How Much Tax Will I Pay on a ₹15 Lakh Salary? (FY 2025-26)
Short answer: ₹97,500 under the New Regime, if ₹15 lakh is your full gross salary with no other income. Under the Old Regime, it depends heavily on how many deductions you actually claim — anywhere from ₹1,40,400 to ₹2,57,400. Here's the exact math, using the same FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27) slabs and standard deduction values as our Income Tax Calculator, so the numbers below match what the tool itself will show you.
New Regime — the only number that matters here
The New Regime doesn't reward extra deductions (beyond the standard deduction and employer NPS), so there's exactly one answer regardless of your investments or rent:
- Gross salary: ₹15,00,000
- Standard deduction: −₹75,000
- Taxable income: ₹14,25,000
Applying the FY 2025-26 New Regime slabs (0% to ₹4L, 5% from ₹4–8L, 10% from ₹8–12L, 15% from ₹12–16L):
- ₹0–4L: 0% → ₹0
- ₹4–8L: 5% → ₹20,000
- ₹8–12L: 10% → ₹40,000
- ₹12–14.25L: 15% → ₹33,750
Base tax: ₹93,750. Add 4% cess: ₹3,750. Total: ₹97,500 — about ₹8,125/month.
Old Regime — three realistic scenarios
The Old Regime's standard deduction is ₹50,000 (not ₹75,000), so taxable income starts at ₹14,50,000 before any further deductions.
| Scenario | Taxable Income | Tax Payable |
|---|---|---|
| No deductions beyond standard deduction | ₹14,50,000 | ₹2,57,400 |
| + Section 80C (₹1.5L) + 80D (₹25K) | ₹12,75,000 | ₹2,02,800 |
| + Home loan interest (₹2L) on top of the above | ₹10,75,000 | ₹1,40,400 |
Even in the most favourable Old Regime scenario — full 80C, full 80D, and ₹2 lakh of home loan interest — the New Regime's ₹97,500 still wins by ₹42,900. You would need deductions well beyond these three combined (for example, HRA on top of a large home loan) to make the Old Regime competitive at this income level.
Pro tip: Don't estimate this by hand for your actual numbers — other income (rental, interest, capital gains), employer NPS contributions, and HRA all shift the answer. Run your exact figures through the Income Tax Calculator, which compares both regimes side by side.