← Income Tax Strategy

Tax Strategy for
Independent Professionals

Doctors, Lawyers, Architects, Tech Consultants: Stop paying business tax rates on personal effort. With Section 44ADA, you can legally lock your effective tax rate around 10-15%.

Ideal for: Freelancers, Doctors, Consultants earning ₹20L - ₹75L

The Consultant's Dilemma

Most generalist CAs treat you like a small business owner—forcing detailed bookkeeping and audits you may not need. Meanwhile, you leave significant deductions unclaimed.

Fear of Section 44ADA

Many professionals fear declaring flat 50% expenses without vouchers. But 44ADA is a "Presumptive" scheme—the law PRESUMES 50% expenses. You don't need proof if you follow the rules.

Reality Check:

A consultant earning ₹60L pays tax on only ₹30L (50% deemed profit). Effective rate: 15.6%. No audit required. No detailed books.

Foreign Income Mismatch

Freelancers receiving USD/EUR often miss critical documentation. Without FIRC (Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate), tax authorities may treat your export income as domestic—triggering GST liability.

Common Trigger:

₹40L received from US clients without LUT filing = ₹7.2L GST demand + interest + penalty.

Wrong Entity Structure

Forming a Pvt Ltd "because it sounds professional" when Proprietorship would be more tax-efficient. Or staying Proprietor when LLP would provide protection and flexibility.

Cost of Wrong Choice:

A Pvt Ltd with ₹50L profit: 25% corp tax + dividend tax = ~36%. Same as Proprietor under 44ADA? Just 15.6%.

Compliance Overload

Maintaining books, monthly GST returns, TDS compliance, advance tax—when 44ADA could eliminate most of this. Most professionals are over-complying.

Time Saved:

Under 44ADA: ITR-4 (simple form) + quarterly GST. That's it. No audit. No detailed books.

How We Optimize Professional Income

44ADA Strategy

Maximizing the 50% flat deduction for receipts up to ₹75L. Understanding when to opt in vs. opt out based on actual expense ratio.

Saves: 5-15% effective rate

Entity Structure

Proprietorship vs LLP vs Pvt Ltd analysis. Avoiding the "Pvt Ltd Trap" of high compliance for simple consulting.

Right choice saves lakhs

International Compliance

LUT filing for 0% GST exports. FIRC management. DTAA relief claiming via Form 67. Double taxation prevention.

Avoids GST on exports

Cash Flow Planning

Flexible advance tax modeling for irregular income. Avoiding 234C interest. March 15 single payment strategy.

Eliminates penalties
Case Study

Tech Consultant: Freelance to Optimized

Client Profile

  • • Software consultant working with US startups
  • • Annual receipts: ₹55L (100% from foreign clients)
  • • Operating as Proprietor, no GST registration
  • • Maintaining detailed books unnecessarily

Problems Identified

  • Paying tax on full income (not using 44ADA)
  • No LUT filed—GST liability triggered
  • Missing Form 67—foreign tax credit lost
  • Advance tax penalties every year

Our Optimization

1. 44ADA Election

Taxable income reduced from ₹55L to ₹27.5L (50% deemed profit). Tax saved: ₹8.6L

2. GST Registration + LUT

Filed LUT for export services. Zero GST liability. Claimed ₹80K input credits on laptop/software.

3. Form 67 Filing

US client withheld 30% on some payments. Claimed foreign tax credit: ₹1.2L recovered

4. Simplified Compliance

Stopped maintaining detailed books. Filed ITR-4. Single advance tax payment in March.

₹9.8L
Total Annual Savings
15%
Effective Tax Rate

"I was paying a CA ₹50K annually to maintain books I didn't need. Sami showed me 44ADA eliminates all that. Plus they found ₹1.2L in foreign tax credit I didn't know existed. The savings in year one were 30x their fees."

— Tech Consultant (Bangalore, serving US clients)

Questions & Answers

Common Questions from Professionals

Expert answers on 44ADA, entity structure, and international income

Section 44ADA is a presumptive taxation scheme for professionals with gross receipts up to ₹75 Lakhs (if 95%+ digital receipts) or ₹50 Lakhs otherwise.

Eligible professions include:

Doctors & Medical
Lawyers & Legal
Architects & Engineers
Accountants & CAs
Tech Consultants
Interior Decorators
Key Benefit: 50% of receipts is DEEMED as profit—no questions asked. No detailed books. No audit. Effective tax: just 15.6%.

It depends on your stage and goals. Sami Tax models all three scenarios:

Proprietorship

Simplest. Income at personal slab rates (up to 31.2%). Best for income under ₹50L.

LLP

Limited liability. 30% flat rate. Can retain earnings. Best for liability protection.

Pvt Ltd

25% rate but dividend tax adds up. Best for raising investment or building sellable asset.

Sami Tax models all scenarios with your actual numbers and growth projections before recommending.

Foreign consulting income has three main considerations:

  • 1.Income Tax: Claim Foreign Tax Credit (Sec 90/91) if you paid withholding tax abroad—file Form 67
  • 2.GST: Export of services is ZERO-RATED. File LUT annually for 0% GST + input credits
  • 3.Documentation: Maintain FIRC for every payment. Without it, tax authorities may demand GST

Sami Tax international service: LUT filing, FIRC management, and DTAA relief claiming.

Under 44ADA, 50% deemed expense covers everything. No separate business expense deductions.

However, you CAN still claim:

  • Chapter VI-A: 80C, 80D, 80E, etc. from gross total income
  • Other income: Salary, capital gains, rental taxed separately with own rules

Many professionals combine 44ADA with salaried consulting—Sami Tax structures the split to optimize overall tax.

44ADA gives you a special concession:

✓ Under 44ADA

Pay entire advance tax by March 15 in one installment. Simple but needs cash discipline.

Regular (Books)

Quarterly: 15% June, 45% Sept, 75% Dec, 100% March. Missing = 234C interest.

Sami Tax provides: Quarterly advance tax estimates based on your income patterns + liquidity planning.

Once you cross ₹75L, 44ADA no longer applies. You must:

  • Maintain detailed books of accounts
  • Get them audited if receipts exceed ₹1 Cr (or ₹10 Cr with 95% digital)

At this level, entity structure becomes critical. Many professionals transition to LLP or Pvt Ltd.

Sami Tax helps with: Transition planning, optimal entity structure, compliant books setup from day one.

Optimize Your Professional Practice Tax

Schedule a consultation. We'll analyze your current structure, identify 44ADA eligibility, and project your potential savings.