This article will try to clear all doubts regarding the applicability of The Income Tax Audit Limit For AY 2021-22. But before know the applicability of the Tax Audit, everyone should know the Meaning of the Tax Audit.
What is Tax Audit
As we all know there are various types of audits being conducted under different laws such as cost audit, company audit or stock audit, etc.
Meaning of Tax Audit- In the same way tax audit is governed by income tax law, as the name suggests, a tax audit is an examination or review of accounts of any business or profession carried out by taxpayers from an income tax point of view.
Section 44AB of Income Tax Act
Section 44AB- This section deals with the tax audit limit and provision of the Tax Audit. W.e.f., 01st April 2019 (also applicable for AY 2021-22), the government has inserted a new limit of turnover of Rs. 5 crores and exempts them from tax audit subject to some specified condition.
Although section 44AB limit is still Rs. 1 crore and 44AD limit is 2 Crore (except specified above). So it creates a lot of confusion among stakeholders regarding the Tax Audit Limit for AY 2021-22.
Tax Audit Applicability For AY 2021-22
Let’s understand the provision of section 44AB:-
EXTRACT OF Section44AB – Audit of accounts of certain persons carrying on business or profession.
Every person,—
(a) carrying on business shall, if his total sales, turnover or gross receipts, as the case may be, in business exceed or exceeds one crore rupees in any previous year;
From AY 2020-21, Govt. inserted a proviso in the said clause so as to provide that in the case of a person whose aggregate of all amount received including the amount received for sales, turnover or gross receipts during the previous years, in cash, does not exceed five percent of the said amount; and the aggregate of all payments made including amount incurred for expenditure, in cash, during the previous year does not exceed five percent Of the said payment, this clause shall have effect as if for the words “one crore rupees”, the words “five crore rupees” had been substituted. …Applicable from AY 2020-21.
(b) Carrying on profession shall if his gross receipts in profession exceed fifty lakh rupees in any previous year; or
(c) carrying on the business shall if the profits and gains from the business are deemed to be the profits and gains of such person under section 44AE or section 44BB or section 44BBB, as the case may be, and he has claimed his income to be lower than the profits or gains so deemed to be the profits and gains of his business, as the case may be, in any previous year; or
(d) carrying on the profession shall if the profits and gains from the profession are deemed to be the profits and gains of such person under section 44ADA and he has claimed such income to be lower than the profits and gains so deemed to be the profits and gains of his profession and his income exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax in any previous year; or
(e) carrying on the business shall, if the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 44AD are applicable in his case and his income exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax in any previous year, get his accounts of such previous year audited by an accountant before the specified date and furnish by that date the report of such audit in the prescribed form duly signed and verified by such accountant and setting forth such particulars as may be prescribed :
Provided that this section shall not apply to the person, who declares profits and gains for the previous year in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 44AD and his total sales, turnover, or gross receipts, as the case may be, in business does not exceed two crore rupees in such previous year:
Tax Audit Limit for AY 2021-22
Tax Audit Applicability For AY 2021-22- The chart below will throw some extra light on the provision mention above and show clearly about Tax Audit Limit for AY 2021-22.
Tax Audit Limit for Individual/HUF/firm engaged in Business
| Turnover of Previous year | Net profit (%) | Condition of cash payment and cash receipts * | Tax Audit Applicability |
| More than 5 Crore | NA | NA | Yes, 44 AB(a) |
| 2-5 crore | NA | If less than 5% | No |
| 2-5 crore | NA | If more than 5% | Yes, 44 AB(a) |
| 1-2 Crore | More than 8% or 6% of turnover | NA | No |
| 1-2 Crore | Less than 8% or 6% of turnover | NA | Yes, 44 AB(a) |
| Up to 1 Crore | More than 8% or 6% of turnover | NA | No |
| Up to 1 Crore | Less than 8% or 6% of turnover | NA | Yes, 44AD (e) |
Also Read:-
Tax Audit Limit for Individual/HUF/firm engaged in Profession
| Turnover of Previous year | Net profit (%) | Tax Audit Applicability |
| More than 50 lakh | NA | Yes, 44 AB(b) |
| Less than 50 Lakh | More than 50 % of turnover | No |
| Less than 50 Lakh | Less than 50 % of turnover | Yes, 44 AB(d) |
Notes- Important Points
Due date of Tax Audit:- For every year, the due date of furnishing the tax audit report is 30th September of the subsequent year. For AY 2021-22, to mitigate the difficulties faced by taxpayers due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the due date of the income tax audit report has been extended to 15th January 2022.
