How are balanced funds taxed?

What is the taxation provision for a balanced fund? Are the short term as well as long term gains taxable? if yes, then at what rate?
- NBT Rambadia

Balanced funds (or hybrid funds) invest their portfolio in a mix of debt and equity. They can be equity-oriented or debt-oriented, depending on their exposure to equity. If a fund invests minimum 65 per cent in equities, it is called equity-oriented balanced fund. If a fund invests less than 65 percent in equities, it is called debt-oriented balanced fund. This category is clearly segregated in our funds list.

Equity oriented balanced funds, if held for more than 12 months are exempt from long term capital gains tax. For periods less than that, short term capital gains tax is applicable at 15 percent.

For debt oriented balanced funds, long-term capital gains tax is applicable if the fund is held for 36 months or more. This is at 20 percent with indexation benefits. Short-term capital gains tax on debt funds is as per your income tax bracket.

This article was originally published on May 05, 2017.