New Tax Regime FY 2026–27 Salary Benefits Decoded

 By CA Surekha S Ahuja

A 360° Employer–Employee Compliance Framework to Maximise Tax Efficiency Without Creating Future Tax Liability

“A tax benefit is not created by mentioning a component in a salary structure. It is created only when eligibility, statutory conditions, limits and documentation are all satisfied.”

The New Tax Regime has changed the entire approach towards salary structuring.

The earlier salary planning philosophy was:

More exemptions → Lower taxable income

The new approach must be:

Permitted benefit → Correct eligibility → Statutory compliance → Proper documentation → Audit protection

For employers, salary structuring is no longer only an HR function. It is a combined responsibility of:

• HR Department
• Payroll Team
• Finance Function
• Tax Team
• Business Leadership

A benefit incorrectly provided or an employee claim accepted without verification can result in:

• Employee tax liability
• Employer TDS default
• Interest liability
• Penalty exposure
• Disputes during tax assessment

The 5-Point Compliance Test Before Providing Any Benefit

Test	Employer Should Verify
Legal Permission	Is the benefit permitted under the New Tax Regime?
Eligibility	Does the employee satisfy the prescribed conditions?
Limit	Is the statutory ceiling followed?
Documentation	Are supporting records available?
Payroll Treatment	Is TDS and Form 16 reporting correct?

Comprehensive Salary Benefit Matrix – FY 2026–27

Benefit / Facility	Tax Treatment	Limit / Ceiling	Conditions	Employer Compliance Requirement	Risk if Incorrect
Standard Deduction	Allowed deduction from salary income	₹75,000	Available to eligible salaried taxpayers under New Tax Regime	Correct payroll computation	Incorrect TDS/Form 16
Employer Contribution to NPS	Allowed deduction to employee	Subject to prescribed percentage limits of salary	Must be employer contribution to employee’s NPS account; employee contribution is different	Maintain NPS account details and contribution proof	Excess contribution taxable; TDS exposure
Employer Contribution to Recognised Provident Fund	Tax benefit subject to provisions	Subject to prescribed retirement contribution limits	Fund must be recognised and contribution within permitted limits	Employee-wise PF monitoring	Excess contribution taxation
Employer Contribution to Approved Superannuation Fund	Tax benefit subject to conditions	Considered within prescribed retirement contribution framework	Approved fund and statutory compliance required	Maintain approval documents and contribution records	Benefit denial
Official Travel Reimbursement	Non-taxable where conditions are fulfilled	Actual eligible official expenditure	Must be wholly for official duties	Travel approval, purpose, supporting evidence	Personal expense treated as taxable
Official Conveyance Facility	Allowed only where specifically covered	Actual eligible business expense	Personal commuting/personal expenses not covered	Travel policy and approval process	TDS short deduction
Daily Allowance During Official Tour	Allowed subject to conditions	Actual official expenditure	Must relate to official tour and business purpose	Maintain tour records and declarations	Excess claim becomes taxable
Transport Allowance for Differently Abled Employee	Permitted benefit	₹3,200 per month	Available only to eligible employees satisfying prescribed conditions	Maintain required employee documentation	Incorrect exemption claim
Meal Facility / Meal Card / Food Voucher	Non-taxable subject to valuation rules	Prescribed valuation conditions apply	Should generally be non-transferable, provided during working hours and used for food purposes	Vendor agreement, employee records, usage reports	Cash conversion may become taxable
Tea and Snacks at Workplace	Generally not taxable	No specific monetary ceiling prescribed	Should be reasonable office facility	Internal workplace policy	Excessive benefit scrutiny
Food in Remote Area / Offshore Location	Allowed subject to prescribed conditions	As per valuation provisions	Location-specific conditions must be satisfied	Deployment/location records	Taxable perquisite risk
Laptop / Computer Provided for Official Use	Not taxable	No prescribed monetary limit	Should be primarily for official purposes	Asset register and issue-return record	Perquisite dispute
Telephone / Mobile / Internet Facility	Generally not taxable	No prescribed ceiling	Official business use basis	Usage policy and reimbursement controls	Personal element may become taxable
Gratuity	Exempt subject to conditions	Subject to prescribed statutory limits	Eligibility and statutory requirements must be satisfied	Service records and calculation sheet	Wrong exemption claim
Leave Encashment on Retirement	Exempt subject to conditions	Subject to prescribed limits	Applicable on retirement and prescribed conditions	Leave records and calculation working	Excess exemption taxable
Commuted Pension	Exempt subject to conditions	Depends on employee category and circumstances	Different rules may apply to government/non-government employees	Maintain pension calculation records	Incorrect treatment
Voluntary Retirement Compensation	Exempt subject to conditions	Subject to prescribed maximum limit	Approved scheme and statutory conditions required	Maintain VRS scheme documents	Exemption rejection
Retrenchment Compensation	Exempt subject to conditions	Subject to prescribed statutory ceiling	Labour law compliance required	Maintain termination and payment records	Tax dispute
Family Pension Deduction	Separate deduction, not salary exemption	Subject to prescribed limit	Applies while computing family pension income	Employee responsibility	Incorrect salary classification
Agniveer Corpus Fund Benefit	Allowed subject to provisions	As prescribed	Applicable only to eligible individuals	Maintain contribution records	Incorrect claim

