How to compute LTCG on equity mutual funds (Section 112A)
Computing long-term capital gains (LTCG) on equity-oriented mutual funds under Section 112A of the Income Tax Act is a year-end exercise that every Indian equity mutual fund investor performs at tax-filing time. The framework is governed by Section 112A of the Income Tax Act, the grandfathering rule for pre-31-January-2018 acquisitions, and the post-July-2024 rate and exemption updates introduced by the Finance (No. 2) Act 2024.
The computation involves five conceptual steps:
- Confirming the scheme qualifies as equity-oriented.
- Establishing the holding period (12 months threshold).
- Identifying the specific units deemed redeemed under FIFO.
- Determining the cost basis with grandfathering where applicable.
- Aggregating across all Section 112A transactions and applying the Rs 1.25 lakh annual exemption + 12.5 per cent rate.
This article walks through each step with worked examples, the integration with broker and RTA-provided tax statements, the reporting framework in ITR Schedule 112A, and the practical considerations for tax planning. The framework reference is at Section 112A of the Income Tax Act and the broader capital gains tax on equity in India .
Prerequisites for Section 112A
Equity-oriented qualification
The scheme must qualify as equity-oriented under Section 10(38) and 112A:
- At least 65 per cent of investible corpus must be in listed Indian equity, computed against AMFI-published monthly portfolio disclosures.
- Equity-only schemes (large cap , mid cap, small cap, multi cap, flexi cap, focused, sectoral, thematic) qualify.
- ELSS funds qualify and additionally offer Section 80C deduction under the old regime.
- Aggressive hybrid funds (65-80 per cent equity) qualify.
- Arbitrage funds qualify (full equity allocation via cash-futures hedging).
- Balanced advantage funds qualify when actual equity allocation exceeds 65 per cent (verify scheme-specific).
Debt-oriented schemes , conservative hybrid funds, and hybrid funds below the 65 per cent threshold fall outside Section 112A and are taxed under different frameworks. The hybrid mutual fund taxation and mutual fund taxation in India articles cover the full categorisation framework.
STT condition
For listed equity shares, STT must have been paid on both acquisition (subject to specified exceptions) and transfer. For equity-oriented mutual fund units, the STT condition applies only on transfer (since STT is not levied on MF subscription, only on redemption of equity-oriented MF).
12-month holding period
The unit must be held for more than 12 months from acquisition to redemption to qualify as long-term. Units held for 12 months or less fall under Section 111A (STCG) at the higher 20 per cent rate.
Step-by-step computation
Step 1: Confirm equity-oriented qualification
Reference the scheme’s most recent monthly portfolio disclosure on the AMC website or the AMFI portal. If the equity allocation has been at or above 65 per cent throughout the holding period, the scheme is equity-oriented. The CAMS and KFin capital gains statements typically pre-classify schemes by their tax category, simplifying this step.
Step 2: Establish the holding period
The holding period is computed from the day after acquisition to the day of transfer, inclusive. For SIP-accumulated portfolios:
- Each instalment has its own acquisition date.
- The holding period of each instalment is computed independently.
- Some instalments may be long-term and others short-term at the redemption date.
For example, a Rs 5,000 monthly SIP started in April 2022 and redeemed in October 2024:
- Instalments from April 2022 to October 2023 (18 months): long-term.
- Instalments from November 2023 to October 2024: short-term.
Step 3: Identify units redeemed via FIFO
The First-In-First-Out (FIFO) method determines which specific units are deemed redeemed when a partial redemption occurs. The oldest units (in chronological acquisition order) are deemed redeemed first.
This is important because:
- For SIP-accumulated portfolios with mixed long-term and short-term units, FIFO determines which units fall under which tax framework.
- Pre-31-January-2018 units carry grandfathered cost basis (often lower tax cost); FIFO ensures these are redeemed first in the early stages of any portfolio liquidation.
For a portfolio with mixed-acquisition-date units, the CAMS-KFin capital gains statement automatically applies FIFO and shows the breakdown.
Step 4: Determine cost basis with grandfathering
Units acquired on or after 1 February 2018
The cost basis is the actual purchase NAV.
For SIP-accumulated portfolios, each instalment has its own cost basis equal to the NAV on the SIP debit date. The CAMS / KFin statements maintain per-instalment cost basis records.
Units acquired before 1 February 2018 (grandfathering)
Per the grandfathering rule and the equity MF grandfathering of 31 January 2018 , the cost basis is:
Higher of:
- (a) Actual purchase NAV, and
- (b) Lower of:
- (i) Fair Market Value (FMV) on 31 January 2018, and
- (ii) Sale NAV.
