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When filing your income tax returns (ITR), as of today, taxpayers can choose to e-file their tax returns. This means they have an option to file their taxes electronically through the official website of the Income Tax Department.
Hence, one need not visit the Income Tax office to get their income tax returns filed; instead, taxpayers can file their returns from anywhere as long as they have a stable internet connection, all the necessary documents and applicable forms for filing the returns online.
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Table of Content
These are the following ways for e-filing income tax returns in India:
On the official Income Tax e-Filing website
You can opt to simply e-file your income tax by logging on to the official website of the Income Tax Department. Under this option, you can follow the procedure of filing your taxes with the necessary documents and form step-by-step and complete the process.
Through a registered online tax filing intermediary
Under the Income Tax Department’s "Electronic Furnishing of Return of Income Scheme, 2007", an authorised intermediary can electronically file income tax returns on behalf of the taxpayers. Any taxpayer who is assessed or assessable to tax can opt for this scheme.
Through a TRP (Tax Return Preparer), CA (Chartered Accountant) or tax lawyer.
A Tax Return Preparer, a Chartered Accountant or a tax lawyer can also file your taxes on your behalf. Such an individual will prepare your income tax return, submit it to the Assessing Officer and also procure the acknowledgement of the tax return for you.
These are the three electronic ways of filing your income tax returns:
An ITR-V Form will be needed for e-filing the returns without the Digital Signature Certificate. Print the form, and then sign and submit it to the Central Processing Centre (CPC), Bangalore, through either speed post or ordinary post (no other method) within a deadline of 120 days from the date of having e-filed the returns.
You can also e-File the Income Tax Return (ITR-V) by opting for an e-Return Intermediary (ERI) that may or may not use Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). This means that an authorised intermediary can electronically file income tax returns on your behalf.
If you opt for e-filing the returns with Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) or EVC, you will only need to ensure that the DSC used for e-filing the ITR has been registered on the e-filing application. Apart from that, there is no further action needed.
As a taxpayer, if you opt for the old income tax regime, the basic exemption limit will be dependent on your age. For FY 2021-22, the basic exemption limit is as given below:
Age of Taxpayer |
Basic exemption limit |
Less than 60 years of age |
₹2,50,000 |
Senior citizens between 60 – 80 years of age |
₹3,00,000 |
Super senior citizens who are 80 years of age and above |
₹5,00,000 |
Which is the Correct ITR Form to File Your Income Tax Returns Online?
To file income tax returns, one will have to show their bank statement, Form 16, and a copy of their previous year’s returns. They will have to visit the Income Tax Department's website - https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/ to log in, register and then file the returns. These are the different forms which are applicable for different categories of taxpayers:
Form |
Meaning |
ITR-1 |
Individuals with income from salaries, single-house property and interest income can use this form. |
ITR-2 |
This form is for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) without income from a business or profession. |
ITR-2A |
Individuals and HUFs who do not have income from business/profession and with no capital gains or do not hold foreign securities can file returns with this form. |
ITR-3 |
Individuals/HUFs who are partners in firms and don’t carry out business or profession under any proprietorship can use this form. |
ITR-4 |
Individuals and HUFs with income from a proprietary business/profession can file returns with this form. |
ITR-4S |
For filing returns under the presumptive business income tax scheme |
ITR-5 |
Anyone who is not an individual, a HUF, a company and/or person filing Form ITR-7 can use this form. |
ITR-6 |
Companies other than companies claiming exemption under section 11 can use this form for filing returns. |
ITR-7 |
This form is for people, including companies, who need to file returns under Sections 139(4A) or 139(4B) or 139(4C) or 139(4D) or 139(4E) or 139(4F). |
ITR-V |
The acknowledgement of receipt of the income tax returns filed by the taxpayer. |
Procedure to Follow to File IT Returns Online
Here is how you can e-file your income tax returns online by following the step-by-step process:
If the other verification options are selected, the ITR will be submitted but will not be complete unless the verification is done. Have the ITR e-verified by choosing “My Account > e-Verify Return” or send the signed ITR-V to CPC, Bengaluru.
To submit your ITR 1 or ITR 4S forms, you can upload the XML on the official website or make the submission online. These are the steps that you can follow:
Sign in to the e- Filing application
Navigate to 'e-File' and click on 'Prepare & Submit ITR Online'
Select the ITR Form ITR 1 or ITR 4S and then mention the assessment year.
Fill in the details and click on ‘Submit’. Then, select DSC (Digital Signature Certificate)’, if it is available. Then, click on the ‘Submit’ button.
