Amortization of preliminary expenses enables staged tax relief for businesses under the new income tax provision.
The clause permits staged deduction of specified preliminary expenses by allowing an Indian company or resident individual to deduct one fifth of eligible preliminary expenses in each of five successive tax years, subject to an overall ceiling computed at the option of the taxpayer against either project cost or capital employed; eligible expenditures include feasibility and project reports, market and engineering studies, legal charges and other prescribed preparatory costs, and a statement of expenditure must be furnished to the prescribed authority.