Tax on what you earn
Salary is the least flexible income there is - you cannot move it, and it is taxed before you see it. What you can still decide is which regime each of you is taxed under, and where the deductions sit.
For a couple, the regime choice is not one decision but four combinations - both old, both new, or one of each either way round. Deductions can often sit with whichever partner is taxed higher. Neither decision carries over to next year, so both get made again every filing season.
Two earners, four combinations
A single filer picks old regime or new. A couple picks for each of them separately, which means four combinations, not two - and the best one is frequently the mixed pair rather than both partners on the same side.
The choice turns on how much of your income is protected by deductions. The old regime lets you subtract HRA, 80C (now Section 123), 80D (now Section 126) and the rest before tax; the new regime taxes a larger base at lower rates. Where one partner carries most of the household's deductions and the other carries few, splitting the regimes is often what wins.
No. The choice is made per person on each return, so one of you can be on the old regime and the other on the new. For a couple where deductions are concentrated with one partner, that mixed pair is often the cheapest combination.
For salaried income the choice is made each year, so yes - you reconsider every filing season rather than locking in once. Which also means a combination that was right two years ago may not be right now.
Deductions belong where they save the most
A deduction is worth the payer's marginal rate. The same ₹1,50,000 of 80C is worth more against a 30% slab than a 20% one - so where a deduction can legitimately be claimed by either partner, it should sit with whoever is taxed higher.
That covers HRA where both of you pay rent, 80C instruments, health premiums under 80D, and the interest and principal on a jointly held home loan. The constraint is that the allocation has to match who actually paid - the documentation rule that runs through the property guide applies here too.
Where both of you genuinely contributed, each claims their own share - not the whole amount twice. What decides the split is the payment trail, which is why a joint expense is cleanest when each partner pays their share from their own account.
Five steps to run as a couple
The core idea: Tax filing is individual but tax saving isn't. Most couples optimise separately and overpay ₹1–2L every year. Treat your salaries as one pool, map every deduction, split smartly, and test all 4 regime combinations.
Do this for each partner separately. Many components are tax-free but only if they appear in your salary structure.
Fully taxable. Forms the base for HRA exemption, PF, and Employer NPS calculations.
Exempt = min of: actual HRA received | 50%/40% of basic (metro/non-metro) | rent paid minus 10% of basic. Tied to the partner whose salary slip includes HRA.
Deductible in both old and new regime. Capped at 14% of basic. Most powerful salary restructuring lever - negotiate it in if you haven't already.
Fully exempt against original fuel receipts. Must be in salary slip to qualify.
Exempt up to actual vouchers used. No statutory cap.
Exempt up to actual bill amount. No statutory cap. Claim against paid invoices.
Exempt up to actual spend. No statutory cap. Requires bill-based reimbursement.
Exempt up to actual spend on purchase or maintenance of uniform.
Exempt for 2 domestic journeys per 4-year block. Economy class fare only. Each partner has a separate entitlement.
Fully taxable. No exemption available in either regime.
These apply under the old regime only, beyond standard deduction and 80CCD(2). New regime offers no further deductions.
EPF, PPF, ELSS, life insurance, home loan principal, tuition fees, NSC, SSY, 5-yr tax-saving FD. Shared limit across all instruments combined.
₹25,000 self+family | ₹25,000 parents (₹50,000 if senior citizen) | ₹5,000 preventive check-up within limit. Claimed by the partner who pays the premium.
Up to ₹2,00,000 per co-borrower per year for self-occupied property. Both can claim independently in proportion to ownership share.
Extra ₹50,000 over and above the 80C ceiling. Route through the higher-slab partner for maximum saving.
50% or 100% deduction depending on institution. Some institutions have a 10%-of-income overall cap.
Full interest deductible for up to 8 years. For loans taken for self, spouse, or children.
₹10,000 for savings bank interest (non-senior) | ₹50,000 for senior citizens under 80TTB, includes FD interest.
Where most couples leave the most money. How you split matters more than the total.
₹1L of deduction saves ₹30,000 at the 30% slab but only ₹20,000 at 20%. Always assign to the higher earner first.
Both co-borrowers can each claim up to ₹2L interest and their share of principal under 80C. Shift as much as possible to the old-regime partner.
HRA exemption belongs to the salary it is in. You cannot transfer one partner's HRA benefit to the other.
Decide in advance whose account the premium debits from. That partner gets the deduction.
If combined 80C investments exceed ₹3L, allocate the full ₹1.5L limit to the higher earner before the lower earner claims.
Each partner has a separate 4-year entitlement. Plan claims to alternate for maximum combined exemption across the block.
Don't assume - always compute. The individually optimal choice is rarely the couple-optimal choice.
Wins when both partners have large deductions. The minimum deductions needed to beat the new regime vary by income: around ₹2.5L at ₹8–10L income | around ₹3.75L at ₹12–15L income | around ₹5.5L at ₹20L+ income. Higher incomes demand more deductions to justify old regime because new regime slabs are proportionally more favourable at the top.
Wins when neither partner has significant deductions. Simpler compliance and full investment flexibility.
Wins when A has large deductions or HRA but B has very few. Don't assume - test it.
Most overlooked - often the real winner. Especially powerful when one partner has high exempt allowances (NPS, fuel, meals) that reduce the value of old regime for them.
Knowing the optimal combo is step one. Making it happen before the financial year ends is step two.
Corrects TDS deduction and avoids a tax demand at filing. Do this as soon as you have picked your combination - not in March.
HRA: rent receipts + landlord PAN if rent exceeds ₹1L/year | Fuel: original receipts | Internet/Books: paid invoices | LTA: travel tickets.
New regime removes most deduction incentives. Redirect 80C-locked money to higher-returning options if you no longer need the deduction.
If both are co-borrowers, keep a written record of who is claiming what. Total claimed across both cannot exceed actual interest paid.
Old regime requires explicit opt-in at filing. New regime is the default from FY 2024-25. Missing the opt-in generally means you cannot switch back for that year.
Slabs, rebates, and deduction rules change annually. Run the 4-combination check fresh every year - what is optimal today may not be next year.