## Relief under Section 89
When a salaried assessee receives certain lump-sum payments that bunch into one year, the income can be pushed into a higher tax slab than it would have attracted had it been received in the year to which it actually relates. Section 89 grants relief so that the assessee is not penalised by this timing mismatch.
### When relief is available
Relief can be claimed where, because of any of the following, income gets taxed at a higher rate:
- Arrears of salary (salary relating to an earlier year received now)
- Advance salary (salary of a future year received now)
- Salary for more than 12 months received in one year
- A payment under Section 17(3) (profits in lieu of salary)
### Mechanism
- Relief is granted by the Assessing Officer on an application made by the assessee.
- The procedure for computing the relief is laid down in Rule 21A.
### Relief for family pension
- Relief under Section 89 is also available for arrears of family pension (family pension as defined in Section 57(iia)).
### Important restriction — Voluntary Retirement
- No relief is available for amounts received on voluntary retirement or termination of service if exemption under Section 10(10C) has already been claimed on that amount. (You cannot enjoy both the exemption and the Section 89 relief on the same VRS receipt.)