The income tax on a ₹15 lakh salary is about ₹97,500 under the new regime for FY 2026-27. That's an effective rate of 6.5% — roughly ₹8,125 deducted as TDS each month — after the ₹75,000 standard deduction.
Earning ₹15 lakh a year? Under the new tax regime for FY 2026-27 your income tax works out to about ₹97,500 — an effective rate of just 6.5%, even though your top slab is higher. The breakdown below shows exactly how much is charged in each slab, so there are no surprises on your payslip.
| Gross salary | ₹15,00,000 |
| Standard deduction | − ₹75,000 |
| Taxable income | ₹14,25,000 |
| Tax before cess | ₹93,750 |
| Health & education cess (4%) | ₹3,750 |
| Total income tax | ₹97,500 |
| Effective tax rate | 6.5% |
| Approx. monthly TDS | ₹8,125 |
| Income slab | Rate | Tax on this slab |
|---|---|---|
| ₹4,00,000 – ₹8,00,000 | 5% | ₹20,000 |
| ₹8,00,000 – ₹12,00,000 | 10% | ₹40,000 |
| ₹12,00,000 – ₹16,00,000 | 15% | ₹33,750 |
| Health & education cess | 4% | ₹3,750 |
| Total income tax | ₹97,500 |
These figures use the new tax regime introduced in Budget 2025 and left unchanged by Budget 2026 — so they are valid for both FY 2026-27 (AY 2026-27, the return you file in 2026) and the current FY 2026-27: a ₹75,000 standard deduction for salaried taxpayers; slabs of nil up to ₹4 lakh, 5% (₹4–8L), 10% (₹8–12L), 15% (₹12–16L), 20% (₹16–20L), 25% (₹20–24L) and 30% above ₹24 lakh; a 4% health & education cess; and a Section 87A rebate that makes taxable income up to ₹12 lakh fully tax-free. At ₹15 lakh you're just past the rebate cliff — even a modest increase in your NPS (Section 80CCD(1B)) or other pre-tax contributions could bring taxable income back under ₹12 lakh and eliminate this tax entirely, which isn't true once you're further into the higher slabs. Use the interactive income tax calculator to compare both regimes for your exact numbers.
Under the new regime for FY 2026-27, the income tax on a ₹15 lakh salary is about ₹97,500 (including 4% cess) — an effective rate of 6.5%.
No. A ₹15 lakh salary is above the ₹12.75 lakh tax-free threshold, so tax applies. Only salaries up to ₹12.75 lakh are fully tax-free under the new regime for FY 2026-27.
For most people at ₹15 lakh with ordinary deductions, the new regime is cheaper and simpler. The old regime only wins if you can claim large deductions — typically over ₹4–5 lakh combined (full 80C, 80D, HRA and home-loan interest). Compare both with the income tax calculator before you declare.