Income Tax Notice for Cash Deposits

The maximum amount of cash that can be deposited into a savings account in a given time frame without drawing the attention of the tax authorities is referred to as the cash deposit limit and when an individual does file an ITR he may receive an income tax notice for cash deposits. This cap is imposed by income tax regulations in order to keep track of and control the flow of cash transactions, as well as to prevent money laundering, tax evasion, and other nefarious financial activities. There are specific rules regarding cash transactions, including significant cash deposits, as per the provisions outlined in the Indian Income Tax Act. If a person deposits INR 10 lakh or more in cash in a savings account in a financial year, they must notify the tax authorities to avoid an income tax notice for cash deposits. This reporting threshold has been raised to INR 50 lakh for those with current accounts, which also helps in reducing the likelihood of receiving an income tax notice for cash deposits.
It is crucial to understand that these high-value cash transactions or cash deposits are not immediately taxed. Financial institutions are required to notify the Income Tax Department of any transactions that exceed these thresholds.

Purpose of Income Notice for Cash Deposits

To find people who don’t file income tax returns or underreport their income, the Income Tax Department employs a variety of data analysis techniques. They use these techniques to identify individuals who may be evading taxes or engaging in financial activities that raise red flags. The department is coordinating with numerous government agencies in this effort to learn more about people who spend a lot of money but don’t file ITRs or understate their income. This collaborative approach allows them to cross-reference financial transactions and expenditures, making it easier to detect potential tax evasion or discrepancies.

What are the high-value transactions?

If the transactions are made in higher denominations or if they exceed a predetermined threshold, the taxpayer must report them in the income tax return. Failure to do so can trigger an income tax notice for cash transactions, which may result in penalties or further investigations by tax authorities. The department collaborates with various governmental agencies to gather financial data about taxpayers who engaged in high-value transactions but failed to disclose them when filing an ITR. This joint effort is aimed at identifying individuals who may be evading taxes or not fully complying with tax regulations, further emphasizing the importance of accurately reporting high-value financial activities to avoid potential income tax notice for cash transactions and its associated consequences.

What is Form 61A?

Typically, taxpayers are required to give the government a statement that details their “specified financial transactions,” or SFTs, for a particular financial period. As a result, Form 61A, formerly known as the Annual Information Return, is typically prepared in accordance with Section 285BA of the Income Tax Act (ITA) to avoid any potential cash deposit income tax notice. The nature and amount of the transaction must be reported on Form 61A, in accordance with Rule 114E of the Income Tax Rules of 1962. This process facilitates potential refund claims when necessary and helps maintain accurate records of tax filings, reducing the chances of receiving a cash deposit notice of income tax.

The Annual Information Return (AIR) Statement of Financial Transactions was developed by the Income Tax Department in order to identify high-value cash transactions involving taxpayers and to minimize the likelihood of an income tax notice cash deposit. Based on this, tax officials will gather information about anomalous high-value transactions in a given fiscal year, further reducing the possibility of an income tax notice for cash deposits being issued. Staying compliant with these regulations is crucial to avoid any unexpected cash deposit income tax notice and ensure a smooth tax filing process.

The following transactions are on the list of those for which a taxpayer might receive an Income Tax Notice for Cash Deposits:

Sr. No.	Transactions	Threshold (Rs)	Authority concerned
1.	Cash deposit in fixed deposit account.	10,00,000	Banks must submit Form 61A, or Statement of Financial Transactions, to the Director of Income Tax in order to notify him of the transaction if the amount deposited is greater than the specified limit.
2.	Cash deposit or withdrawal in savings bank account.	10,00,000	Banks must submit Form 61A, or Statement of Financial Transactions, to the Director of Income Tax in order to notify him of the transaction if the amount deposited is greater than the specified limit.
3.	Cash deposit or withdrawal in a current account.	50,00,000	Banks must submit Form 61A, or Statement of Financial Transactions, to the Director of Income Tax in order to notify him of the transaction if the amount deposited is greater than the specified limit.
4.	Sale or purchase of an immovable property.	30,00,000	Any transactions that exceed the cap must be reported by the property registrar/sub-registrar using Form 61A.
5.	5. Cash investments in bonds, debentures, mutual funds, and shares. (Reporting is not necessary if the transaction involves the transfer of money from one scheme to another.)	10,00,000	Mutual fund trustees are required to submit Form 61A to the stock exchange in order to report transactions that exceed the cap.
6.	Payment of credit card bill in cash.	1,00,000	Banks are required to submit Form 61A to report transactions that exceed the cap.
7.	Payment of credit card by any mode other than cash such as NEFT, cheque etc.	10,00,000	Banks are required to submit Form 61A to report transactions that exceed the cap.
8.	Sale of foreign currency	10,00,000	Banks are required to submit Form 61A to report transactions that exceed the cap.
9.	Cash payment for purchasing bank draft or prepaid RBI instruments	10,00,000	Banks are required to submit Form 61A to report transactions that exceed the cap.

Deadline for filing Form 61A

It’s a must to submit Form 61A by the end of May each financial year. In case the taxpayer can’t manage that, there’s a 30-day notice window to complete the necessary formalities.

Penalties for non-filing or furnishing wrong information in Form 61A

An individual neglect to file and submit Form 61A, regulatory authorities will issue a formal warning, providing a grace period of 30 days. During this interval, it is incumbent upon the individual to promptly submit the requisite form. Following the lapse of the 30-day grace period, a penalty of 500 per day will be levied for non-compliance. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, should an individual submit inaccurate information, they have a ten-day window to rectify the errors without incurring any penalties. In the event that the Income Tax authorities identify discrepancies, the individual is promptly notified and granted a 30-day period to rectify the inaccuracies. Failure to do so within the stipulated time frame may result in penalties, with a maximum limit set at INR 50,000. Extensions for rectifying mistakes can be considered in cases of default information entry.