How to file ITR online: A Complete Guide

Why is filing for Income Tax Returns mandatory?

Filing income tax returns is mandatory for several reasons:

1. Compliance with tax laws: Filing income tax returns ensures that individuals and businesses comply with the tax laws of their respective countries. It is a legal obligation to accurately report your income and pay the appropriate amount of taxes based on the tax regulations in place.
2. Determining tax liability: By filing tax returns, individuals and businesses provide the necessary information for tax authorities to calculate their tax liability. This includes reporting income, deductions, credits, and other relevant financial information. Filing returns allows the tax authorities to assess the amount of tax owed or the refund to be issued.
3. Revenue collection: Income tax is a major source of revenue for governments. Filing tax returns allows tax authorities to track and collect taxes owed by individuals and businesses. It enables governments to fund public services, infrastructure, social programs, and other essential functions.
4. Taxpayer accountability and transparency: Filing income tax returns promotes accountability and transparency in the tax system. It records an individual's or business's financial activities and helps prevent tax evasion and fraud. Tax authorities can ensure fairness and equity in the tax system by requiring taxpayers to report their income and expenses.
5. Data analysis and policy-making: Income tax returns provide valuable data for governments to analyze and make informed policy decisions. Tax authorities can gain insights into economic trends, income distribution, and other important factors by collecting information on income, deductions, and credits. This data can shape tax policies, create targeted incentives, and address income inequality and economic development issues.

Which ITR form to choose while filing?

In India, the Income Tax Department provides several Income Tax Return (ITR) forms, and the form you should choose while filing your income tax return depends on your income sources, the nature of income, and your individual circumstances.

1. ITR-1 (Sahaj): This form is applicable to individuals being residents, having income from salaries, one house property, and income from other sources (excluding winnings from lottery and racehorses) up to Rs. 50 lakh. It is meant for individuals with relatively simple financial situations.
2. ITR-2: This form is applicable to individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) who do not have income from business or profession and have income from sources such as salary, pension, house property, capital gains, and income from other sources. It is more comprehensive than ITR-1.
3. ITR-3: This form is applicable to individuals and HUFs who have income from business or profession as a partner in a partnership firm or as a proprietor of a business or profession. It is suitable for individuals involved in business or professional activities.
4. ITR-4 (Sugam): This form is applicable to individuals, HUFs, and firms (other than Limited Liability Partnerships) who have opted for the presumptive taxation scheme under Section 44AD, Section 44ADA, or Section 44AE of the Income Tax Act. It is meant for small businesses or professionals who choose to be taxed under these simplified presumptive methods.
5. ITR-5: This form is applicable to entities such as firms, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), Association of Persons (AOPs), Body of Individuals (BOIs), artificial judicial persons, cooperative societies, and local authorities.
6. ITR-6: This form is applicable to companies other than those claiming exemption under section 11 (income from property held for charitable or religious purposes). It includes companies, including those that are not-for-profit.
7. ITR-7: This form is applicable to persons including companies who are required to furnish returns under section 139(4A), section 139(4B), section 139(4C), section 139(4D), and section 139(4E) of the Income Tax Act. It includes individuals and entities such as trusts, political parties, colleges, and research institutions. Read more here.

How to e-file your Income Tax Return?

The Income Tax Department has launched the facility for electronic filing (e-filing) of an income tax return at https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/. It is important for a taxpayer to keep the documents for calculation and reporting data in ITR.

Below is the checklist of the documents to keep handy:-

• Form 16
• Form-16A/Form-16B/Form-16C
• Form 26AS
• Bank statements
• Proof of Deductions
• Aadhaar Card
• PAN card
• Proof of Deductions
• Investmnet and financial documents
• Property documents
• Previous year’s tax return

Income Tax Registration

For e-filing Income Tax India Return and use other free services, you need to first register on the Income Tax India e-filing website. Check our detailed step-by-step guide on how to do e-filing of Income Tax India.

Income Tax Login

Once you are registered, you are a few steps away from the ‘how to e-file from Income Tax India’ query. Log in to the https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/ using your-

• User ID - This is your PAN No
• Password: Set up by you at the time of registration on the govt website.

Forgot your income tax login password?

No need to worry! A Registered user can easily reset the password using these options:

• Using Aadhaar OTP
• Using E Filing OTP
• Upload DSC

Check how to reset your income tax India e-filing password

“Forgot your e-filing password..:( You can still e-file income tax returns for free even without a login on the Income Tax website using Tax2win.”

Income Tax Refund Status

On this window of the guide “how to do e-filing of Income Tax India,” you can also see your refund status, its date of issue, mode of payment, in case of non-payment, the reason for failure to issue a refund can be checked on the e filing website of the income tax department.

Check the live status of your income tax refund from tax2win instantly! Click here

Status of Refund

Amazing! Isn't it !! Let’s look at other things we can do on the income tax India e-filing government website.

ITR Status

Filed ITR! Wait, your job is not done yet There can be multiple things that may go wrong. Check our detailed guide on how to check your income tax return status after filing it.

After filing your return, you must be curious to know at what stage your ITR is. Well, that can be easily known through the below-mentioned processes. But before that, let’s discuss the various status that may display when you will check the status of your ITR.

