File Income Tax Return Online

From assessment year 2013-14, E-filing has been made compulsory for the person who is an individual or a Hindu undivided family (HUF), if his or its total income, or the total income in respect of which he is or it is assessable under the act during the previous year, exceeds Rs. 5 lakh rupees for the assessment year 2013-14 onwards. It clearly states total income and not taxable income.

Please read below to know how you can file income tax return online yourself.

Calculate Income tax

You can calculate your income tax payable using the income tax calculator provided at this page: Income tax calculator. Income tax return excel utility also computes income tax, but they only take taxable income as input.
Also make sure that you also see whether the advance tax has been paid on time (See row 101-104 in tax calculator). In case you have paid the full tax but not paid on time as per the advance tax schedule, you are liable to pay interest under section 234 C. Income tax return excel utility also computes interest penalty u/s 234C.

Pay your tax online

Whatever pending amount you need to pay can be paid online on this link: Pay Taxes Online (Use only Internet explorer for this).
Select challan type as CHALLAN NO. /ITNS 280 and continue.
Select (0021) INCOME-TAX (OTHER THAN COMPANIES) in tax applicable field and
Select (300) SELF ASSESSMENT TAX in type of payment.
Select bank through which you want to pay.

Make sure to add interest penalty as computed by income tax return excel form u/s 234A, 234B and 234C in case of tax payments after due date.

You also pay through your net banking login on Axis Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, State Bank of Patiala, Bank of Baroda, IDBI Bank, State Bank of Mysore, Bank of Maharashtra, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Saurashtra, Union Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, Dena Bank, Syndicate Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Canara Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of India, Corporation Bank, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, State Bank of Travancore, State Bank of Indore, Vijaya Bank and HDFC Bank.

You can check online if your money has actually reached the I-T Department. For this you have to go to Tax Information Network Website and click the box CIN Based View. Provide details as per the receipt generated while online tax payment.

Fill Income tax return form

Download respective income tax form from income tax website. Income tax department has modified the return preparation software to include automatic calculation of tax and interest.

Income from Salary/Pension, interest and single house property ( but with exempt income is less than Rs. 5,000) : ITR-1

Income from more than one house property, capital gains, salaries, pension, interest and exempt income more than Rs 5,000: ITR-2

Income from partnership in a firm: ITR-3

Income from business/profession: ITR-4

Income from Presumptive Business: ITR-4S

Exempt income here includes transport/conveyance allowance, HRA exemption, agricultural income, insurance maturity amount, LTA, Gratuity, Interest on PPF balance, Leave Encashment, Income from Mutual Funds, Dividends and long term capital gains.

Fill up the form with information provided in Form-16 and the tax calculated in income tax calculator above in Step 1.

If you don’t know Assessing Officer (Ward / Circle), Find it here by submitting your PAN.

After filling up the form, Generate tax return XML from the income tax form by clicking Generate button on first sheet of excels form.

e-File income tax return

After you have created a XML file from income tax return excel form, Go to Income Tax e-Filing Website.
Create your login on this page on website. It’s not mandatory, to use a digital signature for electronically filing the return.

a) Filing return without digital signature:

Login to income tax site and click on assessment year under submit return menu on left side of page.
Upload the generated XML on this page for 2012-13 assessment year.
On successful upload acknowledgment details would be displayed.

Take printout of acknowledgment/ITR-V Form. You may also download it later. Login and go to link on top right My account > My Returns.

Form ITR-V has to be submitted with the Income tax Department as verification of the electronic filing of the return within 120 days after the date of e-Filing.

Form ITR-V is bar-coded, so it need not to be folded and to be mailed in a A4 size envelope BY ORDINARY or SPEED POST ONLY to “Income Tax Department – CPC, Post Box No – 1, Electronic City Post Office, Bengaluru – 560100, Karnataka” within 120 days after the date of e-filing of return. ITR-V sent by Registered Post or Courier will not be accepted. No Form ITR-V shall be received in any other office of the Income-tax Department or in any other manner. Please keep a copy of the same with you also. After some day of posting the ITR-V, you can check status of receipt by going into account ‘My Account’ -> ‘E-filing Process Status’.

From year 2012-13, even if a person does not have digital signature, he can file online and even does not need to send ITR-V copy to Bangalore CPC (Central processing centre) address.

