"How much tax on ₹15 lakh?" is one of the most-searched salary questions in India — and the honest answer is: it depends on which tax regime you choose and what you can deduct. Under the new regime the tax on a ₹15 lakh salary works out to roughly ₹97,500; under the old regime with typical deductions it's closer to ₹2.1 lakh. Let's build both numbers step by step so you understand exactly where they come from.
The two regimes in one line
The new regime has lower slab rates but almost no deductions. The old regime has higher rates but lets you subtract deductions like 80C, 80D, HRA and home loan interest. For a ₹15 lakh earner, the new regime usually wins unless you have large deductions.
Tax on ₹15 lakh under the NEW regime
Salaried people first get a ₹75,000 standard deduction, so your taxable income becomes ₹14,25,000. The new-regime slabs (FY 2025-26 and 2026-27) then apply:
| Slab | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – ₹4,00,000 | Nil | ₹0 |
| ₹4,00,001 – ₹8,00,000 | 5% | ₹20,000 |
| ₹8,00,001 – ₹12,00,000 | 10% | ₹40,000 |
| ₹12,00,001 – ₹14,25,000 | 15% | ₹33,750 |
| Total tax | ₹93,750 | |
| + 4% Health & Education Cess | ₹3,750 | |
| Final tax | ≈ ₹97,500 |
Note the 87A rebate makes tax zero up to ₹12 lakh of taxable income — but ₹15 lakh is above that threshold, so you do pay. The rebate doesn't apply here.
Tax on ₹15 lakh under the OLD regime
The old regime gives a smaller ₹50,000 standard deduction, but you can claim more. Assume a common case: full ₹1.5 lakh under 80C (EPF, PPF, ELSS, etc.). Taxable income = ₹15,00,000 − ₹50,000 − ₹1,50,000 = ₹13,00,000.
| Slab | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – ₹2,50,000 | Nil | ₹0 |
| ₹2,50,001 – ₹5,00,000 | 5% | ₹12,500 |
| ₹5,00,001 – ₹10,00,000 | 20% | ₹1,00,000 |
| ₹10,00,001 – ₹13,00,000 | 30% | ₹90,000 |
| Total + 4% cess | ≈ ₹2,10,600 |
So which is better on ₹15 lakh?
With only ₹1.5 lakh of deductions, the new regime saves you over ₹1.1 lakh (₹97,500 vs ₹2,10,600). The old regime only starts to catch up once your total deductions get large — roughly ₹3.5–4 lakh (think full 80C + a home loan's ₹2 lakh interest + HRA). If you're a renter with a home loan and maxed-out 80C/80D, run both; otherwise the new regime almost certainly wins at this income.
Rule of thumb at ₹15 lakh: few deductions → new regime; big home loan + HRA + full 80C → check the old regime.
What about other salary levels?
The same logic scales. Because of the ₹75,000 standard deduction and the 87A rebate, a salaried person pays zero tax up to about ₹12.75 lakh under the new regime. Above that, tax rises through the slabs. The exact figure for your salary — and a live old-vs-new comparison — is one click away in the calculator below.