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ITR filing 2026: Should you disclose meal card benefits in your income tax return?

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By Sangeeta Ojha

2 min read | Updated on May 05, 2026, 15:44 IST

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SUMMARY

Filing ITR for AY 2026–27? Know whether meal card benefits like Sodexo, Pluxee and Zaggle need to be disclosed, applicable tax rules, exemptions and the July 31, 2026 deadline.

meal card benefit itr filing 2026

The due date for filing income tax returns for most individuals is July 31, 2026. | Image: Shutterstock.

As the income tax return (ITR) filing season for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026–27) gets underway, salaried taxpayers are once again dealing with a familiar mix of deadlines, deductions and disclosures.

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The due date for filing income tax returns for most individuals is July 31, 2026.

When filing ITR, one such often-overlooked detail is disclosing meal card benefits. Many salaried employees receive a meal card like Sodexo/Pluxxe, Zaggle, etc or food voucher benefits as part of their compensation. While many employees use them routinely, confusion arises at the time of income tax return filing, especially around whether a tax-exempt benefit needs to be reported at all.

The short answer is yes, it should be reported.

“Taxpayers should disclose meal card benefits in their ITR even if they fall within the tax-exempt limit, because these are treated as part of salary (perquisites),” said CA Abhishek Soni, CEO and Co-founder, Tax2win. “You’re expected to report your full salary and then claim exemptions wherever applicable.”

Soni added that including this component correctly helps ensure that:

  • The exemption is applied only up to the allowed limit.

  • Any excess amount is taxed properly>

  • Your ITR matches Form 16 and salary records>

  • You avoid future notices or discrepancies.

This becomes especially relevant for FY 2025–26 (AY 2026–27), as taxpayers prepare to file returns under rules that are in transition.

Currently, under the old tax regime, the tax exemption is limited to ₹50 per meal. However, from April 1, 2026, meal vouchers of up to ₹200 per meal will be tax-exempt under both the old and new tax regimes. So from tax year 2026-27, taxpayers who have opted for the new tax regime will have to disclose meal card benefits when filing their returns.

In practical terms, assuming two meals per working day and 22 working days a month, this could translate to an annual tax-free benefit of up to ₹1,05,600.

Despite this tax advantage, the reporting requirement doesn’t go away. Since meal card benefits form part of your salary structure, they must still be disclosed in your return, with the exemption claimed separately.
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About The Author

sangeeta-ojha.webp
Sangeeta Ojha is a business and finance journalist with experience across leading media platforms like Mint and India Today. She has built a reputation for covering a wide range of personal finance topics, including income tax, mutual funds, insurance, savings and investing.

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