Income Tax Act, 2025  ·  Chapter III — Incomes Not Forming Part of Total Income  ·  Section 18

Section 18
Profits in lieu of salary

IT Act 2025 Chapter III Effective 1 April 2026 Old: 4 9 17
New Provision
Section 18, IT Act 2025
Replaces (IT Act 1961)
4 9 17
Chapter
Chapter III — Incomes Not Forming Part of Total Income
Effective From
1 April 2026
Statutory Text — Section 18

(1) For the purposes of this Part, “profits in lieu of salary” includes,— (a) the amount of any compensation due to, or received by, an assessee from his employer or former employer at or in connection with the— (i) termination of his employment; or (ii) modification of the terms and conditions relating thereto; (b) any amount due to, or received, whether in lump sum or otherwise, by any assessee from any person— (i) before his joining any employment with that person; or (ii) after cessation of his employment with that person; (c) any payment due to or received by an assessee— (i) from an employer or a former employer; or (ii) from a provident or other fund, to the extent to which it does not consist of contributions by the assessee or interest on such contributions; or (iii) any sum received under a Keyman insurance policy as defined in Schedule II (Note 1), including the sum allocated by way of bonus on such policy. (2) The payment referred in sub-section (1)(c) shall not include any payment referred to in–– (a) Schedule II (Table: Sl. No. 3); (b) Schedule II (Table: Sl. No. 4); (c) Schedule II (Table: Sl. No. 8); and (d) Schedule III (Table: Sl. No. 11).

Shahi & Co. — Our Understanding
This section falls under Chapter III which lists incomes that are specifically exempt from income tax — the equivalent of Section 10 of the old Income Tax Act, 1961.
Practical Note: Exempt incomes do not form part of total income for tax computation. However, they may still need to be disclosed in the ITR. Always verify eligibility conditions before claiming an exemption.
Shahi & Co., Chartered Accountants
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Disclaimer: This is a reproduction of Section 18 of the Income Tax Act, 2025 (No. 30 of 2025) as published in the Official Gazette of India (CG-DL-E-22082025-265620) for informational and reference purposes only. Shahi & Co., Chartered Accountants makes no warranty as to completeness or accuracy. For the official authenticated text refer to egazette.gov.in or incometaxindia.gov.in. This does not constitute legal or tax advice.