Employer’s Biggest Risk

Employee Claim Accepted Today Can Become Employer Liability Tomorrow

A practical situation:

Employee submits:

• Travel claim
• Reimbursement declaration
• Benefit request

Employer processes:

• Salary benefit provided
• TDS reduced

Later during scrutiny:

Department finds:

• No supporting evidence
• Personal expenses included
• Conditions not satisfied
• Limits exceeded

Consequence:

Employee may face additional tax.

Employer may face:

• TDS default proceedings
• Interest liability
• Compliance notices

Employee declaration supports the claim, but it does not transfer the employer’s statutory responsibility.

Employer Protection Framework

1. Written Salary Benefit Policy

Every organisation should clearly define:

Area	Requirement
Eligibility	Who can claim
Limit	Maximum permissible benefit
Approval	Authorised authority
Evidence	Documents required
Tax Treatment	Payroll classification

2. Employee Declaration With Responsibility Clause

Employees should confirm:

✔ Information provided is correct
✔ Benefit is claimed only for eligible purposes
✔ Supporting documents are available
✔ Incorrect claims may be reversed and taxed

3. Payroll Maker–Checker Controls

Before processing:

Benefit Category	Control
NPS/PF	Check annual limits
Travel	Verify business purpose
Meals	Verify approved facility
Assets	Maintain issue-return records
Reimbursements	Check supporting evidence

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Employer Mistakes

❌ Treating every employee request as an eligible exemption
❌ Allowing cash payments where controlled benefits are required
❌ Ignoring statutory ceilings
❌ Not maintaining audit trail
❌ Incorrect Form 16 reporting

Employee Mistakes

❌ Claiming benefits only because they appear in salary structure
❌ Assuming HR approval guarantees tax exemption
❌ Mixing personal expenses with official expenses
❌ Submitting unsupported claims

Benefits Generally Not Available Under New Tax Regime

Benefit	Treatment
House Rent Allowance (HRA)	Generally not available
Leave Travel Allowance (LTA)	Generally not available
Section 80C deductions	Generally not available
Medical insurance deduction	Generally not available
Employee PF contribution deduction	Generally not available
Self-occupied house property interest deduction	Generally not available

Annual Payroll Tax Governance Checklist

Before finalising Form 16:

✔ Review unusual/high-value benefits
✔ Verify employee eligibility
✔ Check statutory limits
✔ Reconcile payroll with accounting records
✔ Correct errors before year-end
✔ Preserve supporting documents

The CA Ahuja Perspective

The New Tax Regime is not about finding maximum exemptions.

It is about creating a legally sustainable compensation structure.

The ideal salary structure is where:

Tax efficiency + Compliance discipline + Documentation + Audit readiness

work together.

For employers:

“Approve only those benefits which you can defend before the tax authorities.”

For employees:

“Claim only those benefits which you can substantiate with facts and documents.”

