Benefits of buying a home in the wife’s name

June 2018

With several states in India offering benefits for women property buyers to boost their empowerment, we examine why it makes financial sense to register a property in a woman’s name

There are several benefits to buying a property in a woman’s name, either as the sole owner or as a joint owner, with governments and banks offering several sops.

“Aspiring home buyers can seek certain benefits including tax exemptions if a home is bought in a woman’s name. Such offers can also attract more women buyers to the realty sector,” points out Ashok Mohanani, CMD, Ekta World. Encouraging women to register assets in their name, also boosts women’s empowerment, he adds.

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Tax benefits

Experts explain that some of the obvious tax benefits of buying a home in the wife’s name, include an extra deduction of interest up to Rs 1.5 lakh every financial year, if the house is self-occupied. If a husband and wife are the joint owners of a property and if the wife has a separate source of income, then they can both claim tax deductions individually. The tax benefit will depend on the ownership share of each co-owner.

Discount on stamp duty charges

Several state governments in north India are now offering a partial waiver on stamp duty, for buyers registering properties in a woman’s name – either as a sole owner or as a joint owner.

“You can save 1%-2% on stamp duty, if the property is in a lady’s name. In Delhi, the stamp duty rate is 4% for women, compared to 6% for men. Moreover, if you are undergoing some financial setback and have some debts to repay, the property held in your wife’s name, does not come under the cover for your loss,” points out Sushil Raheja, CEO of Raheja Homes Builders & Developers..

Stamp duty charges for Women Vs Men

State/UT	For Women	For Men
Delhi	4%	6%
Haryanat	4% in rural areas and 6% in urban areas	6% in rural areas and 8% in urban areas
Rajasthan	4%*	5%

* As 1% rebate over normal rate

Discount on home loan interest rates

Many banks like SBI, ICICI and HDFC Bank, offer discounted rates on home loans for women borrowers. The prevailing interest rates for women borrowers are as mentioned below:

Interest rate for woman borrower Vs others

Bank	Interest for Women borrower	Interest Rate for others
SBI	8.35 – 8.85%	8.4 – 8.95%
ICICI	8.35 – 8.7%	8.4 – 8.85%
HDFC Ltd	8.35 – 9.05%	8.4 – 9.05%

Note: Rate as on June 20, 2018 (For loan amount < Rs one crore)

Things to keep in mind when buying a home in the wife’s name

Experts maintain that it is a good idea to buy a home in the name of one’s wife or in co-ownership. However, the wife can enjoy the tax benefit, only if she has a separate and genuine source of income. Moreover, if there is any legal dispute on the property, then both, the husband and wife, will be involved in the case. Therefore, home buyers should evaluate all possibilities, before making a final decision.

Also read: Real estate sale deed: Terms and conditions that home buyers should be aware of

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