Every Indian citizen who is earning an income has to file Income Tax Returns (ITR). An Income tax return is a form filed by an individual to report his/her income in a fiscal year. The form enables any taxpayer to declare income, expenses, tax deductions, investments, etc. Earlier the last day for filing ITR was September 30, 2021. However, now the deadline for filing ITR for FY 20-21 has been extended by the central government to December 31, 2021. The date was extended by the Indian government due to the difficulties faced by the Income Taxpayers in filing ITR on the government's new income tax website. If you are still waiting to file your income tax returns you must do so before 31, December 2021, to avoid facing a financial penalty.
Taxpayers who have not yet filed their income tax returns can do it in two modes – offline and online. The electronic filing (e-filing) facility of an income tax return is being provided by the Income Tax Department of India. Follow the below mentioned steps to file the ITR online for free on the Income Tax Government website.
To create an account on the income tax portal, follow the below mentioned steps.
1. Visit the income tax efiling website https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal
2. Next, click on register or Login to e-file your returns
3. In case you have registered yourself on the portal earlier, click on the ‘Login’ Here’ button.
4. If you have not registered yourself on the income tax portal, click on the ‘Register’ Yourself’ button.
5. Click on ‘Taxpayer’ and enter your complete details including your PAN Card number and click on ‘validate’.
6. Then click on the ‘Continue’ option.
7. You need to provide details including your name, address, gender, residential status, date of birth, etc.
8. Then enter your Email ID and registered mobile number.
9. Once you have filled out the form click on ‘Continue’.
10. Enter the 6-digit One Time Password (OTP) sent to your registered mobile number and Email address to verify and complete the registration process successfully.
11. Next set up a password and user ID.
Registered users can file their income tax on the ITR e-Filing portal. Follow the below mentioned steps to file your ITR online.
1. First, visit the official Income Tax Portal at https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal.
2. Next, log in to the e-Filing portal using your user ID and password.
3. Go to the dashboard, and click on e-File > Income Tax Returns > File Income Tax Return.
4. Next, select Assessment Year as 2021 – 22 and click on Continue.
5. Then select Mode of Filing as Online and click on Proceed.
6. Once you determine the correct ITR form, then you can file your ITR.
7. Select the Income Tax Return from the dropdown and then click on Proceed with ITR.
8. Once you have selected the ITR form applicable to you, simply check the list of documents required for filing tax, and click on ‘Let’s Get Started’.
9. Next you will have to visit the ‘Preview and Submit Your Return page’, and enter the details. Then click on ‘Proceed to Validation’.
10. Choose the checkboxes applicable to you and click on Continue. It is important to review your pre-filled data and edit it if necessary. Enter the remaining / additional data (if required), then click Confirm at the end of each section.
11. You can enter your income and deduction details in the different sections mentioned.
12. After completing and confirming all the sections of the form, click on Proceed.
13. You will be able to see a summary of your tax computation based on the details provided by you. In case there is tax liability that has to be paid based on the tax computation, then you will be able to see the Pay Now and Pay Later options at the bottom of the page.
14. Click on Preview Return if you choose to pay the taxes with the Pay Now option. If you don’t need to pay any tax, or if there is a refund based on the tax computation, you will be taken to the Preview section. Here you have to click on the ‘Submit Your Return page’.
15. If there are no errors, you have to e-Verify your returns by clicking Proceed to Verification. It is compulsory to verify your returns.
16. On the e-Verify page, you have to choose the option through which you want to e-Verify the return and click Continue.
17. If you choose Verify via ITR-V, then send a printed physical copy of your ITR-V to the Centralized Processing Centre, IT Department by post within 120 days.
18. It is important to pre-validate your bank account so that any refunds due may be credited to your bank account.
19. Once you e-Verify your income tax returns filing, you will see a success message displayed along with the Transaction ID and Acknowledgment Number on the website. You will get a validation message on your mobile number and email ID registered on the e-Filing ITR portal.
Aadhaar card has to be linked to the ITR account to file your Income Tax returns. Follow the below mentioned steps to link your Aadhaar to your Income Tax Returns.
1. First, visit the website http://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/.
2. Next, log in with a username and password on the website.
3. Then, choose “Profile settings” on the home page.
4. Next, select the option “Link Aadhaar” card.
5. Enter your Aadhaar card number.
6. Then choose the “Link now” option.
7. Then, verify your Aadhaar details with PAN data.
8. Click on the option- ‘If you want to generate Aadhaar OTP to e-verify your return’.
9. Enter the OTP received to verify the details.
Follow the below mentioned steps to verify the PAN card for ITR filing.
1. Logon on to the ‘e-Filing’ Portal https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/
2. Next, click on 'Verify Your PAN details' under the 'Quick Links' Section.
3. Just enter the PAN, Full Name as mentioned in the PAN card, your Date of Birth and Choose the 'Status' as applicable.
4. Next, enter the Captcha code displayed on the screen and click on 'Submit' to verify your PAN card details.