Leave Travel Allowance

SINGAPORE – More than 2,000 selected commuters have been provided with an upgraded ez-link card that can be topped up using the SimplyGo app from Tuesday (Sept 1), in a pilot launched by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Users of the upgraded card are able to view their travel history and fare charges when using. LTA, also known as leave travel concession (LTC), cannot be claimed every year and you may not be able to claim exemption on the full amount. It is most likely that LTA is a part of your salary. The 2020 Masters starts on Thursday, seven months after it was scheduled to take place. It’s the first time the season’s traditional opening major is the last on the calendar, and it’s also. LTA (Leave Travel Allowance), is a benefit provided by almost all employers to their employees which provide income tax benefit. One can claim LTA for two times in a block of 4 years. Employees would take leave, enjoy their travel and claim this as reimbursement where income tax is not deducted. Procedure to claim LTA is generally employer specific. Every employer announces the due date within which LTA can be claimed by the employees and may require employees to submit proof of travel such as tickets, boarding pass, invoice provided by travel agent etc along with the mandatory declaration.

Leave Travel Allowance (LTA ) is one of best Tax saving tools available to employees.

As per the Rules, you can claim the LTA benefit only twice during the block of 4 years. For this purpose, following condition should be satisfied:

You should be on leave.
You should travel any where in India.
During such travel you may have your family with you.
LTA is part of your salary component.

Family includes spouse, children as well as dependent parents, brothers and sisters.

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In respect of children born on or after 1.10.98, the exemption will be restricted only to two surviving children unless the birth after one child has resulted in multiple births.

The travel expense incurred by you is exempt up to the LTA received.

Obviously, if your wife and other family members travel, without you accompanying them, no LTA can be claimed.

FAQ on claiming LTA benefit and Income tax planning is answered below:

1. Can we Claim LTA Every Year? Sumit, Delhi
One of the most common questions about LTA is whether it can be claimed every year or not? The answer is Yes – you can claim LTA every year, but you will not be able to claim LTA exemption ever year.
Other Points About Tax On LTA
a) If you do not wish to claim LTA in one particular year you can have your employer carry forward your LTA for the next year.
2. Is entire cost of travel covered under LTA? Jaya , Bangalore
A The entire cost of the holiday is not covered. Only the travel costs are covered. So, whether you fly, hop on to a train or take public transport, you will have to show the ticket to claim your LTA. This means you will need to keep your air, rail or public transport ticket.

Also LTA benefit is limited to LTA given by your employer in your salary.

3. Can I claim LTA for my elder Brother? Ramesh , Amritsar
A LTA covers travel for yourself and your family. Family, in this case, includes yourself, parents, siblings dependent on you, spouse (even if your spouse is working) and children.

For children born after October 1, 1998, the exemption is restricted to only two surviving children (unless, of course, one birth has resulted in multiple children like twins and triplets).

If your family travels without you, no LTA can be claimed. You have to make the trip, either by yourself or, if claiming for your family, you should travel with them.
4. What is Concept of Block years for getting LTA benefit? Sunil, Pune
A LTA is not related to when you started your employment. The government fixes blocks of years. These blocks are not financial years (April 1 to March 31); they are calendar years (January 1 to December 31).

The current block is 2010-13 — January 2010 to December 2013.
During this time period, a person is entitled to two LTA claims.

5. I was not able to claim Leave in last block. Can I claim it now? Venkat, Kerala
A You can carry forward your LTA. One LTA can be brought forward and claimed in the first year of the next block.
Let’s say you do not take your LTA in 2006-09. Or that you use only one LTA. Don’t worry, you will be able to take the pending LTA in 2010. This means that, in the 2010-13 block, you will be totally entitled to the three journeys.

6. I am entitled for LTA of Rs 45000/- but I have made travel of Rs 25000 /-. How can I claim balance? Kamal, Gurgaon
A If your LTA is not utilised, it gets added to your salary and you will be taxed on it.
Rs 20000/- short utilised would be paid as normal part of your salary after deducting income tax as per your Income tax slab.