Because in taxation:

A benefit without compliance is not a saving — it is a future liability.

Section 80CCD(2) NPS Risk 2026: When Two Correct Form 16s Can Still Create Tax Liability

 By CA Surekha 

Section 80CCD(2) Employer NPS Contribution: The Hidden Payroll Risk for Employers and Employees

“Payroll is processed employer-wise, but taxation is determined employee-wise. The gap between the two creates the real compliance risk.”

Employer contribution towards National Pension System (NPS) under Section 80CCD(2) has become a popular salary structuring tool because it provides an additional deduction benefit to employees.

However, modern employment structures have created new challenges:

• employees changing jobs during the year;
• transfers between group companies;
• multiple Form 16s;
• PF + NPS + superannuation combinations.

The biggest risk is not always a wrong calculation.

The bigger risk is incomplete information.

An employer may correctly calculate salary and issue Form 16, yet the employee’s final tax position may still require adjustment because the Income-tax law evaluates benefits employee-wise for the entire financial year.

The Two Separate Checks Payroll Must Perform

A common misconception is: “Employer NPS contribution is deductible under Section 80CCD(2), therefore it is fully tax-free.”

This is incorrect.

Two independent checks are required:

Particulars	Purpose
Section 80CCD(2)	Determines eligible deduction for employer NPS contribution
₹7.5 lakh aggregate employer contribution limit	Determines whether excess PF + NPS + superannuation contribution becomes taxable

The two provisions work together but are not interchangeable.

Practical Case Study: Two Correct Form 16s, One Tax Issue

Facts

Mr. A changes employment during the financial year.

Employer A (April–September)

Particulars	Amount
Employer PF Contribution	₹2,50,000
Employer NPS Contribution	₹3,00,000

Employer A processes payroll correctly and issues Form 16.

Employer B (October–March)

Particulars	Amount
Employer PF Contribution	₹2,50,000
Employer NPS Contribution	₹3,00,000

Employer B also processes payroll correctly.

Employer-Wise View

Both employers may be correct:

✔ Salary calculated correctly
✔ TDS deducted based on available information
✔ Section 80CCD(2) considered appropriately
✔ Form 16 issued correctly

Employee-Wise Annual View

The employee received:

Retirement Benefit	Amount
Employer PF	₹5,00,000
Employer NPS	₹6,00,000
Total Employer Contribution	₹11,00,000

The aggregate retirement contribution test applies to the employee’s complete financial year.

The excess amount, if any, requires appropriate tax treatment.

The Critical Role of the Second Employer

The second employer has an important opportunity to avoid mismatch.

At joining stage, the employee should provide:

• previous employer salary details;
• previous Form 16 (where available);
• employer PF contribution;
• employer NPS contribution;
• superannuation details.

If such information is provided, Employer B can consider the employee’s cumulative annual position while calculating TDS.

If information is not provided, Employer B can only calculate based on available records.

Who Is Responsible for the Default?

This is the most important practical issue.

Situation	Responsibility
Employer calculates wrong deduction despite available information	Employer
Employer fails to deduct correct TDS based on declared information	Employer
Employee does not disclose previous employment details	Employee
Employee files ITR without considering all Form 16s	Employee
Two employers separately issue correct Form 16 but annual position changes	Employee has final responsibility while filing ITR

Why This Risk Is Increasing

1. Group Company Transfers

An employee may move from: Company A → Company B

Both may have: same management; same HR function; separate payroll; separate Form 16.

Payroll sees two employees. Tax law sees one employee.

2. High Attrition Businesses

Risk is higher in:  IT/ITES companies;  staffing organisations; consulting firms; multinational groups.

Large employee volumes increase the possibility of incomplete data capture.

3. Senior Compensation Structures

Senior employees may have:  employer NPS; PF; superannuation; other retirement benefits.

The tax impact can become significant if annual aggregation is missed.

Future Consequences

For Employees

A weak reconciliation process may result in:

• unexpected tax payable;
• reduced refund;
• interest liability;
• confusion between Form 16 and ITR computation.

For Employers

Possible consequences include:

• employee grievances;
• payroll corrections;
• TDS reconciliation issues;
• additional compliance workload;
• loss of confidence in salary structuring.

