Explained: How capital gains tax works on stocks, mutual funds, property and gold

The best time to plan for capital gains tax is before you place a sell order. This year is a good time to revisit the rules. From April 1, 2026, the Income-tax Act, 2025 has replaced the 1961 law. Section numbers have changed and the law now uses the term tax year, but capital gains are taxed largely as before.