When the submission is complete, the acknowledgement will be shown.
You can see the link to see the acknowledgement or take a printout.
If you use the DSC, register for the same e-filing application. Log into the e-filing IT Department website and update the ‘Profile Settings’ section. Here, select ‘Register Digital Signature’ Certificate and download the ITD e-Filing DSC Management Utility.
You could also utilise other websites to file your ITR online. These websites can charge a fee of ₹250 to 300, as per the services they offer.
Documents Required for e-Filing Income Tax Return
If you want to e-file your income tax, always keep all the necessary documents at hand. Take a look at the checklist below to prepare for the e-filing of your returns:
General information
PAN Details
Form 16
Salary/Pay Slips
Reporting salary income required
Rent receipts on House Rent Allowance
Report House Property Income
Address of the House Property
Details of co-owners, their share in the property and their PAN details
Bank account details
Certificate for home loan interest
The date when construction was completed, in case an under-construction property was purchased
If it is a rented property, then name and rental income of the tenant
Report capital gains
Stock trading statement with purchase details (in case of capital gains)
In case of a sold house or property, the sale price, purchase price, registration details and capital gain details should be mentioned
Details of purchase and sale of equity funds, debt funds, SIPs and ELSS and mutual fund statement
Report Other Income
Income from interest. If interest is earned on a savings account, furnish the bank account statements.
Interest income from tax-saving bonds and corporate bonds
Income details earned on post office deposits
As a taxpayer, one should be aware of the due date of filing income tax returns as per the category one comes under. This is important as the due date will depend on your taxpayer category.
For instance, for FY 2021-22, the due date for salaried professionals to file their returns is 31st July 2022. However, one can file their delayed taxes returns by 31st December, but a penalty can be charged.
If the extension has been granted by the government due to inevitable circumstances or an emergency, the penalty will not be charged.
Category of Taxpayer |
Due date for filing returns - FY 2021-22 |
Individual, Hindu Undivided Family, Association of Persons, Body of Individuals. (No audit for books of accounts) |
31st July 2022 |
Businesses (With Audit) |
31st October 2022 |
Businesses (With TP Report) |
30th November 2022 |
How to Check Income Tax e-Filing Status?
Here is a step-by-step guide to checking your income tax e-filing status on the official Income Tax Department portal. Follow the two sections correctly to be able to track your income tax e-filing status in a convenient manner:
Pre-Login
Post-Login
Apart from following these steps correctly, be sure to input the correct OTP within three attempts and within 15 minutes of receiving it. In case the OTP expires, you can generate a new one. Moreover, you can also click on “Filter” to sort out your filed returns or also the data to Excel format, if needed.
How one can benefit from filing income tax returns will vary for every taxpayer. Here are some of the main benefits one can avail of by filing income tax returns, irrespective of the taxpayer category they come under:
If you are a salaried employee or self-employed individual with a high income and fall under the high-income bracket, filing ITR can be quite beneficial for you since you can avail of major tax savings. The tax refund that you claim by filing ITR can help you make the most of your deductions under different sections.
When you apply for a loan, your financial lender will require your ITR receipt that acts as a valid income statement. Hence, if you file your income tax returns, the ITR receipt can help in hassle-free and quick loan processing so that you do not have to wait for long to avail of a loan for your home, car and so on.
There is always a chance that a business may go into loss, and to help compensate for the damage, the business will have to file ITR. Once this procedure has been followed and completed, the tax loss can be carried over to the next year, provided the assessee files ITR before the due date to claim future losses.
Self-employed persons can file ITR (Form 4) and declare 50% of their income as profit. Hence, they will be taxed accordingly if your income is below ₹50 Lakh. Even businesses with annual revenue of below ₹2 crores can also declare 6% (digital transactions) and 8% (non-digital transactions) of their earnings as profit.
The ITR receipt acts as income proof and is also proof of tax compliance which many embassies require when issuing a visa. This is done to verify an individual’s financial capacity to handle their travel and accommodation expenses. Hence, salaried and self-employed persons can use the ITR receipt for hassle-free visa processing.
Filing your ITR allows interest deduction if you apply for a home loan. As a Non-Resident Indian, if you have a rented-out or vacant property in India, the property will be taxed and you will have to file tax returns. By filing returns, you can benefit from a standard 30% deduction on property taxes and home loan interest.
When you file income tax~ returns, you can claim up to ₹50,000 on the premiums paid towards your health insurance policy for a fiscal year. This provision under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act not only applies to your medical insurance but also to certain health riders$ that can be added to your base policy.
