Statement of Financial Transaction – SFT consists of certain specified financial high-value transactions undertaken by citizens that the Government proposes to track, with an intent to curb black money and widen the tax base in India.
The Government of India requires certain specified persons and entities to report high-value transactions undertaken by citizens to the Income Tax department.
Such specified persons were required to submit ‘Annual Information Return (AIR)’ introduced in 2003 with respect to specified financial transactions under Section 285BA.
SFT is a report of specified financial transactions specified persons need to submit to the to the income tax authority or such other specified authority or agency.
Also, as per section 285ba of Income Tax Act, specified persons who need to register, maintain or record such specified financial transaction are under an obligation to submit SFT.
Financial transaction under Section 285BA are as follows:
Following persons shall be required to furnish statement of financial transactions or reportable accounts registered or recorded or maintained by them during a financial year to the prescribed authority:
Section 285BA authorizes CBDT to prescribe values for specified financial transactions.
Moreover, based on such specified value of different nature of transactions, specified persons need to report the same in SFT.
The nature and value of transactions prescribed by CBDT via Rule 114E is given below:
Cash payment for purchase of bank drafts or pay orders or banker’s cheque
Payments in cash for purchase of pre-paid instruments issued by Reserve Bank of India
Cash deposits or Cash withdrawals from one or more current account of a person
Aggregating to INR 10 lakh or more in a FY
Amount aggregating to INR 10 lakh or more during the FY
Aggregating to INR 50 lakh or more in a FY
(i) A banking company or a co‑
operative bank
(ii) Post Master General
(iii) Nidhi Company
(iv) Non-banking financial company
As it can be seen from the above monetary threshold for specified financial transaction except SI No 10 and 11, aggregation is required to analyze if monetary threshold is being crossed. While aggregating the amount, the following shall be noted:
The statement of financial transaction shall be furnished electronically (under digital signature) in Form 61A to the Director of Income-tax (Intelligence and Criminal Investigation) or the Joint Director of Income-tax (Intelligence and Criminal Investigation).
However, Post Master General or a Registrar or an Inspector General may furnish Form 61A in a computer readable media being a Compact Disc or Digital Video Disc (DVD), along with the verification in Form-V on paper.
SFT shall be submitted through following procedure:
Success message will be displayed on the screen on successful uploading and confirmation email and SMS will be sent to registered email id and mobile number respectively
Uploaded file may be either ‘accepted’ or ‘rejected’. In case of rejection, reason for rejection would be mentioned and correction form shall be submitted through above procedure
The statement shall be furnished on or before 31 st May immediately following the financial year in which the transaction is registered or recorded.
Information under SI No. 12 and 13 in the Table being related to demonetization period, the due date was 31 January 2017
Information under SI No. 12 and 13 in the Table being related to demonetization period, the due date was 31 January 2017
If any person, after filing the statement, comes to know or discovers any inaccuracy in the information provided in the statement, he shall inform such inaccuracy to the prescribed income-tax authority within a period of ten days and furnish the correct information.
On the other hand, the prescribed income-tax authority may also intimate the defect to the person and give him an opportunity of rectifying the defect within a period of thirty days from the date of such intimation or within such extended period as may be allowed by prescribed income-tax authority.
Non-furnishing of statement of financial transaction or reportable account will attract penalty under section 271FA. Penalty can be levied of Rs. 500 per day of default
In case of non-furnishing of SFT within due date, the prescribed income-tax authority may serve notice upon such person requiring him to furnish SFT within a period not exceeding 30 days from the date of service of such notice and he shall furnish the statement within the time specified in the notice.
If person fails to file the statement within the specified time, then a penalty of INR 1,000 per day will be levied from the day immediately following the day on which the time specified in such notice for furnishing the statement expires.
If any person, after filing the statement, comes to know or discovers any inaccuracy in the information provided in the statement, he shall inform such inaccuracy to the prescribed income-tax authority within a period of ten days and furnish the correct information.
What if SFT is not rectified within the due date as mentioned in the intimation sent by concerned income-tax authority for defects in SFT?
