Chapter V - Income of Other Persons Included in Total Income of Assessee
Section 99
Section 99: income of individual to include income of spouse, minor child, etc
Section 99 is the Act's main clubbing provision for family income-shifting arrangements. It adds to an individual's total income: certain remuneration paid to a spouse from a business the individual has a substantial interest in; income from assets transferred to a spouse or son's wife without adequate consideration; and the income of a minor child, subject to specific exceptions.
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Need advice on Section 99?
This article is for general information. Refer to the Income-tax Act, 2025 as amended by the Finance Act, 2026 and the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2026 for the official provisions. If you need professional advice for your situation, contact Bizeneed.
Statutory text
Bare law
(1) The total income of any individual, for a tax year, shall include the income arising directly or indirectly,— (a) to the spouse of such individual,— (i) by way of salary, commission, fees or any other form of remuneration, whether in cash or kind, from a concern in which such individual has a substantial interest but shall not include income solely attributable to the application of technical or professional knowledge, experience and technical or professional qualification of the spouse; (ii) from assets transferred directly or indirectly to him or her by such individual otherwise than for adequate consideration or in connection with an agreement to live apart, subject to the provisions of section 25(a); (b) to the son’s wife of such individual from assets transferred directly or indirectly on or after the 1st June, 1973, to her by such individual, otherwise than for adequate consideration; (c) to the minor child of the such individual, but shall not include income accruing or arising— (i) on account of work done by such child; or (ii) from activities where his skill, talent, specialised knowledge or experience is applied; or (iii) where such minor child is suffering from disability of the nature specified in section 154; (d) to any person or association of persons from assets transferred directly or indirectly, otherwise than for adequate consideration to the person or association of persons by such individual, to the extent to which the income from such assets is for the immediate or deferred benefit of his or her spouse or his son’s wife, as the case may be, other than the assets transferred before 1st June 1973, to the extent to which the income from such assets is for the immediate or deferred benefit of his son’s wife.
(2) If the asset transferred under sub-section (1)(a)(ii) or (b) is invested by the spouse or son’s wife, in any business or in the nature of capital contributed as a partner in a firm, or, as the case may be, for being admitted to the benefits of partnership in a firm, then, the income to be included in the hands of the individual for the tax year shall be as follows:— A = B × (C / D) where ,— A = Income to be included in the hands of individual for the tax year; B = Income and interest or both, arising to the spouse or son’s wife from the business or the firm, as applicable during the tax year; C = Value of such assets invested, or contributed as capital by the spouse or son’s wife as on the first day of the tax year; D = Total investment or total capital contribution, as the case may be, by the spouse or son’s wife as on the first day of the tax year.
(3) Where a property owned by an individual is converted into property belonging to the Hindu undivided family of which he is a member, through— (a) the act of impressing such separate property with the character of property belonging to the family; or (b) throwing it into the common stock of the family; or (c) transfer, directly or indirectly to the family, without adequate consideration, then, irrespective of any other provision of this Act or any other law in force for computing the total income of such individual,— (i) the individual shall be deemed to have transferred such property, through the family, to the members of such family for being held jointly, and the income derived from such property or part thereof, shall be deemed to be income of the individual; (ii) where the property so converted has been the subject-matter of partition (whether partial or total) amongst the member of the family, the income derived from such property as is received by the spouse of the individual on partition, shall be deemed to arise to the spouse from assets transferred indirectly to the spouse and the provisions of sub-section (1)(a) shall apply, and the income referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) shall, on being included in the total income of the individual, be excluded from the total income of the family or the spouse.
(4) The provisions of sub-section (3) shall not apply where the property of the individual has been converted into property belonging to the family on or before the 31st December, 1969.