In case you do not fall under any of the tax slabs due to lower annual earnings, you can still file NIL income tax returns. These are the benefits of filing NIL income tax returns:
If you happen to pass away during the course of a financial year, your legal heir can file ITR on your behalf, which will be computed on the earnings generated until the date of your death. This is essential for presenting income proof to life insurance companies so that your heir can claim insurance benefits without any issues.
Since the due date for filing your returns for FY 2021-22 is 31st July 2022, it is important that you file your returns by the given deadline. In case you are unable to do so, there is a provision for a delayed filing of the returns, which is 31st December 2022. But the delayed filing will incur a penalty of up to ₹5000 under Section 234F if you file the returns by 31st December 2022. In case you are a taxpayer whose income is below ₹5 Lakh per annum, the maximum penalty for the delay is ₹1000.
What's the Next Step After You've e-Filed Your Income Tax Return?
Here is what you should do after you e-file your income tax return:
Things to Keep in Mind While e-Filing Income Tax Return
These are a list of important points a taxpayer needs to take note of while e-filing their income tax returns:
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My employer collects TDS. Should I file my tax return right away?
No, if your employer deducts TDS on your salary, they will need to issue the TDS certificate (in the format of Form 16) by June 15 of the financial year after the financial year in which the tax was deducted. When you get the TDS certificate, complete filing your returns by the due date of July 31 for the financial year (2021-22) and the assessment year (2022-23).
How do I make a government tax payment?
To pay your taxes to the government, you can visit the official IT Department portal, and after following all the steps, you can make the payment by logging into your internet banking account with your username and password and then entering the payment details.
What is Form 16 exactly?
Form 16/16A, also known as the deduction of tax at source certificate, is issued to employees by their employers when the tax is deducted at source. The details of TDS/TCS for various transactions are present on these certificates and have to be issued to taxpayers as they show the transactions between the deductor and the deductee.
I receive a salary, so I don't have Form 16. How should my tax return be filed?
If you don't have Form 16, you can also offer documents such as salary slips, Form 26As or AIS/TIS to file your income tax return (ITR). Hence, even if your employer does not issue a Form 16, these documents can be used instead.
Can I submit an ITR-1 with agricultural income that is exempt?
Yes, agricultural income in ITR-1 is shown under the column of Agriculture Income. However, you can only use ITR-1 if the agricultural income is up to ₹5,000. Otherwise, if the income is above the limit, you will have to file the returns with form ITR-2.
How will I get my money back if I overpaid taxes?
In case you have overpaid your taxes after you fill the ITR form as applicable, the income tax refund will be calculated automatically through the online method or the JSON facility. When you check the “Taxes Paid” section of the ITR form, you can check the refund.
When I don't have any positive income, do I still need to file a return of income?
Even though you may not have any taxable income and TDS, you will still have to file your returns if you deposited an amount that is above ₹1 crore in a bank current account and/or in a co-operative bank during the previous year or FY 2021-22.
Can I file an ITR electronically without having an account on the income tax e-filing website?
Yes, you do not need an account for e-filing your returns. If you want to file your income tax returns electronically, you will have to verify your pre-login and your post-login directly on the official income tax e-filing website.
Is it possible to e-file my return before finishing all of my tax payments?
No, you cannot e-file your income tax returns before completing all of your tax payments. But if you do see the tax payable at the time of filing the returns, it is called the self-assessment tax, which you can pay online for smooth processing of the e-filing.
How long do I have to check the Income Tax Return I filed electronically?
Once you file your income tax return electronically, get it verified within 120 days of having filed the returns. This will indicate that your return has been filed successfully, and you will not have to pay any additional tax.
Can I delegate my e-filing to someone else, or do I have to do it myself?
You can have a Chartered Accountant (CA) e-file your returns. For that, you will need to add and assign the CA on the e-filing portal through the My CA service on the official IT Department website. You may remove a CA who has already been added or withdraw an assigned CA through this portal.
Can I file my own ITR?
Yes, you can file your own Income Tax Returns by visiting the official Income Tax Returns website and following all the steps needed to complete the e-returns filing process.
How can I make online changes to my income tax return?
Is e-filing mandatory for Individuals?
E-filing your tax returns is mandatory if your gross total income is below the basic exemption cut-off or even if the tax deductions in a given financial year go above the actual tax liability. Which scenario is applicable for your case will depend on the tax regime you have opted for?
Is PAN mandatory to e-file ITR?
Under the current tax laws, it is mandatory to have valid PAN details if you want to e-file your ITR. And this is also applicable for those who opt for paper-based or offline mode of filing their tax returns.
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