Employer Best Practice Checklist

A robust payroll system should maintain employee-wise tracking.

At Joining Collect:  ✔ previous employer details ✔ Form 16 ✔ retirement contribution details

During Employment Track: ✔ PF ✔ NPS ✔ superannuation ✔ group company transfers

Before March Payroll  Perform:  ✔ annual reconciliation ✔ TDS review ✔ Form 16 validation

Employee Checklist Before Filing ITR

Before relying on Form 16: 

✔ Did I change jobs during the year?
✔ Do I have more than one Form 16?
✔ Did employers contribute towards PF/NPS/superannuation?
✔ Has my annual retirement contribution been reviewed?

Final Professional Conclusion

Section 80CCD(2) is a valuable tax benefit, but it is not a blanket exemption. The deduction provision and the ₹7.5 lakh aggregate employer contribution limit operate independently.

The first employer records the employment period under its payroll.

The second employer has an opportunity to consolidate the annual position if complete details are provided.

The employee has the final responsibility to ensure that the income-tax return reflects the complete financial year.

The future of payroll compliance is not merely accurate calculation — it is accurate employee-wise aggregation.

For HR teams, CFOs and employees, the key lesson is:

Track retirement benefits employee-wise, not employer-wise.

New Tax Regime FY 2026-27: Smart Salary Restructuring & Tax Planning Guide for Salaried Employees - Part 4

By CA  Surekha Ahuja 

"In the new tax regime, the biggest tax-saving opportunity is not hidden in investments. It is hidden in how intelligently your salary is structured."

In the previous parts of this series, we discussed an important transformation in salary tax planning under the new tax regime.

The old approach was:

"Invest to save tax."

The new approach is:

"Structure your income intelligently to achieve tax efficiency."

The new tax regime has reduced the relevance of traditional deductions such as:

• Section 80C investments
• Section 80D medical insurance
• HRA exemption
• LTA exemption

However, it has not eliminated tax planning.

Instead, the focus has shifted towards:

✓ Employer-sponsored retirement benefits
✓ Salary restructuring
✓ Genuine duty-related allowances
✓ Retirement benefit planning
✓ Better compensation decisions

Among these opportunities, smart salary restructuring has become one of the most important areas for salaried employees.

The same Cost to Company (CTC) can result in completely different tax outcomes depending on how the salary package is designed.

Same CTC, Different Tax: Why Salary Structure Matters

Many employees focus only on:

"What is my annual package?"

However, the more important question is:

"How is my annual package structured?"

A salary package may contain:

• Basic salary
• Allowances
• Employer NPS contribution
• Reimbursements
• Retirement benefits
• Other employment-related benefits

Each component may have a different tax impact.

Therefore:

Tax efficiency begins before salary is received — at the stage of salary design.

Employer NPS Contribution: The Foundation of New Regime Tax Planning

As discussed in Part 2, employer contribution to NPS under Section 80CCD(2) has become one of the most valuable benefits under the new tax regime.

It provides:

✓ Deduction from taxable income
✓ Retirement corpus creation
✓ No requirement of personal investment
✓ Benefit even under the new tax regime

Employees should proactively discuss with employers whether this option is available as part of the compensation package.

Illustration: Impact of Salary Restructuring

Salary Structure Before Planning

Particulars	Amount
Annual CTC	₹30,00,000
Taxable salary components	₹30,00,000
Employer retirement contribution	Nil

In this structure, most of the CTC becomes taxable salary.

Salary Structure After Planning

Particulars	Amount
Annual CTC	₹30,00,000
Salary components	₹27,90,000
Employer NPS contribution	₹2,10,000

Benefits:

Impact	Result
Taxable income reduces	Yes
Retirement savings increase	Yes
Employee personal investment required	No
Overall CTC changes	No

The employee receives the same CTC but with improved tax efficiency.

Choosing Between Old and New Tax Regime: A Practical Approach

The right tax regime depends on individual circumstances.

There is no universal answer.

