if Suresh is having freelancing receipts of Rs 16 lakhs, he can claim taxable income of Rs 8 lakh. If he has income from a salary of Rs 20 Lakh, his gross total income would be Rs 8 lakh + Rs 20 lakh = Rs 28 lakh.
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Can those moonlighting claim deductions under sections 80C, 80D?
There won’t be any problem in claiming these deductions. In the above example, gross total income was Rs 28 Lakhs. The deductions under chapter VI A would be claimed as earlier.
Should those moonlighting pay advance tax?
You should calculate estimated income for freelancing each quarter. After giving credit to TDS done, if still some tax liability persists, one should pay advance tax.