Claiming Deduction On Mediclaim Premiums

Query 1) I have taken a Mediclaim policy for myself and my family, which includes my wife, who is also employed, and one major son, who is studying. Will the Mediclaim premium paid by me be eligible for deduction u/s 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961? If the premium is more than Rs 15000, can my wife also claim the deduction for the premium in excess of Rs 15000 paid by me?

- Dhiren Sancheti

The Mediclaim premium amount paid by you for your wife (irrespective of whether or not she is financially dependent on you) and for your son (only if he is dependent on you) is eligible for deduction u/s 80D of the said Act.

However, in case you pay the premium, your wife will not be able to claim deduction. In order to avail the deduction u/s 80D of the said Act, your wife will have to pay part of the premium.

Query 2) I want to file my Income Tax returns online, but I have don’t have my password and secret question with answer. Kindly guide me so that I can file my returns smoothly.

- Toral Doshi

You will have to reset your password in case you have forgotten it. The procedure for re-setting your password is as follows:

“To reset your password, you can click on the ‘forgot password’ link, which is appearing on the login page of the e-filing website. Once you click, you will be required to select any of the following options:

a) Either enter the answer to the secret question that you would have entered at the time of registration; or

b) Enter the bank account number, assessment year and acknowledgement number of any of the earlier e-filed returns

Once the above details, as the case may be, are entered, you would be able to enter the new password. You are required to confirm this by entering it again as well as the code appearing on the screen. Thereafter, you should click on ‘Reset Password’ and your password will be successfully reset.

In case you have forgotten or do not possess the above details, you would need to write to validate@incometaxindia.gov.in, preferably from the email id you have mentioned at the time of registration. Remember to mention the following details:

(i) PAN
(ii) Name of the assessee
(iii) Date of birth
(iv) Name of the father/husband
(v) Address
(vi) Mobile No.

After this, you need to follow the instructions which will be sent to you on your email id.

Query 3) I have filed a divorce petition against my husband. The court has granted an interim alimony for maintenance. Is the said alimony taxable? Further, if the alimony fixed at the time of the final hearing is fixed on a lumpsum basis, which is what I want, what will the tax implication be?

- Khushbu P

It may be noted that any lumpsump amount of alimony received by an assessee from her ex-husband as a one-time settlement is tax-free as it is considered as capital receipt. On the other hand, if the alimony amount is received every month as fixed by a court, then that monthly payment is liable to tax, being a revenue receipt in nature [as decided in the case of Princess Maheshwari Devi of Pratapgarh vs. CIT 147 ITR 258 (BOM)].

It may be noted that if the alimony granted by the court is received before the divorce is actually decreed, the payment made by the ex-husband would fall under Section 56(2) of the said Act as a gift from a relative, and hence would not be taxable.