Employees should compare both regimes after considering:

• Salary structure
• Existing investments
• Housing loan benefits
• Medical insurance deductions
• Employer NPS contribution
• Other eligible benefits

Broad Comparison

Particulars	Old Tax Regime	New Tax Regime
Tax rates	Higher	Lower
Section 80C benefits	Available	Generally not available
Section 80D benefits	Available	Generally not available
HRA exemption	Available subject to conditions	Generally not available
Standard deduction	Available	Available
Employer NPS benefit	Available	Available
Importance of salary structure	Moderate	Very High

The mistake many employees make is comparing only deductions.

The correct approach is:

Compare final tax liability after considering the complete salary structure.

3. Salary Planning Mistakes Employees Should Avoid

Mistake 1: Treating CTC as Take-Home Salary

CTC includes several components that may not directly become monthly cash income.

Employees should understand:

• Taxable components
• Employer contributions
• Retirement benefits
• Deferred benefits

before comparing job offers.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Employer Benefits

Many employees focus only on fixed monthly salary and ignore:

• Employer NPS contribution
• Retirement benefits
• Reimbursements
• Other structured benefits

A slightly lower monthly salary with better tax-efficient benefits may actually provide higher overall value.

Mistake 3: Making Tax Decisions at Year End

Tax planning should not begin in March.

By the time the financial year is closing:

• Salary structure may already be fixed
• Payroll changes may not be possible
• Tax-saving opportunities may be lost

The ideal time is:

At the beginning of the financial year or during salary revision discussions.

4. Practical Checklist for Salaried Employees FY 2026-27

Employees should review the following:

Action Point	Importance
Compare old and new tax regimes	Essential
Check employer NPS availability	High
Review salary structure	High
Understand eligible allowances	Important
Maintain previous employment records	Important
Track retirement benefits received	Essential
Review Form 16 before filing ITR	Essential

5. Checklist for Employers and HR Teams

Salary planning is not only an employee responsibility.

Employers should ensure:

✓ Tax-efficient compensation design
✓ Correct payroll implementation
✓ Proper documentation of benefits
✓ Correct TDS calculation
✓ Employee awareness about available options

A well-designed compensation structure improves:

• Employee satisfaction
• Retention
• Financial wellness

6. The New Era of Salary Tax Planning

The direction of tax planning has changed.

Earlier:

Investment → Deduction → Tax Saving

Now:

Salary Design → Tax Efficiency → Wealth Creation

The employee who understands this shift will make better decisions regarding:

• Job offers
• Salary negotiations
• Annual increments
• Retirement planning

Final Takeaway

The new tax regime does not mean:

"No tax planning is possible."

It means:

"Tax planning requires smarter decisions."

For salaried employees, the most important tax-saving decision may not be selecting an investment.

It may be selecting the right salary structure.

A carefully designed compensation package can help employees:

✓ Reduce tax legally
✓ Build retirement wealth
✓ Maximise the value of their CTC
✓ Make informed financial decisions

The future of salary tax planning belongs to those who understand that:

A smart salary structure is not just about earning more. It is about keeping more and building more.

Complete Series: New Tax Regime FY 2026-27 – Salaried Employee Tax Planning Guide

Part 1

New Tax Regime FY 2026-27: What Still Saves Tax for Salaried Employees? The Truth Every Employee Should Know

Part 2

Section 80CCD(2) Under New Tax Regime: The Hidden Tax Saving Opportunity Through Employer NPS Contribution

Part 3

New Tax Regime FY 2026-27: Standard Deduction, Section 10(14), Leave Encashment & Gratuity Exemption

Part 4

New Tax Regime FY 2026-27: Smart Salary Restructuring & Tax Planning Guide for Salaried Employee 

New Tax Regime FY 2026-27: Standard Deduction, Section 10(14) Allowances, Leave Encashment & Gratuity Exemption — Tax Planning Framework for Salaried Employees

By CA Surekha Ahuja

"The new tax regime has not ended tax planning. It has changed the art of tax planning from investment selection to intelligent salary structuring and benefit optimisation."

In Part 1 of this series, we examined the misconception that the new tax regime has eliminated all tax-saving opportunities.