(5) For the purposes of this section,— (a) for sub-section (1)(a)(i),— (i) the income referred to in that clause shall be included in the hands of either of the spouse whose total income before such inclusion is greater; and(ii) such income, once included in the total income of either spouse, for a tax year, shall not be included in the income of the other spouse for any succeeding tax year, unless the Assessing Officer is so satisfied, after giving the other spouse an opportunity of being heard; (iii) an individual shall be deemed to have a substantial interest in a concern,— (A) in case where the concern is a company, if its shares (not being shares entitled to a fixed rate of dividend whether with or without a further right to participate in profits) carrying not less than 20% of the voting power are, at any time during the tax year, owned beneficially by the individual or jointly with one or more of his relatives; (B) in any other case, if such person is entitled, or such person and one or more of his relatives are jointly entitled, to at least 20% of the profits of such concern at any time during the tax year; (b) for sub-section (1)(c), income of minor child shall be included— (i) in the income of that parent whose total income before such inclusion is greater, in case where the marriage of his parents subsists; or (ii) in the income of the parent who maintains such child during the tax year, in case where marriage of his parents does not subsist, and such income, once included in the total income of either of the parent, for a tax year, shall not be included in the income of the other parent for any succeeding tax year, unless the Assessing Officer is so satisfied, after giving the other parent an opportunity of being heard; (c) for sub-section (3), “property” includes— (i) interest in property; or (ii) movable or immovable property; or (iii) proceeds of sale of such property and any money, property or investment representing such proceeds; or (iv) where property is converted into any other property by any method, such other property; (d) for this section, “income” includes loss.
Introduction
Section 99 attributes selected spouse, son's-wife, minor-child and converted-HUF-property income to an individual. The relationship alone does not decide the result: remuneration, consideration, source of funds and the statutory exceptions matter.
Key takeaways
Specified family income
The section includes in an individual's total income certain income of a spouse, son's wife or minor child when its particular relationship or asset-transfer test is met.
Minor child's parent
Where minor-child income is clubbed and the parents' marriage subsists, the parent with the greater pre-clubbing total income bears it, subject to the section's continuity rule and exceptions.
Spouse's remuneration from a substantial-interest concern
The remuneration described in section 99(1)(a)(i) is included under the clubbing rule, except income solely attributable to application of the spouse’s technical or professional knowledge, experience and technical or professional qualification. Subsection (5)(a) determines inclusion in the hands of the spouse with the greater pre-inclusion total income and provides the continuity rule.
Income from assets transferred to spouse or son's wife
Income from assets transferred (directly or indirectly) by the individual to the spouse, other than for adequate consideration or in connection with a living-apart agreement, is included in the individual's total income.
Similarly, income from assets transferred (directly or indirectly) on or after 1 June 1973 by the individual to the individual's son's wife, other than for adequate consideration, is also included in the individual's total income.
Income arising to any other person or association of persons from assets transferred (directly or indirectly), other than for adequate consideration, is included in the individual's total income to the extent that income is for the immediate or deferred benefit of the spouse or son's wife (except, for assets transferred to the son's wife's benefit, if transferred before 1 June 1973).
Substantial interest: the 20% test
An individual is deemed to have a substantial interest in a concern if: for a company, shares carrying at least 20% of the voting power are beneficially owned, at any time during the tax year, by the individual alone or jointly with relatives (excluding shares entitled to a fixed rate of dividend, whether or not they also carry a right to participate in profits); for any other concern, the individual (alone or with relatives) is entitled to at least 20% of its profits at any time during the tax year.
Income of a minor child
The income of a minor child is included in the individual parent's total income, except income that arises from work done by the child, or from applying the child's own skill, talent, specialised knowledge or experience, or income of a minor child suffering from a disability of the nature specified in Section 154.
Minor's income is clubbed with whichever parent's total income (before such inclusion) is greater, if the parents' marriage subsists, or with the parent who maintains the child during the tax year if the marriage does not subsist. Once clubbed with one parent for a year, it is not clubbed with the other parent in a later year unless the Assessing Officer, after hearing the other parent, is satisfied it should be.
If the transferred asset is invested in a business or partnership
If an asset transferred to a spouse or son's wife (as described above) is invested in a business, or contributed as capital in a firm, the amount of income to be clubbed with the individual for a tax year is computed proportionately, based on the ratio of the value of the transferred asset invested/contributed to the total investment/capital as on the first day of that tax year, applied to the spouse's or son's wife's income/interest from the business or firm for that year.
