Section 80D of the Income Tax Act lets an individual avail deduction for health insurance premium paid. The health insurance premium paid for self, spouse, dependent children and parents is eligible for this deduction. One can avail of a deduction up to Rs 25,000 for self and family. In case of a senior citizen health insurance policy the deduction allowed is up to Rs 30,000. Within this limit deduction of Rs 5,000 is allowed for expenses incurred towards preventive health check-ups.

For super senior citizens with no health insurance, a deduction up to Rs 30,000 is allowed for the expenses incurred on medical treatment.

You should buy adequate health insurance to financially overcome a possible hospitalization of self or a family member.

Section 80DD allows the assessee a deduction for expenditure incurred in the form of medical treatment, treatment and rehabilitation of a handicapped dependent suffering from disability. Deposits for maintenance of such dependent in specified scheme are also eligible for the tax benefit.

Extent of deduction is linked to the extent of disability. In case of 40% disability, the deduction is capped to Rs 75,000 per year. For 80% disability, the tax deduction is capped to Rs 1.25 lakh.

However, if you claim such a benefit then the same cannot be availed by the dependent in his tax returns under section 80U of Income Tax Act.

This section allows tax deduction for expenditure incurred by you for medical treatment of certain diseases. These include Neurological Diseases (where the disability level has been certified as 40% or more), Parkinson’s Disease, Malignant Cancers, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Chronic Renal failure, Hemophilia and Thalassaemia. The tax benefit is capped on actual basis up to Rs 40,000 per year. If you are a senior citizen, then the benefit is lower of actual expense or Rs 60,000. In case of super senior citizen (80 years or above of age) this amount is capped at Rs 80,000.

To avail this benefit a medical certificate from competent medical practitioner is required.

Interest paid on education loan is eligible for a tax deduction. Under Section 80E of the Income Tax Act such interest paid on your education is deducted from your gross taxable income while computing income tax liability. The education loan can be taken for self, spouse or children. The deduction is available from the year the repayment starts and not from the year you availed the loan. The deduction is available for a maximum of 8 years or till the interest is paid, whichever is earlier.

The tax benefit associated with interest on education loan is however not available for HUF.

Contributions made to prescribed funds fetch the much required tax break. Section 80G offers deductions up to 50% or 100% of the donation subject to the limits stated in the Income Tax Act. To avail the tax deduction one requires Name of the Donee, PAN of the Donee, Address of the Donee, and the amount contributed.

As proposed in Budget 2017, cash donations are capped to Rs 2,000 from tax benefit point of view. The donations made in ‘Kind’ such as donating utensils, clothes, books do not qualify for deductions.

If you are salaried individual but do not have house rent allowance or are self-employed and are paying rent for an accommodation for residential purpose, then you can claim tax deduction under section 80GG of Income Tax Act.

It comes with certain conditions-

You pay rent and you do not get any HRA, even for a part of the year.

You should not own and occupy any other house anywhere

You or your spouse or your minor child or your HUF must now own any house in the city you reside or work in.

If you satisfy these conditions, deduction available to you will be the lower of:

Rs 5,000 per month,
25% of your total income
Rent paid in excess of 10% of your total income

An individual gets a tax deduction under section 80U of the Income Tax Act if he is suffering from any of the stipulated conditions.

Specified disabilities:

• Blindness
• Low vision
• Leprosy-cured
• Hearing impairment
• Locomotor disability
• Mental retardation
• Mental illness

If one is suffering from 40% or more from such conditions, he is entitled to a fixed deduction of Rs 75,000 irrespective of his income and expenditure incurred on the condition.

In case of disability of more than 80%, he is entitled to a fixed deduction of Rs 1.25 lakh irrespective of his income and expenditure incurred on the condition.

Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (or RGESS) was introduced in the Finance Act, 2012. New retail investor who complies with the condition of gross total income less than Rs 12 lakh can enjoy deduction under RGESS.

One can invest maximum Rs 50,000 for claiming deduction under RGESS. New retail investor gets 50% deduction of the amount invested from the taxable income for that financial year.

This investment has to be in the prescribed securities and subject to lock in period as defined in the Income Tax Act. Only individuals can avail of this tax deduction.

This can be availed of by an individual till March 31st 2017. This has been discontinued from FY2017-2018.

This section lets an individual or HUF to enjoy a tax deduction for interest earned on saving account with bank, co-operative society or post office to the extent of actual or Rs 10,000 whichever is lower.

This benefit is not applicable for the interest earned on term deposits.

Interest income earned from a saving bank account over Rs 10,000 will be subject to tax a per your slab.