The FMV on 31 January 2018 for equity-oriented mutual fund units is the NAV on 31 January 2018 (since mutual fund units are valued at NAV daily). The grandfathering effectively caps the LTCG on pre-2018 holdings to the post-31-January-2018 appreciation.
Step 5: Compute the gain
Per unit gain = Redemption NAV - Cost basis per unit.
Total gain = Per unit gain × Number of units redeemed.
For SIP portfolios with mixed instalment cohorts, the total gain is the sum across each cohort, with each cohort’s cost basis determined by its acquisition date.
Step 6: Apply annual exemption and rate
Aggregate LTCG across all Section 112A transactions for the financial year:
- All equity-oriented mutual fund redemptions.
- Listed equity shares with STT paid.
- REIT and InvIT units with STT paid.
The first Rs 1.25 lakh per FY is exempt (post July 2024; was Rs 1 lakh before).
The remainder is taxed at 12.5 per cent flat plus 4 per cent health and education cess, plus applicable surcharge based on total taxable income.
Worked examples
Example 1: Single lump-sum acquired post-2018
An investor purchased 1,000 units of an equity mutual fund on 1 March 2020 at NAV Rs 100 per unit (cost Rs 1,00,000). On 1 September 2024, they redeem all 1,000 units at NAV Rs 250 (redemption value Rs 2,50,000).
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Holding period | 4.5 years (LTCG qualified) | – |
| Cost basis | Rs 100 per unit (actual purchase NAV) | Rs 1,00,000 |
| Redemption value | 1,000 × Rs 250 | Rs 2,50,000 |
| Gross gain | 2,50,000 - 1,00,000 | Rs 1,50,000 |
| Annual exemption | First Rs 1,25,000 exempt | Rs 1,25,000 |
| Taxable gain | 1,50,000 - 1,25,000 | Rs 25,000 |
| Tax at 12.5% | 0.125 × 25,000 | Rs 3,125 |
| Cess at 4% | 0.04 × 3,125 | Rs 125 |
| Total tax | Rs 3,250 |
Example 2: SIP portfolio with mixed cohorts
An investor ran a Rs 5,000 monthly SIP from 1 January 2022 to 1 December 2024 (36 instalments, total invested Rs 1,80,000). NAVs varied month-on-month, accumulating 1,800 units (illustrative). On 31 December 2024, they redeem 50 per cent (900 units).
Under FIFO, the first 18 instalments (January 2022 to June 2023) are deemed redeemed. By 31 December 2024:
- The first 18 instalments are 18-35 months old (all LTCG).
- They were acquired at varying NAVs averaging Rs 95.
- Their cost basis aggregate: Rs 90,000 (18 × Rs 5,000).
- Redemption NAV: Rs 130 per unit.
- 900 units × Rs 130 = Rs 1,17,000 redemption value.
- Gross gain: 1,17,000 - 90,000 = Rs 27,000.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross LTCG | Rs 27,000 |
| Annual exemption (first Rs 1.25 lakh) | Rs 27,000 fully absorbed |
| Taxable LTCG | Rs 0 |
| Tax | Rs 0 |
The Rs 27,000 LTCG is fully sheltered by the Rs 1.25 lakh annual exemption.
Example 3: Pre-31-January-2018 grandfathered holding
An investor purchased 5,000 units of an equity mutual fund on 1 April 2010 at NAV Rs 20 per unit (cost Rs 1,00,000). The NAV on 31 January 2018 was Rs 80. On 1 October 2024, they redeem all 5,000 units at NAV Rs 200 (redemption value Rs 10,00,000).
Cost basis with grandfathering:
- Actual purchase NAV: Rs 20.
- FMV on 31 January 2018: Rs 80.
- Sale NAV: Rs 200.
- Lower of FMV and Sale NAV: Rs 80.
- Higher of Actual and Lower of (FMV, Sale): max(20, 80) = Rs 80.
So the deemed cost basis is Rs 80 per unit, capturing only the post-31-January-2018 appreciation.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Deemed cost basis | 5,000 × Rs 80 | Rs 4,00,000 |
| Redemption value | 5,000 × Rs 200 | Rs 10,00,000 |
| Gross LTCG | 10,00,000 - 4,00,000 | Rs 6,00,000 |
| Annual exemption | First Rs 1,25,000 | Rs 1,25,000 |
| Taxable LTCG | 6,00,000 - 1,25,000 | Rs 4,75,000 |
| Tax at 12.5% | 0.125 × 4,75,000 | Rs 59,375 |
| Cess at 4% | 0.04 × 59,375 | Rs 2,375 |
| Total tax | Rs 61,750 |
Without grandfathering (using actual cost basis Rs 20), the LTCG would have been Rs 9,00,000 (5,000 × Rs 180) and tax would have been roughly Rs 1.10 lakh. Grandfathering saves approximately Rs 50,000 in tax.
