New Delhi, June 20 -- Many self-employed professionals, freelancers, and business owners pay rent every month, but cannot claim tax benefits like house rent allowance (HRA) exemption, which is exclusively available to salaried employees

This is because HRA is a salary-linked exemption available only to individuals who receive it as part of their compensation package. However, that does not mean there are no other provisions in income tax law that allow non-salaried individuals to claim rent-related deductions.

Taxpayers who pay rent for residential accommodation but do not receive HRA can claim a deduction under Section 80GG of the Income Tax Act, subject to certain conditions. This benefit is available to self-employed individuals as w...