Income from Insurance Commission
Meet Mr. X – He worked for 10 months in the financial year 2020-21 with LIC and earned a salary of Rs 45,000 per month. Mr. X started working as an insurance agent, starting in February 2021. The total commission earned by him that year was Rs 59,500. Out of which Rs 34,000 is earned from commissions from LIC policies (new policies sold and first year’s commissions) and remaining Rs 25,500 is earned from the renewal of LIC policies.
Since he just started his commission work – he does not maintain any records relating to his agent work. Mr. X also spent Rs 8,500 in telephone calls and commute, which was spent exclusively in securing these commissions. Mr. X contributed Rs 36,000 to EPF when he was in a job and deposited Rs 50,000 in PPF.
First, let’s help Mr. X find how his income from being an insurance agent will be calculated.
If the commission earned is less than Rs 60,000, the deduction on the first year’s commission is 50% of the commission. In case of renewal commission, the deduction available is 15%. However, the maximum deduction allowed shall be limited to Rs 20,000.
First year’s commission = Rs 34,000
Deduction: 50% = Rs 17,000
Renewal Commission = Rs 25,500
Deduction: 15% = Rs 3,825
Total Deduction = Rs 20,825 but the maximum deduction will be allowed only upto Rs 20,000.
Do note that no other expense is allowed to be deducted from this insurance commission.
In case, the separate figures are not available then 33 ⅓ % of the gross commission will be allowed as deduction.
How to calculate Total Taxable Income
Taking the figures from above case study:
As an insurance agent, Mr. X ’s total income from salary = Rs 45,000 x 10 = 4,50,000
Mr. X ’s total income from insurance commission = Rs 34,000 + 25,500 – 20,000 (deductions) = Rs 39,500
Gross total income for Mr. X = Rs 4,89,500
Deductions under section 80C for Mr. X = Rs 36,000 EPF + Rs 50,000 PPF = Rs 86,000
Total Taxable Income = Rs 4,89,500 – Rs 86,000 = Rs 4,03,500
Which Income Tax Return to file
Mr. X has also heard about the presumptive method of taxation and wants to know, whether an insurance agent can file ITR-4 or not.
Mr. X is not eligible to file ITR-4. This is because those who carry on business or profession of Income from commission or brokerage or an agency business cannot file ITR-4S. Similarly, those who are in the profession of legal, medical, engineering, architectural, accountancy, technical consultancy, interior designing etc (See the list of eligible businesses for which one can file ITR-4 here). Since Mr. X earns income as an insurance agent – he must file ITR3.
Mr. X wrote an email to contact@saroracompany.com and we filed ITR3 for him?
Write to us contact@saroracompany.com if you have any questions.
