Income-tax hacks (New Regime)—Smartly save ₹66k without 80C (free calculator).

Income Tax Hacks under the New Regime allow salaried taxpayers in India to legally save up to ₹66,000 in tax without investing a single rupee in 80C, ELSS, or insurance products. Many salaried employees wrongly believe tax saving is impossible under the new regime, but these income tax hacks prove otherwise with simple, legal salary adjustments.

Income-tax hacks (new regime)—save ₹ 66k without 80C—CFA-level tax hacks for Indian salaries.
Most Indians follow 50-30-20—but a ₹10 L salary → ₹66 k saved without 80C → same take-home as the old regime.
Secret: HRA receipts + LTA bills + food coupons + home-loan interest + NPS + employer PF → all exempt under the new regime.
Result: ₹10 L salary → ₹66 k saved → same take-home as old regime → bigger corpus + bigger heart.
Below: live Google Sheet → plug in salary → auto-calculates new vs. old regime → green cell = tax saved.

Free Download: Income Tax New Regime Checklist (PDF). Before filing your ITR, use this simple checklist to ensure you don’t miss any tax-saving opportunity under the new tax regime.

👉 Download the Free Checklist PDF

Methodology

I used CFA utility-weighting → new-regime hacks + auto-debit + guilt index → green cell = tax saved.
Target: ₹ 66k saved on ₹10 L salary → same take-home as old regime.
Hacks: HRA receipts + LTA bills + food coupons + home-loan interest + NPS + employer PF → all exempt under the new regime.
Auto-split: salary × 0.2 → guilt-free spend, 0.3 → save, 0.5 → invest → green cell = balanced budget.
The live sheet includes a new vs. old regime comparison → auto-colors green if the new regime wins.
Copy → tweak salary → green = guilt-free tax saved.

You may also read our detailed guide on Section 80C deductions to understand old regime vs new regime planning. These income tax hacks are especially useful for employees who feel frustrated seeing high tax deductions despite choosing the new regime.

Conclusion

1. You don’t need 80C to cut tax
   The new tax regime already slashes currentincome-tax slab rates, so forcing ₹1.5 lakh into ELSS or PPF can actually cost you liquidity for zero extra benefit. Our free calculator proves it: a ₹12–15 lakh salary keeps up to ₹66 k in your pocket if you simply ignore 80C and stay in the new regime. Download the sheet, punch in your gross, HRA, and NPS, and let it spit out the break-even number. If 80C doesn’t beat the new regime, divert the “saved” money to index funds or high-yield savings instead.
2. Use the free calculator every April
   Punch in your gross salary, HRA, and NPS contribution once; the sheet tells you the exact split between the old vs. new regime and shows the break-even 80C amount—ignore it if the latest number is lower.
3. Park the “saved” 80C money in flexible assets
   Instead of locking ₹1.5 lakh in ELSS/PPF, divert it to index funds or a high-yield savings account; you keep liquidity and still beat the post-tax return you would have gotten from 80C instruments.
4. Re-assess yearly—regime is reversible
   The new regime is now the default, but you can switch back each year until you have business income; run the calculator again if you take a home loan or pay hefty health insurance premiums.

Bottom line: Stay in the new regime, ignore 80C, invest the surplus smartly, and let the calculator confirm the ₹ 66k win every year.

FAQ

Q1. Can I really save tax in the new regime without investing in 80C?
Yes, income tax hacks under the new regime mainly work through higher standard deduction, revised slab rates, and employer salary structuring benefits. These allow many salaried individuals to reduce tax liability without locking money into long-term investments.

Q2. Who should choose the new tax regime?
Income tax hacks under the new regime are ideal for salaried employees who do not want to invest in 80C products, freelancers with limited deductions, and individuals who prefer higher in-hand salary instead of tax-saving investments.

Q3. Is the ₹66,000 tax saving guaranteed for everyone?
No. The savings depend on income level, salary structure, and available exemptions. ₹66,000 is an illustrative example for a ₹10 lakh salary scenario.

Q4. Can I switch between the old and the new tax regimes every year?
Yes. Salaried individuals can choose between old and new tax regimes every financial year while filing their income tax return.

Q5. Are employer PF and NPS contributions exempt in the new regime?
Yes. Employer contributions to PF and NPS are exempt up to prescribed limits even under the new tax regime.