GOLD TAX CALCULATOR
INDIA 2026

Post Budget 2024, gold held for less than 24 months is taxed as Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG) at your income tax slab rate. Gold held for 24 months or more is taxed as Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) at a flat 12.5% without indexation. This applies to physical gold, digital gold, gold ETFs, and gold mutual funds.

The Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax rate on gold is 12.5% without indexation benefit, applicable from July 23, 2024, for gold held 24 months or more. A 4% health and education cess is added on top, making the effective rate approximately 13%.

Yes, digital gold is taxed exactly like physical gold. Short-term gains (held less than 24 months) are taxed at your income tax slab rate. Long-term gains (24 months or more) are taxed at 12.5% flat rate without indexation.

SGBs are tax-free only if held to maturity (8 years). If sold before maturity but after 12 months, LTCG of 12.5% applies. If sold within 12 months, gains are taxed at your slab rate. The 2.5% annual interest from SGBs is always taxable at your slab rate.

There is no specific exemption for gold capital gains. However, if your total taxable income including gold gains falls below the basic exemption limit (₹3 lakh under new regime, ₹2.5 lakh under old regime), you may not owe any tax. Additionally, SGB held to maturity is completely tax-free regardless of the gain amount.

When you sell inherited gold, the cost of acquisition is the price the original owner paid, and the holding period includes the time the previous owner held it. If the total holding period (your time + original owner time) exceeds 24 months, LTCG of 12.5% applies on the gain from original cost to selling price.