An electronic signature would be generated online in income tax efiling website after providing certain information from previous year’s income tax return. On validation of such information, unique PIN would be provided to person on email/SMS. This PIN can be used to file income tax return online without needing digital signature. This will also make sure no further hard copy needs to be sent to department.

b) Filing return with digital signature:

In case you don’t have digital signature and you want to buy that, you can buy class 2 or class 3. You can buy digital signature on e-Mudhra website . Class 2 individual certificate is available for Rs. 285 for 1 year validity.

In case return is filed with digital signature, user may take a printout of the Acknowledgment for his record. The tax-payer is not required to submit the Form ITR-V with the Income-tax Department.

Income tax department call center:

To assist taxpayers, a limited call center service has been established at ITD-CPC, Bangalore. Taxpayer queries on status of ITR-V receipt at CPC, Bangalore will be answered on 080-43456700 between 9:30 AM to 6 PM. The service will be available in English, Hindi and Kannada.

One may also call on 1800-425-2229 (Toll free) or 080-43456700 for status of receipt of ITR-V at CPC, Processing status of e-filed returns, Refund issues and any other information related to processing of returns at CPC.  The working hours of CPC Call center have been extended to 9AM-8PM on all working days.

I hope this article will help many of us and make tax filing Simple & Easy. So please this year Do-It-Yourself.

Feel free to comment/suggest anything that I may have missed.

Note : No hard copy of any kind of proof needs to be submitted along with Income tax return.

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Pankaj Batra

Jack of multiple trades. A generalist! Founder of Sparse Labs. Find me at FB, Twitter or LinkedIn .

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  • Hi Pankaj,
    For assessment year 2011-12 my husband has already filed income tax return by an agent. But haven't received any acknowledgement receipt till now, so he want to file the same return by e-filing in income tax site. Will twice submission of tax return (no refund) can create any problem?

    • @Amrita
      You should not file income tax return twice. Please ask your agent to provide a stamped income tax receipt, as he may have submitted return offline in IT office.

  • I am a LIC & GIC agent so i have to filling my ITR to IT deoartment . So, then i have to know which form is ues for filling the ITR ? My last year income is less then 1.6K so please send me a information about my query by mail to yash2005_yg@rediffmail.com./ call 09226715082

    • @Yashwant
      You should use ITR4 form for filing income tax return as you have income from business/profession.
      But if your last year's income is less than taxable limits (before considering deductions like 80-C etc), income tax return filing won't be mandatory.

  • Hi,

    I had a question on long term capital gains taxation for stocks. I had sold some shares after 3 years where i booked some loss (I had paid STT on both buy and sell transactions related to this stock) . Online sources say that if I have paid STT then long term capital gains are not taxed under income tax. However, I am still not clear how to treat the long term capital loss related to stocks - especially given the fact that I have already paid the STT.

    It would be great if you can please clarify this.

    Thanks a lot!

    Gaurav

    • @Gaurav
      Long term capital loss can be set off only against a long term capital gain. You should carry it forward to next year, so that in case you have short term/long term gains in next years, they can be set-off against it.

      • Thanks Pankaj!

        I just have two doubts -
        1. Given that I am paying STT on my stock transactions - the long term capital gains anyway dont qualify for Income tax right ?
        2. So can I set my long term capital gain loss against short term capital gains in the next few years ?

        Thanks!

        Gaurav

        • @Gaurav
          1. yes, long term gains from stocks (kept for more than a year), on which STT has been paid, does not qualify for income tax.
          2. Long term capital gain loss can be carried forwards and can be set-off against short term capital gains ( within same category - STT is paid).

  • Sir,
    as per ur instruction first fill the ITR1, then generate xml file by click the button but i un able to click that button/generate xml file. then i have download a converter but it creat 6fil against ITR1 form, what i will do suggest.

    • I think you need to enable macros when you open the excel file. Try the following - Save the xls. file, close it, then open it again. Excel will show security warning when you open the file again. Go to options to enable the macros. Following this you should be able to click the button

      Hope this helps

  • Hello Pankaj,

    I am trying to register to upload XML file. But it says my First name and Sur name does not match with what i have typed. I tried giving in all possiblities. But in a vain.
    Could you please help ?

    • hello pankaj,

      i am not able to register . It always says your name is not matching or your sur name is not matching.

