Realty investors take equity route to offset tax burden

Though the realty sector has been hit by the general economic slowdown, smart property investors, who raked in the moolah when the going w
as good, made use of the equity markets to reduce the tax they paid on those gains.

According to tax consultants, people whose income is derived from other sources, say a salaried employee, can and have in the past offset derivatives losses against short-term capital gains made in property transactions to reduce tax incidence on the property gains.

Gains from property are deemed short-term if they are held for less than three years. Once a derivatives loss is offset against the gain, the balance short-term capital gain is clubbed with the salary income and taxed at the normal rate.

Source