Income Tax: When to choose New or Old Tax Regime for FY 2025-26

Here's a comprehensive guide comparing the New and Old Income Tax Regimes for FY 2025-26, including slabs, deductions, and when to choose each.

Choose Right Tax Regime for FY 2025-26

CA Pratibha Goyal | May 24, 2025 |

Income Tax: When to choose New or Old Tax Regime for FY 2025-26

Income Tax: When to choose New or Old Tax Regime for FY 2025-26

In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of the Old and new tax regimes and when to choose the New or Old Tax Regime for FY 2025-26.

Income Tax Slabs in New Tax Regime for Financial Year 2025-26 (Assessment Year 2026-27):

Income SlabsTax Rates
0-4L0%
4-8L5%
8-12L10%
12-16L15%
16-20L20%
20-24L25%
Above 24L30%

Income Tax Slabs in Old Tax Regime for Financial Year 2025-26 (Assessment Year 2026-27):

0-2.5L0%
2.5-5L5%
5-10L20%
Above 10L30%

Salaried Taxpayers under New Tax Regime:

Salary Income of Rs.12,75,000 will be Tax-Free under the New Tax Regime. Salaried Taxpayers in New Tax Regime enjoy a Standard Deduction of Rs.75,000, Which means the Taxable Salary is Rs.12,00,000.

Rebate under Section 87A increased from Rs. 25000 to Rs. 60,000 under the New Tax Regime with annual income up to Rs. 12,00,000.

Therefore Total Tax will be Zero after the rebate.

Brief comparison between the New and Old Tax Regime

ParticularsOld Tax RegimeNew Tax Regime
  (FY 2025-26)
Income level for rebate eligibilityRs. 5 lakhsRs. 12 lakhs
Standard DeductionRs. 50,000Rs. 75,000
Effective Tax-Free Salary incomeRs. 5.5 lakhsRs. 12.75 lakhs
Rebate u/s 87ARs.12,500Rs.60000
HRA ExemptionYesNo
Leave Travel Allowance (LTA)YesNo
Other allowances including food allowance of Rs 50/meal subject to 2 meals a dayYesNo
Entertainment Allowance and Professional TaxYesNo
Perquisites for official purposesYesYes
Interest on Home Loan u/s 24b on: Self-occupied or vacant propertyYesNo
Interest on Home Loan u/s 24b on: Let-out propertyYesYes
Deduction u/s 80C (EPF, LIC, ELSS, PPF, 5 year FD, Children’s tuition fee etc)YesNo
Employee’s (own) contribution to NPS U/s 80CCD(1B)YesNo
Employer’s contribution to NPS U/s 80CCD(2)YesYes
Medical insurance premium – 80DYesNo
Disabled Individual – 80UYesNo
Interest on education loan – 80EYesNo
Interest on Electric vehicle loan – 80EEBYesNo
Donation to Political party/trust etc – 80GYesNo
Savings Bank Interest u/s 80TTA and 80TTBYesNo
Other Chapter VI-A deductionsYesNo
All contributions to Agniveer Corpus Fund – 80CCHYesYes
Deduction on Family Pension IncomeYesYes
Gifts upto Rs 50,000YesYes
Exemption on voluntary retirement 10(10C)YesYes
Exemption on gratuity u/s 10(10)YesYes
Exemption on Leave encashment u/s 10(10AA)YesYes
Daily Allowance (For Official purpose)YesYes
Conveyance Allowance (For Official purpose)YesYes
Transport Allowance for a specially abled person (For Official purpose)YesYes

New or Old Tax Regime: Pros and Cons

  • New Tax Regime Gives beneficial Tax Rates, but very limited exemptions/ Deductions
  • Old tax regime gives all exemptions/ Deductions but high tax rates.

So what’s the key?

Choosing New or Old Tax Regime depends upon the Tax at different Income and Exemption levels:

DeductionsIncome70000010000001325000137500015750001750000182500019000002050000210000022500002400000340000044000005000000
Income After SD (NTR)6250009250001250000130000015000001675000175000018250001975000202500021750002325000332500043250004925000
Income After SD (OTR)6500009500001275000132500015250001700000177500018500002000000205000022000002350000335000043500004950000
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
450000Tax OTR0077500875001350001875002100002325002775002925003375003825006825009825001162500
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
500000Tax OTR0067500775001200001725001950002175002625002775003225003675006675009675001147500
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
512500Tax OTR0065000750001162501687501912502137502587502737503187503637506637509637501143750
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
562500Tax OTR0055000650001050001537501762501987502437502587503037503487506487509487501128750
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
625000Tax OTR004250052500925001350001575001800002250002400002850003300006300009300001110000
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
650000Tax OTR003750047500875001275001500001725002175002325002775003225006225009225001102500
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
675000Tax OTR003250042500825001200001425001650002100002250002700003150006150009150001095000
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
725000Tax OTR002250032500725001075001275001500001950002100002550003000006000009000001080000
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
737500Tax OTR002000030000700001050001237501462501912502062502512502962505962508962501076250
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
762500Tax OTR001500025000650001000001162501387501837501987502437502887505887508887501068750
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
787500Tax OTR0002000060000950001100001312501762501912502362502812505812508812501061250
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
800000Tax OTR0001750057500925001075001275001725001875002325002775005775008775001057500
0Tax NTR0067500750001050001350001500001650001950002062502437502812505775008775001057500
815000Tax OTR0001450054500895001045001230001680001830002280002730005730008730001053000

Hope you find the same helpful.

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