HRA Calculator

The cost of living has been consistently rising in India. Besides inflation, the rise in people’s disposable income has also contributed to the increasing cost of living. To help employees tackle the cost of rented accommodation and its related expenses, employers provide a House Rent Allowance (HRA) every month. An HRA calculator, a.k.a. an HRA exemption calculator, helps you to figure out the amount you can save from your taxes every year for the HRA.

It is wise to note that the HRA might be partially or fully exempt from tax. An HRA tax exemption calculator provides a clear view of the taxable and tax-free amounts. However, if you live in a self-owned property and are not on rent, you cannot claim any tax deductions under Section 10(13A) and Rule 2A of the Income Tax Act 1961.
 

Using an online HRA calculator is a wise decision if you receive a house rent allowance from your employer. HRA tax exemption can be claimed by a salaried professional under the following three circumstances:

● You are a salaried professional working in a registered public or private firm, and the HRA forms a part of your salary. It is good to note that self-employed professionals or non-professionals cannot claim HRA tax exemptions. 

● You live in a rented premises.

● The HRA is more than ten per cent of your gross monthly salary. 

An HRA tax exemption calculator lets you analyse the tax you can save every year for paying the rent.

The following are the things to consider before using an HRA exemption calculator:

● HRA tax exemption depends on the city you work and live in. Generally, cities in Slab X are the most expensive, followed by cities in Slab Y and Z.

● HRA allowance is the highest in Tier-1 or Slab X cities. So, if you work and live in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, etc., the HRA allowance might be as high as 27%. The HRA allowance is typically 18% for tier-2 cities and 9% for tier-3 cities. 

● Once you know the percentage of HRA in your salary, you can conveniently use the HRA tax exemption calculator to calculate your tax savings.   

The HRA calculation formula is fairly easy to understand. You can claim HRA tax exemption when the allowance is a part of your gross monthly salary. Generally, the tax exemption is the lowest of the three parameters mentioned below:

●  The total (actual) rent paid - 10% of the basic salary

●  The gross HRA, an employee, gets from their employer

●  Depending on the cost of living, between 40% and 50% of the basic salary

Let us understand the HRA calculation formula with an example. 

Assume that Mr A lives in a rented apartment in Mumbai, paying a rent of INR 12,000 per month. Mr A’s basic salary is INR 23,000, the HRA is INR 15,000, and the gross salary (including conveyance allowance, dearness allowance, medical allowance, and special allowance) is INR 44,500. Based on the parameters mentioned above, the three figures are as follows:

● The total (actual) rent paid - 10% of the basic salary = INR 9,700

● The gross HRA, an employee, gets from their employer = INR 15,000

●  Depending on the cost of living, between 40% and 50% of the basic salary = INR 11,500

Since HRA tax exemption is allowed on the lowest of the three figures, Mr A can claim tax benefits of INR 9,700 in the respective financial year of the assessment. 

5paisa provides a simple HRA tax exemption calculator to let you find your deduction amount within seconds. Follow the steps mentioned below to calculate HRA tax exemption:

●  Open 5Paisa’s free online HRA calculator

●  Enter the basic salary and the HRA amount in the boxes provided

●  Enter the rent you paid in a year

●  Select the city type (Metro or Non-metro)

●  Check the amount you can save every year

Besides providing you with a quick estimate of tax deductions, an online HRA calculator offers the following benefits:

● Error-Free - Since an online HRA calculator uses a preset HRA calculation formula, you can get accurate results within seconds. 

●  Free to Use - There is no limit to how many times you can use the online HRA calculator since it is freely available on 5Paisa’s official website.

●  File Taxes Without Any Worry - Accurate calculations are crucial for filing taxes. Since the HRA calculator provides you with accurate results, you can file taxes like a professional.