Overview
A practical walk-through of filing an income tax return in India: choosing the form, matching your data, picking a regime and e-verifying.
Step-by-step
- Collect Form 16, bank statements, interest certificates, capital gains statements and investment proofs.
- Download Form 26AS and the AIS/TIS from the Income Tax portal and compare with your records.
- Choose the correct ITR form based on your income sources (for example ITR-1 for simple salary income, ITR-2 with capital gains, ITR-3/4 for business or profession).
- Compute tax under both the old and the new regime and select the one that costs less.
- Pay any self-assessment tax through the e-Pay Tax facility and note the challan details.
- File the return and e-verify it (Aadhaar OTP, net banking, or DSC). A return is not complete until it is verified.
- Track processing and any refund on the portal.
Documents you will usually need
- PAN and Aadhaar (linked)
- Form 16 / salary slips
- Bank account details and statements
- Form 26AS, AIS and TIS
- Investment, insurance and loan certificates
- Capital gains statements from brokers or AMCs
Practical tips
- File before the due date to avoid fees and interest.
- Report all income, including interest and small side income.
- Pre-validate your bank account for refunds.
Official source: Income Tax e-Filing Portal
General information for awareness only. Rules, forms and due dates change; confirm on the official portal or consult a professional before acting.