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7. I have changed job and i was not able to claim LTA for last year? Can i do it now? Satish, Banglore
A If you switch jobs, you can get the LTA not only from your present organisation but also from your former employer, if the concession is lying unutilized.
For example: in the 2006-09 block, you claimed LTA in 2007. In 2008, you switched jobs. You can still claim your second journey with your new employer. Of course, your new employer will ask to look at your earlier tax returns to see whether it has been claimed or not.

8. I performed journey by plane. Will I get LTA benefit? Puneet, Mumbai
A In case of journey performed by air, then you can get the LTA benefit for :Economy Air fair of National carrier by the shortest route or the amount spent which ever is less.

9. I performed journey by first Class Rail . Will I get LTA benefit? Amit, Mumbai
A In case of journey performed by rail, then you can get the LTA benefit for : A.C. first class rail fare by shortest route or amount spent which ever is less.

10. What if Place of origin and destination place of journey connected by rail but journey performed by other mode of transport.. Will I get LTA benefit? Amit, Mumbai
A Amount exempted for LTA will be – A.C. first class rail fare by shortest route or amount spent which ever is less.

11. Can a holiday package be claimed for LTA exemption? Rahul, Gurgaon
A Holiday package can be claimed for LTA exemption.

LTA exemption can be claimed only for travel – if your holiday package included hotel and sightseeing (which it normally does) – you won’t be able to take an exemption for that.
Also, LTA exemption can be availed for family – ie your spouse, dependent children, dependent brothers or sisters only, so if you have taken a holiday with your extended family or children who are no longer dependent on you, then you can’t claim LTA exemption on that part of the expense.

12. Can both husband and wife claim LTA exemption ? Manish, Ahmedabad
A If you and your wife both get LTA – both of you can’t claim exemption for the same travel but you can avail LTA benefit for different travel.

So effectively between the two of you, you can claim exemptions four times in four years.

Augusta National Golf Club is known for its traditions and etiquettes. Some are a hangover from an inglorious past of racism and sexism and others simply hark back to a more genteel time.

Golf played on the rolling emerald green mounds of the famous Georgia layout, have since 1934, been a spring tradition in the golfing world. But this year, not even the sticklers of the famous Augusta Committee could do much as Covid-19 disrupted the planet. Sports schedules were part of the collateral damage.

At least the 2020 Masters will take place, albeit without any spectators, patrons as they’re known at Augusta, and with lots of Covid-19 protocols. Other events such as the 2020 Open Championship, usually the season’s third major, and the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, were cancelled altogether.

The Masters field of 92 players – down from the scheduled 94 after 2017 winner Sergio Garcia and Chilean Joaquin Niemann withdrew after positive Covid tests – will tee off to eerie silence among the Georgia pines on Thursday.

The lack of atmosphere will make the Masters feel different this year, but the intensity of competition and the challenge of the course and conditions, will still make for thrilling viewing.

No other tournament like it

For former champion Trevor Immelman, his annual visit to the Masters which is now guaranteed for life by virtue of his 2008 victory, remains a highlight. For him, the aura of Augusta never wanes and the delight of playing the course never diminishes, even though his chances of winning are the same as Donald Trump inviting Joe Biden out for a friendly round of golf.

So, what makes Augusta special?

“Let me answer it this way,” Immelman told the Maverick Sports Podcast. “Through the game of golf, I have done some of the most amazing things. Going to the White House and meeting presidents of the United States, meeting Nelson Mandela, meeting royalty and playing golf with movie stars, musicians and other top athletes. The game of golf has given me some incredible experiences.

© Provided by Daily Maverick Tiger Woods of the US celebrates after winning the 2019 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, USA, 14 April 2019. The 2019 Masters Tournament is held 11 April through 14 April 2019. EPA-EFE/TANNEN MAURY

“What I have found in life is that when you really look forward to something, when your expectations start to rise because you’re so excited, it doesn’t live up to expectations because your imagination ran away with the prospect of the whole experience. Now, when you go to Augusta National, it’s better than anything you’ve ever imagined. That would be the only way I could describe it.