In Part 2, we discussed Section 80CCD(2) — Employer Contribution to NPS, which has become one of the most powerful tax planning tools available to salaried employees.

However, employer NPS contribution is not the only benefit that survives under the new tax regime.

Several other important provisions continue to provide tax relief, including:

• Standard Deduction under Section 16(ia)
• Duty-related allowances under Section 10(14)
• Leave Encashment exemption under Section 10(10AA)
• Gratuity exemption under Section 10(10)
• Rebate under Section 87A subject to applicable conditions

The key is to understand that the new tax regime does not reward traditional investment-based tax saving.

Instead, it rewards:

Genuine employment benefits + retirement planning + proper salary design.

1. Standard Deduction: The Simplest Benefit Available to Every Salaried Employee

The standard deduction remains one of the most important benefits under the new tax regime because:

• It is automatic
• No investment is required
• No proof or documentation is required
• It is available to eligible salaried taxpayers

Section 16(ia): Standard Deduction

For Financial Year 2026-27:

Standard Deduction: ₹75,000

This means salary income is reduced by ₹75,000 before calculating taxable income.

Example:

Particulars	Amount
Gross Salary	₹15,00,000
Less: Standard Deduction	₹75,000
Taxable Salary	₹14,25,000

The importance of standard deduction increases under the new regime because several other deductions are no longer available.

2. Section 10(14): Duty-Related Allowances — A Frequently Misunderstood Benefit

A common misconception among employees is:

"All allowances are taxable under the new tax regime."

This is incorrect.

Certain allowances granted for performing official duties continue to receive exemption under Section 10(14), subject to prescribed conditions.

The principle is simple:

Where an allowance is provided to meet expenses incurred wholly, necessarily and exclusively for official duties, tax exemption may continue.

Types of Duty-Related Allowances Covered Under Section 10(14)

Examples include:

Allowance	Tax Treatment
Travel allowance for official duties	Exempt subject to conditions
Conveyance allowance for official duties	Exempt subject to conditions
Helper allowance	Exempt to the extent of eligible expenditure
Academic/research allowance	Exempt subject to conditions
Uniform allowance	Exempt to the extent utilised

The exemption is generally linked to:

• Actual expenditure incurred
• Purpose of allowance
• Prescribed limits
• Employer records

Documentation is Critical

Employees often lose legitimate tax benefits because of poor documentation.

Important records include:

✓ Employer policy
✓ Salary structure details
✓ Bills and supporting documents wherever required
✓ Proof of official purpose
✓ Internal reimbursement records

A genuine business-related expense should be properly supported.

3. Leave Encashment Exemption Under Section 10(10AA)

Leave encashment is an important retirement-related benefit for salaried employees.

Under the new tax regime, eligible leave encashment exemption continues to be available.

For employees other than Government employees, exemption is subject to prescribed conditions and limits.

The exemption is calculated based on the prescribed formula involving:

• Actual leave encashment received
• Average salary
• Unutilised earned leave
• Statutory ceiling

Maximum Exemption Limit

For eligible non-government employees:

₹25 lakh (lifetime limit)

subject to fulfilment of conditions.

Important Point for Employees Changing Jobs

In today's employment environment, many employees change jobs multiple times during their career.

Employees should remember:

Leave encashment exemption is subject to lifetime limits.

Therefore, employees should maintain records of exemptions already claimed from earlier employers.

Failure to track earlier claims may result in incorrect tax calculations.

4. Gratuity Exemption Under Section 10(10)

Gratuity is a statutory retirement benefit provided to employees who complete the prescribed period of service.

The tax treatment depends upon the category of employee.

Broadly:

Employee Category	Tax Treatment
Government employees	Exempt subject to conditions
Employees covered under Payment of Gratuity Act	Exemption subject to statutory formula
Other employees	Exemption subject to prescribed conditions

For eligible employees, the maximum exemption limit is:

₹25 lakh

subject to applicable conditions.

Gratuity Planning in the New Employment Era

Earlier, gratuity was generally associated only with retirement.

Today, employees frequently:

• Change organisations
• Move between sectors
• Receive gratuity after completing eligibility periods

Therefore, understanding gratuity taxation has become important even for younger professionals.

