Capital-gains records: dates, asset type and annual totals

Collect the transaction records

Keep contract notes or statements for every purchase and sale, together with quantities, dates, consideration and transaction costs. Preserve evidence for corporate actions such as splits, bonuses, rights issues, mergers and demergers because they can affect quantity, cost or acquisition date. If holdings moved between brokers or depositories, retain the transfer trail.

Identify the asset precisely

Classify the asset precisely. Listed equity, unlisted shares, equity-oriented funds, debt funds, listed debt and other property can have different holding periods and tax rules. For market securities, also confirm whether the transaction and securities transaction tax conditions required by the relevant provision are satisfied.

Classify each disposal

Dates matter twice: they help determine short-term or long-term status and identify the rate regime. The 2024 capital-gains changes took effect on 23 July 2024, so FY 2024–25 can contain transactions on both sides of the change. The CBDT’s official FAQ explains the revised holding periods, rates and the annual section 112A threshold.

Reconcile the annual position

Review the year as a whole. An annual threshold is not applied independently to each trade. Gains and losses may need category-specific set-off and carry-forward treatment, and brought-forward losses require the return and filing facts to be checked. Grandfathering, non-residency, foreign assets, special securities and business treatment can require additional analysis.

Understand the tool’s scope

The capital-gains tool supports only its displayed asset and date combinations. Enter actual dates and aggregate figures that match the stated scope. Retain the detailed transaction schedule behind any aggregate and use the official return schedules for filing.