Where are the slabs written?

In lib/statutory and on the calculator page, not as a second copy in this article, so a Finance Act update stays in one place.

Where can I see the actual slabs?

On this page they are read live from the FY config, and again inside the income-tax calculator. Do not copy a third table into a spreadsheet that will go stale.

Does NPS extra deduction work in the new regime?

The site’s old-regime column includes 80CCD(1B) when you enter it. New regime is narrower — compare both in the calculator rather than assuming the extra NPS deduction still applies.

I have only EPF. Which regime?

EPF employee contribution is 80C (old). If that is your only deduction, new regime still often wins because of slabs and 87A — run the numbers.

Does the comparison include cess?

Yes. Total tax in both columns includes 4% health and education cess after rebate and surcharge.

Finance question

Old tax regime or new tax regime — which saves more tax?

Last updated 2026-09-17

Quick answer

New regime is the default. It wins when deductions are small, because of wider slabs, ₹75,000 standard deduction and 87A up to ₹12,00,000 taxable. Old regime can still win if HRA + 80C + home-loan interest + 80D are large. There is no universal winner — run both columns.

Calculate your numbers

Tables below use stated assumptions. Change rate, tenure or income in the calculator for your case.

Open Income tax

Do not memorise a winner

A person with no 80C and no HRA almost always prefers new. A person with ₹1.5 lakh 80C, metro HRA and ₹2 lakh self-occupied interest may prefer old. The calculator is the comparison; this page is the map.

Worked example

Try the ₹15 lakh + 80C preset and the ₹20 lakh full-old preset on the income-tax screen. Those two snapshots show how deductions flip the result without copying slabs into this article.

Formula

Compute both regimes from the same gross using the FY config. The lower total tax (after rebate, surcharge and cess) is the cheaper regime for that input set.

New-regime slabs from FY config (FY2026-27 / AY 2027-28)

These numbers are read from the site tax configuration, not copied as a second table that can go stale.

Up to ₹4,00,0000%
₹4,00,001 – ₹8,00,0005%
₹8,00,001 – ₹12,00,00010%
₹12,00,001 – ₹16,00,00015%
₹16,00,001 – ₹20,00,00020%
₹20,00,001 – ₹24,00,00025%
Above ₹24,00,00030%

Example scenarios

Same ₹15 lakh salaried gross — FY2026-27

Setup	New regime tax	Old regime tax
No extra deductions	₹97,500	₹2,57,400
Full old-regime set (80C, HRA, 80D, interest, NPS extra)	₹97,500	₹72,280

HRA exemption must be computed separately (HRA calculator). New regime ignores those deductions.

What changes the answer

HRA
80C utilisation
Home-loan interest
NPS 80CCD(1B)
Age (old-regime exemption)

Things to consider

87A does not wipe special-rate capital gains.
Surcharge marginal relief near ₹50 lakh is not fully modelled.

taxConfig(FY2026-27). Educational comparison only.

Results are educational estimates, not tax, legal, investment, or medical advice, and not a loan offer. Verify filings and payments with the official authority or a qualified professional.

FAQs

Salaried people can generally choose at filing. Business income has tighter opt-out rules — confirm current law before you rely on a switch.

Related calculators

Income taxFree income tax calculator for India — compare old vs new regime for Tax Year 2026-27 with deductions and a clear breakdown.HRA exemptionFind tax-exempt HRA under the old regime for metro and non-metro cities.Section 80CSee how much of the ₹1.5 lakh 80C cap you have used. 80C applies in the old regime, not the default new regime.TDS (salary)Estimate monthly TDS as one-twelfth of new-regime income tax on salary. Employer Form 16 can still differ.

Related guides

Old vs new tax regime for Tax Year 2026-27