Your guide to understanding income tax benefit on home loan

Just like property in India is a good investment, home loan India too are a great investment. With property rates soaring, it’s not really possible for the common man to purchase a property of his own without opting for home finance. But with so many taxes that already get deducted from your income can you really afford to pay your monthly EMIs?

Well, the Income Tax Act has made provisions for home loan borrowers, so that they can finally fulfill their dream of having a home of their own. There are three sections in the Act that give you tax benefits on home loan. You should know these because they are handy tax saving calculators. Here’s what they are.

1.  Section 80C: This section states that you can claim tax benefits of up to Rs 1.5 lakhs on repayment of the principal amount of your loan.

2.  Section 24: This section states that you can claim tax benefits of up to Rs 2 lakhs on repayment of interest on housing loan but this is only applicable for a self-occupied property. If you are renting out your property then there is no maximum limit on the tax benefit amount. So, you can claim the entire interest amount as a tax benefit. You can do this even if the amount exceeds Rs 2 lakhs.

3.  Section 80EE: This section states that if you are a first-time buyer then you can claim an extra Rs 50,000 as tax benefits on the interest repayment.

There are many tax benefits on home loan but, there are certain conditions that you need to fulfill to be able to claim them. The first and foremost condition is that you can only start claiming income tax benefit on home, once the construction of your new property is complete. These tax benefits do not apply to under construction properties, even if the borrower has already started paying EMIs. But there is an exception to this rule. You can get a benefit if the construction ends within five years of you taking the loan. Earlier this was only three years. This period has been revised because of the rising number of stalled constructions in recent times.

If you opt for a joint loan, to enjoy income tax benefit on home loan, the second party has to be a co-owner as well as a co-borrower. They can then claim tax benefits on their home loan interest rate separately. They can only do this when their individual share of the property is clearly defined. The ratio of tax benefit is the same as the ratio of the property share.

Expand your home with a home expansion loan

Spaces can get cramped easily. We live in a materialistic work where we buy new things almost every week, with every trip to the mall. But new stuff requires new space and that is something we cannot afford. Taking housing loans for a new home is not always possible, as they are a long term commitment. There are a lot of reasons why you may need more space. Some of them are, family expansion, inviting parents or in-laws to live you, or just a lack of space. A two bedroom home may have been okay when your kids where toddlers, but when they become teenagers, they will need their own separate rooms and more space. At this time, instead of buying new property, you can simply expand your existing home.

Home finance has created a lot of tools to help you arrange for money for anything related to your home. You can get a home renovations loan in order to expand or redo your space. This loan can still be taken if you have any existing home loans. You can simply avail of this loan through a top-up. When you take this loan as a top up the interest for this loan gets added to your housing loan interest and this way you only have to pay a single EMI.

If you’re in need of a home expansion and are in the process of seeking a loan, then here’s a guide to help you apply.

1.  What can I do with the loan: A home renovation loan can be used for building additional structures on your existing property, like a new floor, a new garden or a garage and redoing the existing property?

2.  How to apply: If your home is under a co-ownership then you should have your loan co-signed by the other owner.

3.  What about the tenure: The tenure for a home renovation loan is very flexible. You can get loan from anywhere between 12 to 360 months.

4.  What documents do I need: Both you and your co-signee would have to give your documentation, including your KYC, salary slips, bank documents, your house agreement, and the expansion layout that you want to undertake, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the municipal/building/ housing board. Make sure all your plans are authorised by your local authority.

5.  What about EMIs: If you apply for this loan as a top-up for your home loans, then the EMI will be added to your existing interest rate and you will have to pay only one EMI.

Why you should get a Top-up Loan for you Home Renovations

Buying a new home is a big moment for anyone. But after living in a new home for a while, a new home can seem a little boring. You can always do it up with a little renovations, but to make any changes you need to spend money and that can be difficult when you’re already paying off home loans. To make it easy for you to keep your home as good as new, banks have introduced home renovation loans. 

A home renovation loan can be taken as a top-up to your house loans or can be taken by itself. When you take a home renovation loan as an add-on, the interest is added to your home loan interest rates. This way you don’t need to pay separate EMIs for two loans. This loan is great home finance tool, it can help you keep your home looking as good as new.

If you wish to avail a top-up loan for your home renovations here’s everything you have to know about it.

1.  Eligibility: Top-up loans can be availed only by someone who has an existing house loan. There are other preconditions too that you need to fulfill before you become eligible for such a loan. Here are some of the criteria that are taken into consideration.

•  Minimum period: You need to have started repayment of your housing loan and paid interest for a certain period before you are eligible for your home loan. This period may differ from bank to bank.

•  LTV limit: Loan-to-value (LTV) is the amount you’re allowed to borrow on your existing housing loan. The LTV ratio is fixed at 80-85% of the present value of your property. 

•  Tenure: The tenure of top-up loan runs concurrently with that of your home loan. So if you have 10 years remaining for your home loan repayment, your top-up loan tenure cannot exceed the remaining term. 

2.  Benefits: The first and foremost benefit of a top-up loan for home renovations is that you don’t need to manage multiple loans when you get a top-up. The top-up amount is simply added to your existing loan amount and the top-up loan interest rates are also paid through a single EMI. There are no restrictions on the usage of this amount. You can use it for whatever you want, however you want.

3.  Other uses: If after a few years of paying interest on you house loan you have a big expense coming that is related to your business or family, you can opt for a top-up home loan, instead of going for a personal loan.

Housing Loans: Refinance House Loans For Home Improvements

Your housing loans can help you get your dream home. You live there for a few years, while still repaying those loans but after a while your dream home isn’t all that your dreamt about. Dreams change, even dreams about you home can change. A house needs improvements at regular intervals, and renovations to keep it looking as good as new. While you’re still paying your housing loan interest, it can be difficult to fund a home renovation.   

An easy way to fund your home improvements is by opting for a home loan balance transfer. Housing loan interest rates are seeing fluctuations lately. This can be attributed to the demonetization drive. With the huge amounts of funds deposited into banks during demonetization in India, banks have reduced their home loan interest rites a great deal.

By opting for home loan balance transfer, you can save on your interest and those savings can be used by you to fund your home renovations. If you’re considering transferring your home loans then here a few things you should know.

1.      Savings is the main reason for transferring home loans. But make sure that you opt for a home loan balance transfer only if the total savings in interest pay-out is substantially higher than the cost incurred while transferring the loan. Usually, the new lender will charge various fees, such as conversion fee, processing fees and administrative charges during the loan transfer.

2.      Transferring your home loan to a new lender is similar to availing a fresh loan, where the new lender will have its own set of terms and conditions. You can use it to re-set your loan EMI and tenure and top up as well. Opt for a home loan transfer if your existing lender is not allowing you to reset the terms and conditions of your loan.

3.      Usually banks and NBFCs provide top up loans to existing borrowers. These are just like personal loans but their interest rates are lower than a separate personal loan. One may require a top up in case of funds required for an emergency or in case of a home loan for renovations. Transfer your loan only if your current provider is not allowing you a top or if the new provider is offering you a better rate.

Transferring your home loan and saving on your housing loan interest can save you the trouble of getting a personal loan.