Filing your Income Tax Return (ITR) digitally i.e., online is easier than ever. This has been made possible due to the artificial intelligence driven user friendly portals and step by step guidance provided by the Income Tax Department.
It is important to keep in mind that you do not need to hire a Charted Accountant (CA) especially if your income sources are simple like salary, interest from savings or freelance income. Here is a quick guide on how you can do it yourself.
Step 1: Gather all documents
You should start by collecting key documents such as your Form 16 (for salary based individuals), annual statements of bank, interest certificates along with Form 26AS and Annual Information Statement (AIS) to match the same with your income with what the income tax department has recorded.
Step 2: Log in to the income tax portal
Once you have collected all the relevant documents and information, then you should visit the official website of Income Tax: https://www.incometax.gov.in and post the same log in to your account using your PAN, Aadhaar Card and password. In case you are a new user, then you should register using your PAN card, mobile number, working email id and Aadhaar details.
Step 3: Select the correct ITR form
For all salaried individuals who have no business income, the ITR-1 (Sahaj) form is generally the correct form. Whereas freelancers or those taxpayers who have multiple income sources they may need ITR-2 or ITR-3. That is why before selecting any particular form you must clearly understand your income sources and write them down on a separate sheet.
Step 4: Pre-fill and verify details
To help taxpayers in filing tax returns efficiently, the portal permits pre filled data from your PAN card, AIS and Form 26AS. Review and verify the pre-filled details carefully to ensure that the submitted data is both accurate and updated.
Step 5: Declare deductions and income
Upon the successful completion of entering income details you can then focus on claiming deductions under Sections 80C, 80D etc., as applicable in your individual case. These deductions are directly dependent on your annual income and will require you to understand the income tax provisions applicable in your case.
Step 6: Review and submit
Once you have completed the entire process of form filling, then you should again check everything to ensure that there are no errors. For this you can match your calculated tax with the details you are about to submit. The preview the entire form for any missed details. Once everything looks correct, submit the form and e-verify the submission using Aadhaar OTP, net banking or other available options.
Therefore, filing your own income tax not only helps in saving money but also gives you better control over your finances, with a bit of care and preparation it is completely manageable.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional tax advice. Readers are advised to consult a qualified Chartered Accountant or tax expert for guidance specific to their financial situation.