The penalty u/s 44AB- If the assessee fails to conduct the audit, he is liable for a penalty of the lower of the following:-
- 0.5% of Turnover or gross receipts.
- Rs. 1,50,000/-
Section 44AD applicability- This section is only applicable to individuals/HUF/ firm.
Changes:- Due to proposed changes it can be summarized as below:
* Tax Audit Limit for AY 2021-22 is Rs. 5 crores for the person who is carrying on business and fulfills the below conditions-
(i) The aggregate of all amounts received including the amount received for sales, turnover or gross receipts during the previous year, in cash, does not exceed five percent of the total turnover/gross receipts; and
(ii) The aggregate of all payments made including the amount incurred for expenditure, in cash, during the previous year does not exceed five percent of the total payment.
Frequently Asked Questions- FAQs
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What is the tax audit limit for AY 2021-22?
Income Tax Audit Limit For AY 2021-22: Section 44AB deals with the tax audit limit and provision of the Tax Audit. W.e.f., 01st April 2019 (also applicable for AY 2021-22), the government has inserted a new limit of turnover of Rs. 5 crores and exempts them from tax audit subject to some specified condition.
Although section 44AB limit is still Rs. 1 crore and 44AD limit is 2 Crore (except specified above).
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What is the turnover limit for Tax Audit?
W.e.f., 01st April 2019 (also applicable for AY 2021-22), the government has inserted a new limit of turnover of Rs. 5 crores and exempts them from tax audit subject to some specified condition.
Although section 44AB limit is still Rs. 1 crore and 44AD limit is 2 Crore (except specified above).
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What is the applicability of tax audit?
A taxpayer is required to have a tax audit carried out if the sales, turnover, or gross receipts of business exceed Rs 1 crore in the financial year. However, a taxpayer may be required to get their accounts audited in certain other circumstances.
The threshold limit of Rs 1 crore is proposed to be increased to Rs 5 crore with effect from AY 2020-21 (FY 2019-20). The following condition applies to the taxpayer’s cash receipts and payment:
a) cash receipts are limited to 5% of the gross receipts or turnover
b) cash payments are limited to 5% of the aggregate payments -
What is section 44AB?
Section 44AB deals with the audit of accounts of a certain category of persons carrying on a business or engaged in a profession. The class of taxpayers listed under this section compulsorily have to get their accounts audited by a Chartered Accountant. The audit under section 44AB aims to ascertain the compliance of various Income Tax Law provisions and fulfill other requirements of the Income Tax Law.
Full Details Here- https://newtaxroute.com/section-44ab-income-tax-audit.html
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Disclaimer: The information contained in the above article are solely for informational purpose after exercising due care. However, it does not constitute professional advice or a formal recommendation. The author does not own any responsibility for any loss or damage caused to any person, directly or indirectly, for any action taken on the basis of the above article.
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Compiled by- CA Chirag Agarwal (Practicing Chartered Accountants)
I am a medical professional. My gross receipt is more than 50 lakhs for last few years. My account were audited by Chatter accountant. under Section 44AB.
for Ay yr 2021-22 My gross receipt is less than and profit is more than 50%.
May I have to go for Tax audit for Ay yr 2021-22 also ?
The audit is not required in your case for AY 2021-22. But when you file your ITR with section 44ADA(ITR4), you may get a notice for defective return because you have filed your ITR with the tax audit report in the last years. It is because, as per the provision of Income Tax, you can not get the benefit of ITR4 if you opt for a tax audit last year and not filing a report in the current year.
PROFESSIONAL INCOME IS RS 20 LAKHS AND SALARY INCOME IS RS 5 LAKHHS
AND PROFESSIONAL PROFIT IS 3,50,000 -WHETHER TAX AUDIT REPORT IS REQUIRED