Indian tax obligations, managed from abroad

NRIs earning taxable income in India must file returns, and determining what is taxable — and which form applies — depends first on residential status, which is not always obvious in a year of transition.

We prepare and file for salary earned in India, rental income, interest, capital gains, business income and investment income, examining residential status, eligible deductions, tax credits and exemptions before filing.

Selling immovable property in India triggers TDS, capital gains tax, potential reinvestment relief and reporting obligations. Poor planning leads to excessive deduction at source and a refund you wait a year for.

We advise on residential, commercial and inherited property: computing short and long-term gains, claiming exemptions under the applicable sections, obtaining lower-TDS certificates before the transaction, filing the return and claiming refunds where excess tax has been deducted.

Many NRIs pay tax in both India and their country of residence. India's treaties are designed to prevent the same income being taxed twice, but relief has to be claimed correctly and evidenced.

We assess treaty applicability, determine residency, identify eligible foreign tax credits and handle the documentation — Tax Residency Certificate, Form 10F and self-declarations — so the relief holds up if examined.

NRIs face higher TDS on property sales, rent, interest and other transactions, frequently well above the actual liability. The money is recoverable, but only after filing and waiting.

We obtain lower or nil deduction certificates from the department in advance, which is almost always better than a refund claim afterwards, and advise on TDS applicable to NRI transactions, Form 26AS reconciliation and refund claims.

Many NRIs retain property in India generating rent, or hold fixed deposits, mutual funds, shares and bonds.

We advise on taxation of rental income, interest, dividends, capital gains and investment portfolios, claim eligible deductions, manage TDS implications and maintain the documentation that makes each year's filing straightforward.

Movement of funds into and out of India is governed by FEMA and RBI guidelines. Repatriating sale proceeds, rental income or inherited assets requires the right documentation in the right order.

We advise on repatriation procedures, banking documentation, NRE and NRO account transactions, remittance formalities and the tax implications, coordinating with your bank where required.

PAN application and correction, PAN-Aadhaar advisory, TDS reconciliation, tax payment assistance, income tax portal compliance, refund processing and responses to departmental communications.

Routine, but difficult to do from another time zone without someone holding it locally.

Receiving a notice while living abroad is disproportionately stressful because the practical options look limited.

We represent NRIs before the Income Tax Department on notices, assessments, TDS mismatches, demands, scrutiny proceedings and refund issues — preparing replies, submitting documentation and handling procedural formalities, so that personal visits are rarely necessary.