HUF property converted from individual property
Where an individual converts their separately owned property into property belonging to their Hindu undivided family (by impressing it with the character of joint family property, throwing it into the common stock, or transferring it to the family without adequate consideration), the individual is deemed to have transferred the property, through the family, to the family members for joint holding - and the income from that property continues to be treated as the individual's income.
If such converted property is later partitioned among family members, income received by the individual's spouse on partition is deemed to arise to the spouse from an indirectly transferred asset, subject to section 99(1)(a), including its transferred-asset rule. This conversion rule does not apply where the property was converted on or before 31 December 1969.
Step-by-step flow for applying Section 99
- 1
Whose income is in question: spouse, son's wife, minor child, or a person or AOP holding assets transferred by the individual?
- None of these: Section 99 does not apply.
- One of these: Go to the next step.
- 2
Spouse's remuneration from a concern in which the individual has a substantial interest?
Substantial interest means 20% or more of voting power (company) or of profits (other concern), alone or with relatives. Income solely from the spouse's technical or professional qualification is excluded. Include it in whichever spouse's total income is greater before inclusion.
- 3
Income from assets transferred without adequate consideration?
Covers transfers to the spouse (other than under an agreement to live apart) or to the son's wife, and transfers to a person or AOP, to the extent the income benefits the spouse or son's wife. If the asset is invested in a business or as partner's capital, include A = B × (C / D) under Section 99(2).
- 4
Minor child's income?
- From own work, skill or talent, or child has a Section 154 disability: Not included.
- Other income: Include with the parent whose total income is greater (marriage subsisting) or who maintains the child.
- 5
Individual's property converted into HUF property?
Income from it is the individual's income (Section 99(3)), except conversions on or before 31 December 1969. Once included, the income is excluded from the other person's total income.
Practical checklist
Do
- Trace each income stream to its source asset, transfer or substantial-interest concern.
- For a minor's income, check the work/skill exceptions and identify the parent to whom it is included under the statutory rule.
Avoid
- Do not club a spouse's professional remuneration where the statutory qualification and work exception applies.
- Do not overlook the indirect-transfer and converted-property rules.
Illustrative example
Worked example: gifted money invested in the spouse's business
Hypothetical facts (illustration only, not a real taxpayer): Mr. Mehta gifts ₹10,00,000 to his wife without consideration. She invests it in her proprietary business together with ₹15,00,000 of her own funds. On the first day of the tax year her total investment in the business is ₹25,00,000. Her business income for the year is ₹5,00,000.
Identify the clause
The gift is an asset transferred to the spouse otherwise than for adequate consideration and invested in a business, so Section 99(2) applies.
Values
B = ₹5,00,000; C = ₹10,00,000; D = ₹25,00,000.
Formula
A = ₹5,00,000 × (₹10,00,000 / ₹25,00,000) = ₹5,00,000 × 0.4 = ₹2,00,000.
Outcome
- ₹2,00,000 is included in Mr. Mehta's total income for the tax year.
- The balance of ₹3,00,000 remains Mrs. Mehta's business income.
Glossary
- Clubbing
- Including another person's qualifying income in the individual's total income.
- Substantial interest
- The specified ownership or profit interest threshold relevant to spouse remuneration under this section.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a "substantial interest" for clubbing spouse's remuneration?
Owning shares carrying at least 20% of the voting power (for a company), or being entitled to at least 20% of profits (for any other concern), at any time during the tax year, alone or jointly with relatives.
Is all of a minor child's income clubbed with the parent's income?
No - income the minor earns from their own work, or by applying their own skill, talent, specialised knowledge or experience, is excluded, as is income of a minor child with a disability of the nature specified in Section 154.
With which parent is a minor's income clubbed?
With whichever parent's total income (before including the child's income) is greater, if the marriage subsists, or with the parent who maintains the child during the year if the marriage does not subsist.
Does clubbing apply to gifts to my daughter-in-law?
Yes - income from assets transferred, directly or indirectly, without adequate consideration, to the individual's son's wife on or after 1 June 1973, is clubbed with the individual's income.
Need help applying this provision to your situation?
Get clarity on clubbing of income rules from our tax teamLast updated 10 October 2026