• Return Submitted and not verified - It implies that your return has been submitted successfully but has not been verified either through post or online. Further, until and unless you verify your return, it will not be processed by the income tax department. So, please verify within 30 days from the date of filing. How to e-verify, please visit https://tax2win.in/guide/e-verify-income-tax-return Need help from Expert CA? Click here.
• Return Submitted and under processing - It implies that your Income-tax Return is still not processed. Further, no need to worry if you have e-verified or sent your ITR V by post. definitely, it would be processed by the department sooner or later. Further, if any refund is due and the department is delaying, then whenever you receive the refund, it will be credited along with interest.
• Return Submitted and verified. - It implies that your return has been submitted and successfully verified. Now it shall be processed by the income tax department. So, you have to wait for some more days.
• Return Processed and Refund Paid.- Congratulations! It implies that your return, as well as the refund, has been processed successfully, and the refund has been credited to your bank account. Now, no further action is needed from you for this Financial year.
• Return Processed. Refund determined and sent to Refund Banker.- It implies that your refund request is with the refund banker for processing. So, wait for some more days, and the refund amount will be credited to the bank account mentioned in the ITR.
• Return Processed with No Demand and No Refund.- It implies that your return has been processed successfully without any additional tax payable or refund due. Further, you can check the details from the intimation received u/s 143(1) on your mail id.
  • Return Processed and tax Demand determined.- It implies that your Income has been assessed by the Income tax department based on filed ITR, and the tax payable amount has been determined upon it. In that case, you must submit the response through the E-Filing website under the “pending actions ” and then submit “Response to outstanding tax demand”. Need help from Expert CA? Click here.
• Return Processed and Refund returned Unpaid.- It implies that the income tax department has sent the refund to you, but either the IFSC provided is wrong or the bank details provided are incorrect, so the refund was not processed. In that case, you need to place a refund re-issue request stating the failure reason under “Services and then submit a “Refund reissue request.” Need help from Expert CA? Click here.

There can be two ways to check the status of your ITR. Let’s discuss the same.

Note: Click on the below steps to see how your screen will look while following the process.

• Using acknowledgment number without login credentials.
• Login to the e-filing income tax India website, Click on the "ITR Status" option in the extreme left corner under the services tab. Now enter the ITR acknowledgment number, and mobile number. After submitting the OTP, you can know the status easily.
• Using Login Credentials- Login on the Income-tax website.
• After Login, click on E -File.
• Select the option "Income Tax returns" from the dropdown menu, and then click on the view filed Income Tax Returns.
• On the left side you can see the status of filed ITR with the help of the progress bar. Further, if you want, more details you can click on view details given on the right side of that particular year.-

Pay Tax Online

To pay taxes online for some specific banks, click on https://onlineservices.tin.egov-nsdl.com/etaxnew/tdsnontds.jsp. And for other banks, you can pay on Income Tax Portal by clicking on the following link -https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/e-pay-tax-prelogin/user-details
Know the step-by-step procedure for Online Payment Of Income Tax

Challan Status Enquiry

When you wish to check whether your tax payment has been correctly recorded by the income tax portal or not, you can use this feature of OLTAS to view the status of challans deposited in banks. To assess this facility, you need to follow these steps Visit the NSDL website using this link > Select CIN/TAN.

Outstanding Tax Demand Status and response to it

If, after processing your Income Tax Return, the department comes across an observation that tax has been paid less than your actual liability, then it will serve you with a demand notice.

After computing your tax liability, if it is observed that any refund is due to you from the TDS deducted from payments made to you, then your outstanding demand liability along with interest shall be adjusted from that refund amount, then the net amount shall be refunded to you. To know if you have any outstanding demand, follow the steps: Log in to the Income Tax India e-filing website. > Go to the pending actions and click on the Response to Outstanding Tax Demand. It is advised to check this status regularly.

Submit Response to Outstanding Tax Demand

Tracking down outstanding demand is not enough. You are required to file a response for the same. There might be a chance that you don't agree with the demand or you want to pay the demand separately instead of getting adjusted with a refund. So to file a response to your outstanding demand, you are required to follow some simple steps: Log in to the income tax India e-filing portal, then select go on pending actions and then click on a response to outstanding demand, and then submit your response to it.

Submit Request for Rectification

Many times, the department may find some errors in the ITR already filed by you and issue an intimation u/s 143(1). To seek rectification of such mistakes, you need to submit a Request for Rectification using these easy steps: Log in to the Income Tax India e-filing portal, then go on services and select the New Request in Rectification option, and then submit your response to it.

Refund Reissue Request and request for intimation

After processing of return, the refund is generated and credited to your bank account by the income tax department. But sometimes refund processing fails due to some reasons, and you get a communication from the Income Tax Department in that regard. So, you need to put a refund reissue request to the IT Department. Here’s how you can get your refund re-issued:

Response to Defective Notice and Compliance Module

When the assessee, who may not be aware of the nitty gritty of the income tax act, commits certain mistakes while filing income tax returns, then the income tax department will send a notice called a notice for defective return to give a chance of rectification or reasoning. To respond to a defective notice, follow these simple steps: Log in to the e-filing portal, Click on the tab "pending actions," select "e proceedings," and then file the response as per your requirement.

Compliance Module

Through this section of the Income Tax India E-filing website, the Income Tax Department requires you to submit compliance if you have not complied with any of the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Like - If TDS has been deducted and you have not filed the return for that year, or if your income exceeds the basic exemption limit chargeable to tax, but you have not filed the return, etc.