10-Year Income Tax Rate Compendium for AY 2016-17 to AY 2025-26

This guide consolidates and reorganizes income-tax rates, surcharge, and cess applicable over the last decade for various categories of assessees. It covers:

  • Individuals and HUFs (including resident senior and super senior citizens)
  • Firms (including LLPs)
  • AOP/BOI/AJP
  • Companies (domestic and foreign)
  • Co-operative societies

The objective is to offer a single, structured reference to track rate changes across assessment years, facilitate comparative analysis, and support planning, advisory, and litigation work.

Note
Statutory references like Section 115BAC, Section 111A, Section 112, and Section 112A are reproduced exactly as in law. The provisions discussed are as amended up to the Finance Act, 2026.

1. Individuals and HUFs – Slab Rates Over 10 Assessment Years

This section maps how slab rates, surcharges, and cess have evolved for:

  • Resident senior citizens (60 years or more but below 80 years)
  • Resident super senior citizens (80 years or more)
  • Other individuals (including non-residents) and HUFs

1.1 AY 2016-17 to AY 2017-18 – Individuals & HUFs

Slab rates – Resident senior citizen, resident super senior citizen, and others

  • Resident senior citizen (60 years or more at any time during the previous year but less than 80 years on the last day of the previous year)
  • Resident super senior citizen (80 years or more at any time during the previous year)
  • Any other individual / HUF
Slab (Rs.) Resident senior citizen Resident super senior citizen Any other individual/HUF
First Rs. 2,50,000 Nil Nil Nil
Next Rs. 50,000 Nil Nil 10%
Next Rs. 2,00,000 10% Nil 10%
Next Rs. 5,00,000 20% 20% 20%
Above Rs. 10,00,000 30% 30% 30%

Surcharge (all individuals, resident or non-resident)

  • AY 2015-16: 10% of income-tax where taxable income exceeds Rs. 1 crore
  • AY 2016-17: 12% of income-tax where taxable income exceeds Rs. 1 crore
  • AY 2017-18: 15% of income-tax where taxable income exceeds Rs. 1 crore

Cess

  • Education cess: 2% of income-tax plus surcharge
  • Secondary and higher education cess: 1% of income-tax plus surcharge

1.2 AY 2018-19 to AY 2020-21 – Individuals & HUFs

Slab structure became more concessional at the low-income end.

Slab (Rs.) Resident senior citizen Resident super senior citizen Any other individual/HUF
First Rs. 2,50,000 Nil Nil Nil
Next Rs. 50,000 Nil Nil 5%
Next Rs. 2,00,000 5% Nil 5%
Next Rs. 5,00,000 20% 20% 20%
Above Rs. 10,00,000 30% 30% 30%

Surcharge – AY 2018-19 and AY 2019-20

  • 10% of income-tax if taxable income > Rs. 50 lakh
  • 15% of income-tax if taxable income > Rs. 1 crore

Surcharge – AY 2020-21

  • 10%: taxable income > Rs. 50 lakh but ≤ Rs. 1 crore
  • 15%: taxable income > Rs. 1 crore but ≤ Rs. 2 crore
  • 25%: taxable income > Rs. 2 crore but ≤ Rs. 5 crore
  • 37%: taxable income > Rs. 5 crore

Important restriction on surcharge
For all these years, surcharge on tax computed on capital gains covered by section 111A and section 112A cannot exceed 15%.

Cess

  • AY 2018-19:
    • Education cess: 2% of income-tax and surcharge
    • Secondary and higher education cess: 1% of income-tax and surcharge
  • AY 2019-20 and AY 2020-21:
    • Health and education cess: 4% of income-tax and surcharge

1.3 AY 2021-22 – Old Regime and New Regime under Section 115BAC

1.3.1 Old tax regime (AY 2021-22)

Net income range (Rs.) Resident Super Senior Citizen Resident Senior Citizen Any other Individual
Up to Rs. 2,50,000 Nil Nil Nil
Rs. 2,50,001 – Rs. 3,00,000 Nil Nil 5%
Rs. 3,00,001 – Rs. 5,00,000 Nil 5% 5%
Rs. 5,00,001 – Rs. 10,00,000 20% 20% 20%
Above Rs. 10,00,000 30% 30% 30%

1.3.2 New optional regime – Section 115BAC (AY 2021-22)

Total income (Rs.) Rate
Upto 2,50,000 Nil
2,50,001 – 5,00,000 5%
5,00,001 – 7,50,000 10%
7,50,001 – 10,00,000 15%
10,00,001 – 12,50,000 20%
12,50,001 – 15,00,000 25%
Above 15,00,000 30%

Surcharge pattern (old and new regime)

  • 10% if income > Rs. 50 lakh but ≤ Rs. 1 crore
  • 15% if income > Rs. 1 crore but ≤ Rs. 2 crore
  • 25% if income > Rs. 2 crore but ≤ Rs. 5 crore
  • 37% if income > Rs.