Salary-Tools.

Freelancer Tax Calculator (Section 44ADA)

For specified professionals (consultants, doctors, lawyers, engineers, tech freelancers, etc.) — declare 50% of gross receipts as income, skip detailed bookkeeping and audit.

If 95%+ of your receipts come through banking/digital channels (cash ≤ 5%), your eligibility limit rises to ₹75 lakh instead of ₹50 lakh.

Presumptive income (50% of receipts)

₹15,00,000

Limit applicable: ₹75,00,000
Taxable income₹14,25,000
Rebate (Sec 87A)₹0
Total tax (new regime, incl. cess)₹97,500

Tax at different receipt levels

Gross receiptsTax payable
₹10L₹0
₹20L₹0
₹30L₹97,500
₹40L₹1,92,400
₹50L₹3,19,800
₹75L₹7,09,800

Why 44ADA is worth understanding before you incorporate anything

Section 44ADA lets specified professionals skip the entire expense-tracking exercise most freelancers dread — instead of proving every deduction, you simply declare 50% of receipts as income:

Presumptive income = 50% × gross receipts (minimum — you can declare more)

This is genuinely advantageous if your real expenses are below 50% of receipts — which is common for consulting, tech, and knowledge work with low overhead. If your actual costs run higher than 50% (e.g. a doctor with expensive equipment and staff), the regular books-of-account route might leave you paying tax on a smaller, more accurate profit figure instead.

The eligibility limits are based on gross receipts, not profit — cross ₹50 lakh (or ₹75 lakh if your cash receipts stay at or below 5%) and you lose access to the scheme entirely for that year, not just on the excess.

Frequently asked questions

Specified professionals under Section 44AA — legal, medical, engineering, architectural, accountancy, technical consultancy, interior design, and similar fields, including many forms of tech and creative freelancing. If you're unsure whether your specific work qualifies, check the exact list or ask a CA before relying on this scheme.