Author: Mrs. Anjum Shahnawaz

ISLAMABAD: Pensioners are allowed total exemption from tax on income received as pension.

Officials in Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Monday said that pensioners are allowed complete exemption from income tax under Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

They said that any pension received by a citizen of Pakistan from a former employer will be exempted from income tax, other than where the person continues to work for the employer (or an associate of the employer).

Provided that where the person receives more than one such pension, the exemption applies only to the higher of the pensions received.

The exemption from income tax also available on any pension –

(i) received in respect of services rendered by a member of the Armed Forces of Pakistan or Federal Government or a Provincial Government;

(ii) granted under the relevant rules to the families and dependents of public servants or members of the Armed Forces of Pakistan who die during service.

Any payment in the nature of commutation of pension received from Government or under any pension scheme approved by the FBR for the purpose of this clause is also exempted.

Any income representing any payment received by way of gratuity or commutation of pension by an employee on his retirement or, in the event of his death, by his heirs as does not exceed –

(i) in the case of an employee of the Government, a Local Government, a statutory body or corporation established by any law for the time being in force, the amount receivable in accordance with the rules and conditions of the employee’s services;

(ii) any amount receivable from any gratuity fund approved by the Commissioner in accordance with the rules in Part III of the Sixth Schedule;

(iii) in the case of any other employee, the amount not exceeding three hundred thousand rupees receivable under any scheme applicable to all employees of the employer and approved by the Board for the purposes of this sub-clause; and

(iv) in the case of any employee to whom sub-clause (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply, fifty per cent of the amount receivable or seventy-five thousand rupees, whichever is the less:

Provided that nothing in this sub-clause shall apply –

(a) to any payment which is not received in Pakistan;

(b) to any payment received from a company by a director of such company who is not a regular employee of such company;

(c) to any payment received by an employee who is not a resident individual; and to any gratuity received by an employee who has already received any gratuity from the same or any other employer.