Employees should maintain:

• Previous employment records
• Gratuity received details
• Service period details

5. Section 87A Rebate: The Zero Tax Possibility

The new tax regime provides rebate benefits under Section 87A subject to applicable income limits and conditions.

For eligible taxpayers, proper utilisation of:

• Standard deduction
• Employer NPS contribution
• Section 10(14) exemptions
• Retirement benefit exemptions

can significantly reduce taxable income.

In suitable cases, this may result in:

Tax liability becoming zero.

However, taxpayers must carefully examine eligibility conditions before planning.

Complete New Tax Regime Salary Planning Framework

A practical salary planning approach should consider the following:

Benefit	Planning Approach
Standard Deduction	Automatically available
Employer NPS Contribution	Request inclusion in salary structure
Duty Allowances	Ensure genuine business purpose and documentation
Leave Encashment	Track lifetime exemption utilisation
Gratuity	Maintain employment records
Section 87A Rebate	Check eligibility before planning

New Tax Regime: What Employees Should Stop Doing

Many employees continue following old tax planning habits.

They should reconsider:

❌ Making unnecessary investments only for tax saving
❌ Ignoring employer-provided benefits
❌ Choosing salary structure without tax analysis
❌ Comparing regimes only on the basis of deductions

What Employees Should Start Doing

The new approach should be:

✓ Review salary structure annually
✓ Evaluate employer NPS option
✓ Understand exempt allowances
✓ Maintain proper documentation
✓ Compare old and new regimes before final selection

Final Takeaway

The new tax regime does not say:

"Tax planning is over."

It says:

"Tax planning must become smarter."

The era of blindly investing ₹1.5 lakh under Section 80C to save tax is changing.

The future of salary tax planning lies in:

Smart compensation design + retirement planning + understanding surviving exemptions.

For salaried employees, the biggest opportunity is not hidden in tax-saving investments.

It is hidden inside their salary structure.

New Tax Regime FY 2026-27: What Still Saves Tax for Salaried Employees? The Benefits You Cannot Afford to Miss | Part 1

 By CA Surekha Ahuja

Part 1 – What Still Saves Tax Under the New Regime? The Truth Every Salaried Employee Should Know

"The new tax regime has removed many deductions. It has not removed tax planning."

That is perhaps the biggest misconception among salaried taxpayers today.

Ever since the new tax regime became the default tax regime, many employees have assumed that tax planning is no longer possible because deductions such as Section 80C, 80D, HRA and LTA are no longer available in most cases.

Unfortunately, this misunderstanding has resulted in thousands of employees paying significantly higher taxes than necessary or missing valuable retirement benefits simply because they were unaware of the provisions that continue to be available.

The reality is very different.

The Government has consciously shifted the focus from encouraging personal tax-saving investments to promoting retirement planning, genuine employment-related reimbursements and a simpler tax structure. Consequently, while several traditional deductions have been withdrawn, some of the most valuable tax benefits have been retained under the new regime.

For many salaried employees, these surviving provisions can still reduce taxable income substantially. In suitable cases, they may even help bring taxable income within the limit eligible for rebate under Section 87A, resulting in nil tax liability.

Understanding these provisions is therefore no longer optional. It is an essential part of salary structuring and financial planning.

In this comprehensive guide, we shall examine the important deductions, exemptions and planning opportunities that continue under the new tax regime, with special emphasis on:

• Employer's contribution to the National Pension System under Section 80CCD(2)
• Duty-related allowances exempt under Section 10(14)
• Standard deduction
• Leave encashment and gratuity exemptions
• The ₹7.5 lakh aggregate employer contribution ceiling
• Practical salary restructuring strategies
• The zero-tax planning framework for eligible employees
• Important considerations for employees changing jobs during the year

Before discussing each provision in detail, it is useful to understand what actually survives under the new tax regime.

What Still Survives Under the New Tax Regime?

One of the biggest myths surrounding the new tax regime is that "there are no deductions left."

This statement is incorrect.

