If you're in the new tax regime — which has been the default for most salaried professionals since FY 2024-25 — you've probably noticed something uncomfortable: most of your deductions are gone. HRA exemption: gone. Section 80C (PPF, ELSS, LIC): gone. Section 24(b) home loan interest deduction: gone. For a ₹40L salary professional, this can mean ₹1–3 Lakh more in annual tax.
But one benefit — written into law since 1962, clarified in IT Rules 2026 — was completely untouched. And almost nobody knows about it.
What Survived: The Employer Perquisite
When your employer provides you with a car or accommodation as part of your compensation, you're taxed not on the full market value of that benefit — but on a fixed statutory amount called the perquisite value. This is governed by Rule 15 of the Income Tax Rules, 2026.
The perquisite value for an employer-provided home in a metro city is just 10% of your basic salary — regardless of how much the property is actually worth or how much rent is being paid. For cars, the perquisite is ₹2,000–7,000 per month depending on vehicle type.
This benefit works under both the old and the new tax regime. It was not touched by the new regime. Tax expert Ved Jain told PTI in April 2026: “For people opting for the new tax regime, instead of opting for HRA — which is not there in the new regime — they should convert HRA into rent-free accommodation.”
That's exactly what LeaseBridge structures.
The Numbers Under IT Rules 2026
For a ₹40L CTC professional (₹16L basic, metro city):
- Annual rent on ₹1Cr property: ~₹8.4L
- Taxable perquisite: 10% × ₹16L = ₹1.6L
- Pre-tax benefit: ₹8.4L − ₹1.6L = ₹6.8L
- Tax saved (@34.32%): ₹2.33L/year
- Over 20 years: ₹46L+ total benefit
- Property acquired for: ₹1
This is money that would have been taxed. Instead, it comes out of CTC before tax, funds the property lease, and at lease end — the property becomes yours.
How It Works With Your Employer
Your employer doesn't pay more than your CTC. The lease simply replaces what would otherwise be paid as taxable salary. The company restructures the CTC so that the lease amount comes out before tax calculation. Only the perquisite value (₹1.6L in the example above) is added back to taxable income. Net result: ₹2.33L less in tax every year.
LeaseBridge handles the entire structure — NBFC funding, SPV registration, legal framework, payroll integration, and documents. Your HR team doesn't need to build or manage anything.