If defect is not rectified within such period, such statement shall be treated as invalid and consequences of non-furnishing of SFT shall apply
Is it mandatory to file nil return also?Nil Statement is not mandatory but to stay on the safer side an assessee should consider filing the SFT (Statement of Financial Transactions).
Hey @TeamQuicko Thanks for the blog! Just one quick question - Why do we have to report a quarterly breakdown of Dividend Income under IFOS? Thank you!
Yesha says:Hey @TanyaChopra This quarterly breakdown of Dividend Income under IFOS will help to calculate and determine penalty u/s 234C for the delay in payment of Advance Tax. Learn by Quicko – 2 Apr 21
Advance tax is to be paid on an installment basis. Failing to pay Advance Tax shall attract penalty under Section 234C. Read more about it. Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Hope this helps!
HarshitShah says:I had received dividend recently but I had noticed that TDS had been deducted. any idea as to why has it happened and is there a way I can claim this TDS?
Yesha says:Hey @HarshitShah After the introduction of Budget 2020, dividend income is now taxable in the hands of the shareholder; and is also subject to TDS at 10% in excess of INR 5000 u/s 194 & 194K. Foreign Dividend is taxable at slab rates. TDS is not applicable to such dividends. The taxpayer should report such income under the head IFOS in the ITR filed on the Income Tax Website. Learn by Quicko – 15 Jul 21
In Budget 2020, DDT is abolished and thus dividend income is taxable. TDS under section 194 has to be deducted on payment of dividend from Equity Shares. Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Learn by Quicko – 21 Jun 21
In Budget 2020, DDT is abolished and thus dividend income is taxable. TDS under section 194K has to be deducted on payment of dividend from Mutual Funds. Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Hope this helps! Yesha says:Hey @HarishMehta Yes, dividend income is now taxable from FY 2021-22 onwards and it has to be reported under the head of IFOS. You can read more about it here: Learn by Quicko – 11 May 21
On the abolishment of DDT in Budget 2020, shareholder needs to pay tax on dividend income on from equity shares & equity mutual funds. Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Nireka says:Hi @Maulik_Padh, You need to pay Income tax on the net taxable income, i.e. after subtracting deductions, expenses, etc.
If the net taxable income is negative i.e. if there is loss, you can carry it forward when filing the ITR Here are some of the articles which might help Learn by Quicko – 11 Oct 21
Read Income Tax Rules and tabular summary to set off losses against taxable income and carry forward remaining loss against incomes in future years Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Learn by Quicko – 9 Aug 21
Here is a list of expenses a trader can claim against income from trading to reduce the taxable income. It includes STT, CTT, rent, etc. Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Divya_Singhvi says:Hi @ameyj The amount of TDS deducted shall reflect in your Form 26AS only and it will also reflect the name of the deductor.
Using the name of the deductor you can find out on which share you have received the dividend and you can also cross-check the same in your bank statement. Yes, you are right, TDS is to be deducted when the dividend paid exceeds 5000 INR in a financial year. However, the 5,000 INR limit pertains to all the dividends an individual gets in a year, or the total dividend per shareholder that a company pays out in a year, is left to interpretation, and hence registrars and share transfer agents (RTA) are not taking any chances and are deducting TDS even on small amounts. Learn by Quicko – 11 May 21
On the abolishment of DDT in Budget 2020, shareholder needs to pay tax on dividend income on from equity shares & equity mutual funds. Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Hope this helps
Divya_Singhvi says:Hi @ameyj You can submit a grievance on Income Tax Portal mentioning the issue and also attach the 26AS.
The other option is to leave it as it is and clarify it when the tax department sends the notice.
Hi @TeamQuicko Consider that I have 10 shares each of 10 different Indian companies. Each of the 10 companies are declaring a dividend of INR 100 before the FY ends. Now I will be recieving 1000 as dividend from each company, thereby a total of 10,000. The 5,000 dividend limit, is it applicable to each company / total dividend recieved by me in a year. If it is applicable to each company, then I would not attract TDS of 10% for dividend. Also pl clarify, how would the company B know that I have got shares of Company A,C,D,E so on…