*Section 44AD and F&O trading: a nuance worth understanding before you opt in*
Presumptive taxation under Section 44AD is often seen as a simple way for F&O traders to avoid audits. No books, no audit, a simpler ITR4 filing. In a profitable year, this looks like a clean choice.
What often gets missed is the commitment that comes with it. Once you opt for 44AD, you are generally expected to continue under the scheme for the next 5 assessment years. It is not designed to be a year to year decision.
This becomes relevant because F&O trading naturally involves volatility. A rough year where actual profit falls below the 6% presumptive benchmark, or where a loss is posted, is fairly common in this business.
Under Section 44AD(4), if declared income falls below the prescribed rate while still within the lock in period, the presumptive scheme no longer applies for that year. Section 44AD(5) then brings in a further requirement. If total income exceeds the basic exemption limit in that situation, a tax audit generally becomes applicable, independent of turnover. This means even where F&O turnover is well within the usual 1 crore or 10 crore limits, an audit can still apply.
The timing can make this harder to manage, since this often coincides with a year that was already loss making.
There is a relief worth noting here. Since this situation means filing under regular provisions with books that year, the loss can generally still be carried forward, provided the return is filed within the due date.
Opting out this way also generally restricts re entry into 44AD for the next 5 assessment years, so the decision carries a longer horizon than it may first appear.
The broader takeaway is that 44AD tends to work best where profit margins can realistically stay above 6% for a sustained period, ideally the full 5 years. For F&O trading, where volatility is part of the business, this is worth evaluating carefully with your CA before opting in.
It is also worth clarifying that filing under regular provisions does not automatically mean an audit is required. Broadly, audit applicability under regular provisions is turnover driven. Turnover up to 1 crore, or up to 10 crore where cash receipts and payments are each under 5% of the total, generally does not attract audit, even in a loss year. Individual facts can vary, so this is best confirmed based on your specific numbers.
For traders with fluctuating F&O results, this is a decision worth discussing with a professional before the return filing season arrives, rather than after.
Thank you, Hon’ble Minister Shri @naralokesh—your presence with your son to witness Vikram-1 to reach orbit on its very first attempt meant a great deal to the entire team. 🚀
Today’s success belongs to India’s young dreamers and builders, and we’re grateful for your steadfast support of the country’s private space journey. 🇮🇳
INDIAN GIRLS BEATS CHINA IN CHINA TO CLINCH THE ASIAN U23 C’SHIP GOLD 🇮🇳🥇
- Shravani, Sandramol, Pravallika & Nofisa bag Gold in 4x400m Women’s Relay!
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
If the claims about Toyota filing an FIR against Manish Kashyap are true, this will be a first!
A car manufacturer suing a consumer for blaming adulterated fuel for damaging his car. Usually, consumers sue!
If this case goes to court, Toyota will lose face, and the case.
While the whole country is debating petrol-ethanol, the bros from Madhya Pradesh have already pulled off what is arguably India's first major ethanol scam, not counting you know who.
There is a govt policy that surplus rice in govt warehouses can be sold to ethanol manufacturers at subsidised rates to prevent it from rotting.
According to a Dainik Bhaskar report, the scam began when some officials allegedly (willingly?) ignored the rules and allocated "newly procured" fortified rice (not even regular rice, but fortified rice) for ethanol production. The rice, bought at a high price (₹4,000 per quintal), was sold at a throwaway price (₹2,320 per quintal) to ethanol plants.
The ethanol plant operators allegedly knew it was fortified rice, so instead of using it to make ethanol, they sold it to rice millers at ₹2,800 per quintal, and instead bought cheap broken rice (₹2,100 per quintal) from the open market for ethanol production, making an overall profit of ₹700 per quintal.
The rice millers allegedly repacked the fortified rice in new gunny bags and supplied it back to the govt as freshly milled rice. The govt paid them milling charges, while the govt supplied paddy they were actually supposed to mill was allegedly sold in the open market for another round of profit.
So the same bag of rice allegedly kept changing hands: govt warehouse to ethanol plant to rice mill to back to govt warehouse. Everyone in the chain allegedly made money.
