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So, when Mr. Y created the reserve of Rs. 6,000, that amount is not deductible. But when he
actually paid Rs. 3,000 in July (before filing his return) and Rs. 3,000 in October (after filing
his return), the treatment changes:
• The Rs. 3,000 paid in July is deductible, because it was paid before the due date of
filing the return.
• The Rs. 3,000 paid in October is not deductible in that year, because it was paid after
the return was filed. It can only be claimed in the year of actual payment.
So the lesson here: reserves don’t count, actual payments do.
(b) Mr. P and the Employee Bonus
Mr. P declared a bonus of Rs. 1,00,000 for his employees. But he couldn’t pay it all at once.
He paid Rs. 40,000 by 31-3-2023, Rs. 30,000 in July, and the remaining Rs. 30,000 in
November. His due date for filing the return was 31-7-2023.
Now, bonuses are a common business expense. But the law says: if you declare a bonus, you
must pay it before the due date of filing the return to claim it as a deduction. Otherwise, it
won’t be allowed.
Let’s check Mr. P’s timeline:
• Rs. 40,000 paid by 31-3-2023 → deductible.
• Rs. 30,000 paid in July (before 31-7-2023) → deductible.
• Rs. 30,000 paid in November (after 31-7-2023) → not deductible in that year.
So, out of Rs. 1,00,000, only Rs. 70,000 is admissible as a deduction in that year. The last Rs.
30,000 will be deductible in the year it was actually paid.
Lesson: declaring a bonus isn’t enough—you must pay it before the return due date.
(c) Employer’s Contribution to PF
This one is about Provident Fund (PF), which is a retirement savings scheme. Employers
contribute to PF for their employees, and this contribution is deductible—but only if paid on
time.
Here’s the situation: Mr. X made a payment of Rs. 42,000 by cheque on 30-11-2022. The due
date was 15-12-2022. But the cheque was realized (actually cleared) on 31-12-2022.
Now, the tricky part: does the date of giving the cheque count, or the date of clearance? Tax
law generally considers the date of actual payment. A cheque is only considered payment
when it is cleared. Since the cheque was cleared after the due date (31-12 instead of 15-12),
this payment is not deductible in that year. It will only be allowed in the year of actual
clearance.