Filing Your ITR Online — Everything You Need to Know
Income Tax Return (ITR) filing is mandatory for every person whose gross total income exceeds the basic exemption limit (Rs. 2.5 lakh under Old Regime, Rs. 4 lakh under New Regime) — and even for those below the limit in certain situations (foreign assets, TDS refund claim, deposits above Rs. 50 lakh, foreign travel above Rs. 2 lakh, electricity bill above Rs. 1 lakh). Since 2018, ALL ITRs must be filed electronically on the Income Tax Department's portal at incometax.gov.in (previously incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in).
Which ITR Form to File?
| ITR Form | Who Should File |
|---|---|
| ITR-1 (Sahaj) | Resident individual with: salary/pension + one house property + other sources (interest, etc.) + agricultural income up to Rs. 5,000. Total income up to Rs. 50 lakh. NO capital gains, NO business income, NO foreign assets. |
| ITR-2 | Individual/HUF with: salary + house property + capital gains + other sources + foreign assets/income. NO business/professional income. Total income above Rs. 50 lakh OR has capital gains OR has foreign assets. |
| ITR-3 | Individual/HUF with business/professional income (including freelancers, sole proprietors, partners in firms). Also: share trading treated as business income, F&O trading. |
| ITR-4 (Sugam) | Individual/HUF/Firm with presumptive income under Section 44AD/44ADA/44AE. Turnover up to Rs. 3 crore (business) or Rs. 75 lakh (profession). Simplified return — no P&L or Balance Sheet required. |
| ITR-5 | Partnership firms, LLPs, AOPs, BOIs. NOT for individuals or companies. |
| ITR-6 | Companies (private, public, OPC). NOT for companies claiming Section 11 exemption. |
| ITR-7 | Trusts, institutions, Section 8 companies claiming exemption under Section 11/12. |
Documents and Information You Need Before Starting
Gather these before logging into the portal — having everything ready makes the process 10x faster:
Identity: PAN card, Aadhaar number (linked to PAN), bank account details (for refund credit).
Income documents:
(a) Form 16 from employer (salary details, TDS deducted) — most important document for salaried employees
(b) Form 16A from banks/others (TDS on FD interest, professional fees, rent, etc.)
(c) Form 26AS / AIS / TIS — download from incometax.gov.in. Contains ALL TDS/TCS credits, SFT (Specified Financial Transactions), and other reported information. Cross-verify with your records.
(d) Interest certificates from banks (savings account, FD, RD interest earned)
(e) Capital gains statement from broker (for share/MF transactions)
(f) Rental income details (rent received, municipal taxes paid, home loan interest)
Deduction proofs:
(a) 80C investments: PPF passbook, ELSS statement, LIC premium receipt, tuition fee receipt
(b) 80D: health insurance premium receipt (self + family + parents)
(c) 80E: education loan interest certificate from bank
(d) 80G: donation receipts with PAN of donee
(e) Home loan: interest certificate from bank (Section 24(b))
(f) HRA: rent receipts + landlord PAN (if rent > Rs. 1 lakh/year)
Step-by-Step Filing Process on incometax.gov.in
Step 1: Login to Portal
Visit incometax.gov.in → Click 'Login' → Enter PAN as User ID → Enter password (if first time: register using PAN, Aadhaar, mobile, email). After login: you land on the Dashboard showing your profile, pending actions, and filing status.
Step 2: Download AIS/TIS and Form 26AS
Before filing: go to 'AIS' (Annual Information Statement) and 'TIS' (Taxpayer Information Summary) under 'Services.' Download and verify ALL reported information — salary, interest income, share transactions, property transactions, GST turnover, cash deposits, credit card payments. Any discrepancy: provide feedback on AIS before filing ITR. Check Form 26AS for TDS/TCS credits — ensure all credits match.
Step 3: Start Filing
Dashboard → 'e-File' → 'Income Tax Returns' → 'File Income Tax Return.'
Select: Assessment Year (2027-28 for FY 2026-27), Filing Type (Original / Revised / Updated), ITR Form (ITR-1/2/3/4 — based on income type).
Step 4: Fill Income Details
ITR-1 (most common for salaried):
(a) Salary income: Auto-populated from Form 16/AIS. Verify: gross salary, exemptions (HRA, LTA under Old Regime), deductions (professional tax, standard deduction). Net salary = taxable salary income.
(b) House property: Self-occupied (deduct home loan interest up to Rs. 2 lakh in Old Regime) or Let-out (rent received - 30% standard deduction - municipal tax - interest).
(c) Other sources: FD interest, savings interest, dividend, family pension, any other income.
Step 5: Fill Deductions (Old Regime Only)
If using Old Regime: fill Chapter VI-A deductions — 80C (PPF, ELSS, LIC, etc.), 80D (health insurance), 80E (education loan), 80G (donations), 80CCD(1B) (NPS — additional Rs. 50,000), and others.
If using New Regime: only standard deduction and employer NPS available — most fields greyed out.
Step 6: Tax Computation
The system automatically computes: total income, applicable tax (as per chosen regime), surcharge, cess, Section 87A rebate, TDS/TCS credits, advance tax paid. Final result: tax payable (if you owe more) or refund due (if TDS exceeds actual tax liability).
If tax payable: Pay through Challan 280 (e-Pay Tax on the portal) — select Major Head 0021 (individuals), Minor Head 300 (self-assessment tax). Pay via net banking, UPI, debit card, or pay at bank counter.
If refund due: Verify bank account details (pre-validated bank account required for refund credit).
Step 7: Verify and Submit
Preview the completed ITR — check all figures one final time. Submit the return. The system generates an Acknowledgment Number (ITR-V).
Step 8: E-Verify (CRITICAL — Without This, ITR Is INVALID)
After submission, you MUST e-verify within 30 days. Without verification: the ITR is treated as NOT FILED. Verification options:
(a) Aadhaar OTP: Most popular — OTP sent to Aadhaar-linked mobile. Enter and verify. Done in 2 minutes.
(b) Net banking: Login through your bank's net banking → link to IT portal → verify.
(c) DSC: Digital Signature Certificate (used by tax professionals).
(d) Demat account: Verify through NSDL/CDSL demat account.
(e) Physical ITR-V: Print, sign, and send to CPC Bangalore within 30 days (not recommended — slow).
Due Dates for ITR Filing
| Taxpayer Category | Due Date |
|---|---|
| Individuals (no audit) | July 31 |
| Individuals (audit — business turnover > Rs. 1 crore) | October 31 |
| Companies | October 31 |
| Transfer pricing cases | November 30 |
| Belated return (missed deadline) | December 31 |
| Updated return (ITR-U) | Within 48 months of end of relevant AY |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
(a) Choosing wrong ITR form: Filing ITR-1 when you have capital gains (should be ITR-2). Processing may happen but can be rejected later on scrutiny.
(b) Not reporting all bank interest: FD interest, RD interest, savings interest from ALL bank accounts must be reported — AIS captures everything.
(c) Forgetting to disclose foreign assets: Even a small foreign bank account or mutual fund holding must be disclosed in Schedule FA — non-disclosure can attract penalty of Rs. 10 lakh under Black Money Act.
(d) Not claiming TDS refund: If TDS has been deducted by your employer/bank but your actual tax liability is lower: file ITR to claim refund. Refund is credited to your pre-validated bank account.
(e) Not pre-validating bank account: Refund requires a pre-validated bank account (verified through net banking or other method). Without pre-validation: refund will fail.