SalaryExit

Salary & tax breakdown calculator

Estimate taxable income, tax + cess, and monthly in-hand after PF and professional tax — using the same pure engine as the rest of SalaryExit India.

Reviewed July 2026 · FY 2026–27 (AY 2027–28) tax slabs in engine · Methodology

Figures are modeled estimates — see the accuracy card under the title for what is direct vs assumed.

Required inputs

  • Annual gross salary (₹)
  • Tax regime (old vs new)
  • Professional tax per year (₹) — state dependent

Before employee deductions.

Tax regime

New regime ignores HRA/80C in this simplified model except where noted.

Placeholder default is not your exact state slab — replace with your annual PT.

Optional. Used for old-regime 80C cap logic.

Optional rough bucket (old regime). Combined with PF subject to ₹1.5L cap.

Optional. Enter only if you already estimated exemption (e.g., via HRA calculator). Old regime only.

Enter your inputs and click Calculate to see an estimated monthly in-hand and tax breakdown.

Assumptions used by this estimate

  • Income tax slabs, standard deductions, and simplified Section 87A match the configured FY (Financial Year 2026-27 (AY 2027-28)).
  • Standard deduction: old ₹50,000, new ₹75,000.
  • Old regime: employee PF + other 80C combined are capped at ₹1,50,000 for this estimate.
  • Surcharge, perquisites, bonus timing, and marginal relief are not modeled.

Worked example (same engine as live calculator)

Engine snapshot: gross ₹12,00,000/year, new regime, PT ₹2,500/year, employee PF ₹1,50,000/year → estimated monthly in-hand ₹87,291.67 (FY slabs + 87A model in code).

FAQ

Why doesn't this match my payslip exactly?

Payslips include timing effects (arrears, bonuses), flex components, perquisites, and actual TDS adjustments. This tool uses a simplified annual model.

Can I use this to file taxes?

No. It's an educational estimate. Use Form 16, AIS, and a CA/tool for filing.

Understanding your salary and tax breakdown

A salary breakdown is the calculation chain from your gross salary down to the amount you can actually spend. For salaried employees in India, this involves income tax (TDS), provident fund contributions, professional tax, and occasionally other employer-specific deductions. Each of these moves independently depending on your income level, state of employment, and payroll structure.

Taxable income under both regimes is gross salary minus the standard deduction — ₹75,000 under the new regime and ₹50,000 under the old regime for FY 2025-26. The old regime allows additional deductions on top: HRA exemption for those paying rent, Section 80C investments up to ₹1.5 lakh, NPS contributions under Section 80CCD, and others. Whether the old or new regime produces a lower tax bill depends entirely on the scale of these deductions relative to gross salary.

TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) is how employers collect income tax in advance. Your employer estimates your full-year tax liability in April, divides it roughly by 12, and deducts that amount each month. If your income varies — bonus in one month, perquisites in another — TDS adjustments happen mid-year. This is why your monthly payslip deduction for tax can look different from annual tax liability ÷ 12 in some months. The calculator spreads the estimated annual tax evenly, which is a simplified but useful approximation for planning.

Professional tax is often overlooked in salary planning. It is a state-level levy — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and several other states collect it. Rates vary by state and income band, but for salaried employees the maximum annual liability is typically ₹2,400–₹3,000. It is deducted from your gross before income tax is calculated in some interpretations, though the exact treatment depends on the employer's payroll system.

  • Gross salary = Basic + HRA + Special allowance + all taxable monthly components.
  • Taxable income = Gross − Standard deduction − any old-regime specific deductions.
  • TDS is a monthly withholding, not the final tax — Form 16 reconciles the year-end position.
  • Employee PF = 12% of PF wage (Basic+DA or statutory ceiling, whichever applies).
  • In-hand = Gross − Employee PF − Professional tax − TDS (monthly spread).

Related guides

How Indian payslip tax is calculated: step by step

Indian income tax for salaried employees follows a specific sequence. Understanding the steps explains why two employees earning the same gross salary can have very different tax liabilities.

  1. Start with annual gross salary. This is the sum of all salary components before any deductions: Basic, HRA, special allowance, LTA, meal allowance, etc.
  2. Subtract the standard deduction. Under the new regime, ₹75,000 is deducted automatically. Under the old regime, ₹50,000. No proofs required for this step.
  3. Subtract declared deductions (old regime only). 80C investments (up to ₹1.5 lakh), HRA exemption (if renting), 80D health insurance premium, home loan interest, and other eligible amounts. The new regime does not allow most of these.
  4. The result is taxable income. Apply the appropriate slab rates to compute basic tax liability.
  5. Check Section 87A rebate. If net taxable income is ≤ ₹7 lakh (old regime) or ≤ ₹12 lakh (new regime), the full tax is rebated — effective liability becomes zero.
  6. Add 4% health and education cess on the tax computed after rebate.
  7. Divide annual tax by 12 to get monthly TDS. Your employer deducts this amount each month, adjusting for declarations you submit during the year.

Why Section 80C is the first deduction to maximize under old regime

Section 80C allows a deduction of up to ₹1,50,000 per year from taxable income. Most salaried employees' employee PF contribution already counts towards 80C — meaning if you contribute ₹72,000/year to EPF, you only have ₹78,000 of 80C space left to fill with other investments like ELSS, PPF, or life insurance premiums.

At the 30% slab, fully utilizing ₹1.5 lakh of 80C saves approximately ₹46,800 in annual tax (including cess). At the 20% slab, the saving is about ₹31,200/year.

Effective tax rate vs marginal tax rate

India's income tax system is progressive: only the income in each slab is taxed at that slab's rate. Saying "I am in the 30% tax bracket" does not mean 30% of your total income is taxed — only the income above ₹10 lakh (old) or ₹24 lakh (new) is taxed at 30%.

For example, a ₹15 LPA gross under the new regime (after ₹75,000 standard deduction, taxable income ≈ ₹14.25 lakh) faces a basic tax of approximately ₹1,82,500. That is an effective rate of about 12.7% on taxable income — not 25% (the marginal slab rate at ₹14.25 lakh). The calculator shows this breakdown so you can see both figures.

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