How each structure is taxed. FY 2026–27.
The post-tax number is the only one that actually reaches you. Union Budget 2026 left the headline capital-gains rates alone but changed two things that matter here: buyback taxation and securities transaction tax. Both are covered below. Always confirm with your Chartered Accountant before acting.
| Structure | LT threshold | Short-term | Long-term | Income / other | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Mutual Funds / SIF (equity-oriented) | 12 months | 20% | 12.5% above ₹1.25 L/yr | Dividends at slab | Gains only on your redemption — internal churn untaxed |
| Debt Mutual Funds (bought after Apr 2023) | — | Slab rate (all gains) | Slab rate (all gains) | — | No LTCG benefit regardless of holding |
| FD+ / Corporate FDs & Bonds | — | Slab | Slab (no LTCG benefit) | Interest at slab, TDS applies | Slab rate throughout; no long-term concession |
| Debt PMS | — | Slab | Slab (no LTCG benefit) | Coupons at slab in your hands | Slab rate throughout; no long-term concession |
| REITs / InvITs (units) | 12 months | 20% | 12.5% | Distributions component-wise: interest/rent at slab, some parts exempt | Trust reports the split each year |
| Equity PMS | 12 months (per stock) | 20% | 12.5% above ₹1.25 L/yr | Dividends at slab | Taxed as direct equity; manager churn = taxable events yearly |
| Long-Only Equity AIF / Market Neutral — Cat III | — | — | — | — | Typically taxed at the fund level at maximum marginal rate (scheme-specific — depends on trust determinacy and income character); you receive post-tax NAV |
| Private Credit / PE — Cat II AIF | Per underlying asset | Per underlying | Per underlying | Interest at slab; fund deducts TDS | Pass-through — income taxed in your hands, not the fund |
| GIFT City / Global funds (resident via LRS) | 24 months (unlisted units) | Slab | 12.5% | Foreign dividends at slab | Schedule FA reporting mandatory; TCS on LRS above ₹10 L/yr (adjustable) |
| Pre-IPO / Unlisted shares | 24 months | Slab | 12.5% | Dividends at slab | Buyback proceeds now taxed as capital gains (Budget 2026) |
| Angel / VC — Cat I AIF | Per underlying (unlisted: 24 m) | Per underlying | 12.5% (unlisted) | Pass-through; TDS on distributions | Losses at fund level pass through subject to conditions |
- Budget 2026 — LTCG: headline rates unchanged at 12.5%.
- Budget 2026 — buyback (buybacks on/after 1 Apr 2026): capital-gains treatment is restored for shareholders (reversing the Oct 2024 deemed-dividend regime) — but a separate additional buyback tax now applies, and it captures promoters as well as shareholders above the prescribed holding threshold. See the Promoters note below.
- Budget 2026 — STT (from 1 Apr 2026): transaction tax raised across equity derivatives, not just commodities — futures 0.02% → 0.05%, options premium 0.10% → 0.15% (and exercise to 0.15%). This lands hardest on high-turnover hedged strategies — see the note below.
- Since July 2024: uniform 12.5% LTCG across asset classes (no indexation); listed assets turn long-term at 12 months, unlisted at 24 months; equity STCG at 20%.
- Debt mutual funds purchased after 1 Apr 2023 are taxed at slab rate irrespective of holding period.
- FDs, corporate bonds/deposits and Debt PMS in this framework are treated at slab rate throughout — no long-term capital-gains concession is assumed on the debt sleeve.
- Surcharge and 4% cess apply over and above the rates shown. Surcharge on LTCG/equity STCG is capped at 15%.
Budget 2026 restored capital-gains treatment on buybacks for shareholders. It did not make them tax-neutral for promoters. A separate additional buyback tax applies to persons classified as promoters, and to shareholders above the prescribed holding threshold. The effective rate lands well above the headline 12.5%: reported at around 22% for corporate promoters and 30% for non-corporate promoters, on buybacks from 1 Apr 2026.
Three things turn on your own facts: the applicable rate, whether you meet the promoter definition, and the holding threshold. Confirm all three with your Chartered Accountant. If a family business buyback is on the table, have that conversation before the resolution, not after.
Securities transaction tax is charged on every trade. So its cost scales with turnover. A directional, low-churn portfolio barely feels a rate change. But hedged strategies trade constantly. A market-neutral book runs matched long and short legs and rebalances them. A long-short SIF rolls index futures and options to hold its hedge. From 1 Apr 2026, futures STT rose 0.02% to 0.05%, and options-premium STT 0.10% to 0.15%. The transaction-cost base of exactly these strategies stepped up. That is a permanent drag, taken straight out of the spread they are trying to harvest.
The takeaway is not “avoid them”. It is that the net spread, after STT and after fees, is what matters, and it just got thinner. Ask any Cat III market-neutral or long-short manager how the April 2026 change moved their gross-to-net.
How is PMS taxed in India?
A PMS holds shares directly in your own demat account. So gains are taxed exactly as if you had bought the shares yourself. Every trade the manager makes lands in your ledger that year. Listed equity: 20% under 12 months, 12.5% beyond, with ₹1.25 lakh of gains exempt each year.
How is an AIF taxed?
It depends on the category. Cat I and Cat II are pass-through: income is taxed in your hands, as if you held the underlying yourself. Cat III is usually taxed inside the fund at the maximum marginal rate, so what reaches you is already post-tax. The mechanics vary by scheme.
Do NRIs pay tax differently on these structures?
Often yes. Tax is deducted at source, and a treaty may reduce the rate, so both the effective rate and the filing differ from a resident’s. GIFT City structures can be materially cleaner for non-residents. It is fund-specific and residency-specific, so confirm yours with your CA.
What changed for buybacks and STT in Budget 2026?
Two things. Budget 2026 restored capital-gains treatment on buybacks for shareholders, but added a separate buyback tax that catches promoters. And it raised STT across equity derivatives from 1 April 2026. Your own position turns on your facts, so confirm it with your CA.