Cost Inflation Index (CII) for FY 2025–26 Set at 376

Context: The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified the Cost Inflation Index (CII) for Financial Year 2025–26 as 376, up from 363 in FY 2024–25 — a 3.58% increase.
Purpose:
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CII helps calculate long-term capital gains (LTCG) on assets like land, buildings, trademarks, patents, securities, etc.
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It adjusts the purchase price for inflation (called indexation), thereby reducing the taxable gain and tax liability.
Applicability:
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This new index will apply to Assessment Year 2026–27 onwards.
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It is applicable only for assets acquired before July 23, 2024.
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For land/building bought before that date, taxpayers have a choice:
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12.5% tax without indexation, or
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20% tax with indexation using CII.
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Key Implications:
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Lower LTCG taxes for those selling pre-July 23, 2024 assets, thanks to the higher CII of 376.
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No CII benefit for assets acquired after July 23, 2024, as per Finance Act 2024.
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For debt mutual funds, indexation was already removed by Finance Act 2023; now taxed as per income slab (up to 35.8%).