“There is a thickness in the air because of the mystique of the place. Even though it’s only been around since 1934 it has a lot of history, mainly because of the players who have won there.

“It’s also amazing how, even though the tournament and the club are ‘old school’ they have managed to move with the times. The Masters App is amazing. You can watch every shot, by every player and see its tracking in real time. That’s just one example of how they have embraced tech while still being traditional.

“Augusta is simply incredible and the place, and the tournament just never ceases to amaze me. I’ve been going since 1999 and they find little ways to improve it without people hardly noticing.”

Experience a factor at Augusta

The one thing people do notice though, is the high standard of golf played at the par-72 layout. The course demands long driving, but more importantly, brilliant putting. It also takes a little bit of experience to figure it out.

There have only been three first-time winners in the history of the tournament. The last was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. It’s not the type of place you just arrive and win at.

In fact, the average first time winner at Augusta, does it in his sixth visit. Immelman won the Masters at his sixth attempt.

“Early on in my career I never thought I’d win at Augusta because I didn’t think I was a good enough putter,” Immelman said. “I always thought my best chance at winning a major would come at the Open. I grew up in the Western Cape and learnt my golf playing in the howling south-easter. That formed the way I played the game – by being able to flight the ball low through the air.

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“But as I became more comfortable playing in the United States, I started to find a way to unlock Augusta National. In 2005 I put a few good rounds together and was in the second to last group on the Sunday. I also made a hole-in-one on the 16th on my way to a tie for fifth.

“That gave me a lot of confidence because I started to feel comfortable with my strategy on how to play the course. There is a distinctive strategy you need to play to play well at Augusta.

“For some players it takes longer than others to figure out. Some players are either too confident or too arrogant to acknowledge it. Once you figure it out you can definitely manoeuvre your way around the course. I think that’s why you see the same players generally near the top of the leaderboard and play well there year after year.”

Changing the way the game is played

This year there are 26 newcomers in the field, and if history holds, they won’t win. There are also many former champions such as Immelman, Fred Couples (1992) and Vijay Singh (2000), who have almost zero chance of winning.

The likes of 2020 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, with his power game, will start as favourite. DeChambeau is a streaky putter though and will need to be at his best with the short stick, to tame Augusta.

Ulsterman Rory McIlroy has flirted with victory at Augusta several times, but he has come up short in 12 previous visits. He is only 31 and has several years ahead of him to claim the coveted green jacket, but every missed chance is compounded by the rise of the next generation of great players that are filling the space.

DeChambeau has taken the view that power trumps everything else. The logic is sound. If you miss a fairway, would you rather be 320 metres from the tee, or 280 metres from the tee?

© Provided by Daily Maverick Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa hits from a sand trap on the 18th green during first round play in the 2013 Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, April 11, 2013. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT GOLF) - RTXYI80

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In 2019 DeChambeau led the PGA tour in driving distance, averaging 322 yards (295 metres) over the season. In 2020 he leads the same category and is averaging 344 yards (315 metres) after spending the off-season building muscle mass in the gym. He added over 20kg of muscle in 13 months. His approach has raised eyebrows for various reasons – the speed with which he bulked up and whether the approach is sustainable.

But DeChambeau is changing the sport and during his practice round on Monday, where he played with Tiger Woods, he was hitting wedges into most of the greens. The big Texan’s length has reduced Augusta’s longest par-fives into comfortable par-fours. But he was adamant that to win, he’d need to be good from much closer.

“Length is great guys, but it’s still about wedging and putting around here,” DeChambeau told the media after his practice round. “I’m getting comfortable with my putting and I’ll keep working on my wedges. I like how I’m wedging it right now. I’ll just keep working on it.”

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It’s also DeChambeau’s fifth visit to Augusta, so he is entering the winning zone for first-timers. DM