The MP govt formed an SIT. So far, four people have been arrested and 12 trucks seized. Investigators suspect that up to 50 lakh quintals of govt rice, worth around ₹1,160 crore, may have been diverted through this alleged racket.
@Flipkart@flipkartsupport@_Kalyan_K After such a disappointing experience with both the delivery service and customer support, I have lost confidence in Flipkart and will not purchase any products from your platform in the future.
@Flipkart@flipkartsupport@_Kalyan_K experienced the same issue. This is highly unprofessional and has added to my frustration.
At present, the delivery status of my order is showing as Pending. If my product is not delivered today, I will be forced to cancel my order.
@Flipkart@flipkartsupport@_Kalyan_K Additionally, I contacted Flipkart Customer Support and repeatedly requested that my call be transferred to a senior executive. The customer care representative asked me to wait while she transferred my call, but after a few minutes the call was disconnected. I called again
"अब मैं बरसों से पाला हुआ, दिल के कोने में छुपाया हुआ अपना सपना पूरा करूँगा। मुर्गियों का फ़ार्म खोलूँगा, पोल्ट्री फ़ार्म। हज़ारों मुर्गियाँ पालूँगा, जो लाखों अंडे देंगी। लाखों अंडों से करोड़ों मुर्गियाँ, और उनके कई करोड़ अंडे, और अरबों ऑमलेट। वो खाने के लिए ब्रेड भी मैं ही दूँगा। मैं बेकरी भी खोलूँगा। ब्रेड का बादशाह और ऑमलेट का राजा! बजाज। हमारा बजाज।"
Kaka on Carlo Ancelotti's decision to leave Neymar on the bench:
🗣“I know Carlo better than most because I played under him for many years. He's one of the greatest coaches in football history, and every decision he makes has a reason behind it. But in my opinion, he got this one wrong.
The biggest mistake was leaving Neymar on the bench. When you have a player of that quality, fully fit and available, it's very difficult to justify not starting him in a World Cup knockout match. These are the moments players like Neymar are made for.
The game was crying out for someone who could slow everything down, take responsibility, and create something special. Even in the limited time Neymar had on the pitch, you could immediately see the difference. Brazil looked more composed, more dangerous, and the stadium reacted the moment he came on because everyone knows what he is capable of.
Every great national team builds around its biggest stars. Neymar isn't just Brazil's most talented player; he's also a leader whose presence gives confidence to everyone around him. Vinícius Júnior is an exceptional player with an incredible future, but having Neymar alongside him makes the entire attack more dangerous and gives him more freedom.
We'll never know for certain what would have happened, but I genuinely believe that if Neymar had started, or at least been introduced much earlier, Brazil would have had a much better chance of winning the match. In games of this magnitude, the finest players have to be trusted from the very first whistle.”
"It is now well established that ethanol is even used in racing cars. Acceleration improves."
The minister is right. Kerosene is used in aeroplanes. But selling kerosene-blended petrol is a punishable offence. Why? Because the cars aren't made for kerosene, even though they can run on that fuel.
This strawmanning by strawmen has no feet. Nobody is asking you to scrap the ethanol policy. They just want the appropriate fuel for their cars. E10 for E10 compliant. E20 for E20 compliant. And E0 for non-compliant.
"It is now well established that ethanol is even used in racing cars. Acceleration improves."
The minister is right. Kerosene is used in aeroplanes. But selling kerosene-blended petrol is a punishable offence. Why? Because the cars aren't made for kerosene, even though they can run on that fuel.
This strawmanning by strawmen has no feet. Nobody is asking you to scrap the ethanol policy. They just want the appropriate fuel for their cars. E10 for E10 compliant. E20 for E20 compliant. And E0 for non-compliant.
Sardar Aman Khan, from JAAC, a Kashmir civil group that has been declared terror group by Pakistan says situation in Pakistan occupied Kashmir fragile. "We have faced atrocities. Our food has been stopped". Seeks support for people from Srinagar, Ladakh, Jammu & other places.