Although several popular deductions have been withdrawn, Parliament has consciously retained provisions that encourage long-term retirement savings, reimburse genuine official expenses and protect important retirement benefits.

The following table provides a complete snapshot of the principal deductions and exemptions that continue to be available under the new tax regime.

Table 1 – Major Deductions and Exemptions Available Under the New Tax Regime (FY 2026–27)

Section	Nature of Benefit	Maximum Benefit / Condition	Status
Section 16(ia)	Standard Deduction	₹75,000	Available
Section 80CCD(2)	Employer's contribution to NPS Tier I	Up to 14% of Basic Salary plus Dearness Allowance, subject to overall limits	Available
Section 10(10AA)	Leave Encashment	Exemption up to ₹25 lakh (lifetime limit subject to law)	Available
Section 10(10)	Gratuity	Exemption up to ₹25 lakh (subject to applicable conditions)	Available
Section 10(14)(i)	Duty-related allowances	Exempt to the extent of actual expenditure incurred	Available
Section 10(14)(ii)	Specified prescribed allowances	Exemption subject to prescribed monetary limits	Available
Section 17(2)(vii)	Aggregate employer contribution to retirement funds	Excess over ₹7.5 lakh taxable as perquisite	Restriction
Section 87A	Rebate	Subject to prescribed taxable income limit	Available

What Has Actually Changed?

The philosophy of the new tax regime is fundamentally different from the earlier regime.

Earlier, the tax law rewarded taxpayers who invested in specified financial products such as LIC policies, PPF, ELSS, tax-saving fixed deposits and medical insurance.

The new regime, on the other hand, rewards taxpayers who build long-term retirement savings through employer-sponsored retirement schemes and who receive genuine reimbursements for expenses incurred in the course of employment.

In simple words,

Personal tax-saving investments have largely disappeared.

Retirement-oriented employer contributions continue to enjoy significant tax benefits.

Official duty-related reimbursements continue to receive tax exemption.

This distinction is extremely important because many employees continue making investment decisions based on the old regime without reviewing whether their salary structure itself can be made more tax efficient.

The Four Biggest Tax Benefits Still Available

Even after the introduction of the new tax regime, four provisions continue to play a central role in tax planning.

1. Standard Deduction

Every eligible salaried employee continues to receive the standard deduction without making any investment or incurring any expenditure.

This deduction directly reduces taxable salary.

2. Employer's Contribution to NPS under Section 80CCD(2)

This is arguably the single most powerful tax-saving provision available under the new tax regime.

Where the employer contributes to the employee's Tier I NPS account, the employee may claim deduction under Section 80CCD(2), subject to the prescribed conditions.

Unlike many deductions under the old regime, this benefit can substantially reduce taxable income while simultaneously creating a retirement corpus.

We shall discuss this provision in detail in the next part of this guide.

3. Duty-Related Allowances under Section 10(14)

Many taxpayers incorrectly assume that every allowance has become taxable.

That is not correct.

Allowances granted exclusively for the performance of official duties, such as specified conveyance, travel, helper, uniform and similar allowances, continue to enjoy exemption to the extent of actual expenditure incurred, subject to the statutory conditions.

Proper documentation, bills and employer policies become extremely important while claiming these exemptions.

4. Retirement Benefits

Certain retirement-related receipts continue to enjoy substantial tax exemptions even under the new regime, including:

• Leave encashment
• Gratuity
• Other eligible retirement benefits subject to the respective statutory provisions

These exemptions often become relevant not only on retirement but also when employees change jobs during their careers.

Key Takeaway

The new tax regime should not be viewed as a regime without deductions.

Instead, it should be viewed as a regime that rewards structured salary planning rather than investment-driven tax planning.

Employees who understand employer NPS contributions, official reimbursements, retirement exemptions and salary structuring can still achieve significant tax efficiency without relying on traditional deductions such as Section 80C or Section 80D.

The most important of these surviving provisions is Section 80CCD(2), which has become the cornerstone of tax planning for salaried employees under the new regime.

In the next part, we shall examine this provision in detail, including eligibility, conditions, salary definition, employer obligations, practical illustrations and common mistakes that employees and HR departments frequently make.