Example 4: ELSS post-lock-in redemption
An investor invested Rs 1,50,000 in ELSS on 1 April 2021 acquiring 1,000 units at Rs 150 NAV. After the 3-year lock-in, on 1 May 2024 (post July 2024 rate change effective 23 July 2024), they redeem all units at Rs 280.
The redemption is in May 2024, before the July 2024 rate change, so this falls under the older regime (10 per cent LTCG above Rs 1 lakh exemption).
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Holding period | 3+ years (LTCG, ELSS lock-in complete) | – |
| Cost basis | 1,000 × Rs 150 | Rs 1,50,000 |
| Redemption value | 1,000 × Rs 280 | Rs 2,80,000 |
| Gross LTCG | 2,80,000 - 1,50,000 | Rs 1,30,000 |
| Pre-July 2024 exemption | First Rs 1,00,000 | Rs 1,00,000 |
| Taxable LTCG | 1,30,000 - 1,00,000 | Rs 30,000 |
| Pre-July 2024 rate (10%) | 0.10 × 30,000 | Rs 3,000 |
| Cess (4%) | Rs 120 | |
| Total tax | Rs 3,120 |
If the same redemption had occurred on 1 October 2024 (post the July 2024 rate change), the tax would be:
- Exemption Rs 1.25 lakh.
- Taxable Rs 5,000 (1,30,000 - 1,25,000).
- Tax at 12.5% = Rs 625.
The post-July 2024 regime would save tax in this case because the exemption increase to Rs 1.25 lakh more than offsets the rate increase to 12.5 per cent.
ITR reporting
Schedule 112A
Section 112A gains are reported in Schedule 112A of ITR-2 or ITR-3. The schedule requires scrip-wise (or scheme-wise) detail:
- Name of share/unit.
- ISIN of share/unit.
- Number of shares/units transferred.
- Sale consideration per unit.
- Cost of acquisition per unit (with grandfathering applied where applicable).
- FMV on 31 January 2018 per unit (for pre-grandfathering holdings).
- Total sale consideration.
- Total cost of acquisition.
- Total LTCG.
For the FY 2024-25 (assessment year 2025-26), the schedule additionally splits transactions by pre-23-July-2024 and post-23-July-2024 dates because the rate and exemption changed mid-year.
Pre-fill from AIS
The Annual Information Statement (AIS) for mutual funds pre-populates Schedule 112A using data from CAMS, KFin, CDSL, and NSDL. The investor should verify the pre-fill against their own records (especially the CAMS-KFin capital gains statement and broker tax P&L statements) and reconcile any discrepancies before filing.
Common reconciliation issues
- Trade date vs settlement date: occasional 1-2 day differences that shift transactions across FY boundaries.
- Switch transactions: a switch within an AMC is treated as redemption + acquisition; the redemption leg appears as a Schedule 112A entry.
- Grandfathering computation: AIS sometimes mis-calculates grandfathering for old holdings; verify against the grandfathering rule .
- Stamp duty: post-July 2020 stamp duty (0.005 per cent on purchases) reduces the effective cost basis slightly; confirm AIS reflects this.
See also
- Section 112A of the Income Tax Act
- Section 111A of the Income Tax Act
- LTCG on equity mutual funds (Section 112A)
- STCG on equity mutual funds (Section 111A)
- Grandfathering rule for LTCG
- Equity MF grandfathering of 31 January 2018
- Capital gains tax on equity in India
- Equity mutual fund taxation in India
- Hybrid mutual fund taxation
- Debt mutual fund taxation (post-2023)
- Mutual fund taxation in India
- Annual Information Statement (AIS)
- AIS for mutual funds
- CAMS and KFin capital gains statement
- Securities Transaction Tax
- How to compute LTCG with grandfathering on Zerodha
- How to compute LTCG on PPFCF with grandfathering
- Mutual funds in India
- Mutual fund industry in India
- SEBI October 2017 categorisation circular
External references
- Section 112A of the Income Tax Act 1961
- Finance (No. 2) Act 2024
- Income Tax Department AIS portal
- SEBI Master Circular on Mutual Funds
- AMFI Tax Reckoner
References
- Income Tax Act 1961, Section 112A and Section 55(2)(ac) on grandfathering, indiacode.nic.in.
- Finance (No. 2) Act 2024 amendments to Section 112A rate and exemption.
- Finance Act 2018 introducing Section 112A and grandfathering provisions.
- CBDT FAQ on Section 112A operation and grandfathering computation.
- Income Tax Department Annual Information Statement framework documentation.
- CAMS and KFin Technologies operational documentation on capital gains statements.
- AMFI Tax Reckoner for equity-oriented mutual fund taxation.