    • @Veena
      You will have to provide exactly same details as mentioned on PAN card.
      If it does not work still, send an email to ask@incometaxindia.gov.in or call Aayakar Sampark Kendra (ASK) on 0124-2438000. They should be able to do something in this matter.

  • Hi Pankaj,

    I have a Form 16 A from my previous employer from Chandigarh.

    I have 2 question...

    1) For filling return with FORM 16A, do I required a different form other than used to file for FORM 16.
    2) Currently I am in Mumbai. Question is from where to file return..

    • @Rohit
      Did you worked as a consultant (and not as a permanent employee) with Chandigarh company. In case yes, you would need to file ITR4 as income will be considered as income from business/profession.
      It does not matter where do you live, you can file return online from anywhere.

      • Thanks Pankaj for clearing my doubts. Yes I worked as an consultant in Chandigarh company and they deducted around 20000 as TDS against 200000(10% of total salary paid).

        I have some more question:

        1) I heard this form some one that if I file the ITR online I wont be getting refund. Is it true??? Do I have to file ITR by going personaly to Income Tax office?
        2) Can I file return after 31st July and also eligible for refund? Will the refund amount before and after 31st July is same?
        3) What you will suggest to me online filing or offline filing?

        Thanks in advance,
        Rohit Yaduwanshi

        • @Rohit
          1. If you file online, there are more chances of getting refund and even it will come faster.
          2. In order to get refunds on time, you will have to file returns before 31st July. After that it may even take more time as it will be belated return.
          3. I would suggest you to file online. It can be done here for ITR4: http://www.taxmunshi.com/partner/pankajbatra

          • I am trying with the links but dont know what to fill in many coloumns/fields. I dont know waht it is asking for. simply no idea.

  • Hello Sir,
    I filled wrong amount in TDS tab of ITR-1 excep sheet ( put amount after deduction of 80 C under "Income chargeable under the head Salaries" section).
    And my tax calculation is right same as form 16.
    Did I need to re submmit the ITR-1 again.
    If yes than what section should I used in ITR-1 sheet.

    Thanks in advance.

    • @Vinay
      You should file revised return in case you earlier submitted return has some incorrect information.
      Process of revised return is same as original one, apart from few points: Choose return type as revised, choose section to fill return as 139(5). Enter original filing date and ack number.
      Please send both ITR-V to IT department Bangalore address.

      • I have filed revised return for the online return submitted before due date... now i have revised form 16 for the tax deducted extra...

        Shall I quote the original ITR Ack no. or the revised ITR ack. no.

        Please help me

        • @Subramanyam
          You should quote the revised ITR ack no as its a revised return for earlier revised one.

  • With ITRV form, do we need to send other documents too?
    Like, Form-16, Bank Statement, Donation receipt etc?
    Or we are just required to keep them for our future reference.

    • @Gunjan
      No document/proof needs to be submitted along with ITR-V. You should keep all documents with you. If IT department has some doubts, they may ask you for proofs later.

      • Thanks Pankaj for the quick reply. Please answer one more question, as I faced difficulty while filling my ITR-1 form.
        While filling ITR-1 form, I am stuck in filling the donations part.
        In your tax calculator, there are two fields of 80G. One for 100% and another for 50%. What is the difference between both? When I am filling the same in ITR-1 under 80G section, it reduces to 50% by itself, while my donation is of 100% allowed only 10% of the taxable income. Is this section changed or I am not able to understand it well? Please help me out.
        Thanks a lot for your help :)

        • And also, are not even require to provide the details of donation, like receipt number or PAN of organization to which we have donated?

          • @Gunjan
            100% deduction is available only for certain donations like National Defence Fund, Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, Approved university/educational institution, Chief Minister's Earthquake Relief Fund, Zila Saksharta Samiti, National Blood Transfusion Council, Medical Relief Funds of state govt. etc. You can view full list on income tax site here.
            For other categories its only 50%.
            Also there is a further rule that if this amount is more than 10% of your gross total income, then only maximum 10% of gross total income will be allowed for deduction.
            No proof/receipt/document needs to be sent along with ITR-V. Also there is no place in ITR to mention donation details like PAN of organization, receipt no.

      • Hi Pankaj, please help me for 80G related questions posted yesterday. I need to file my ITR, everything else is already filled appropriately!!

  • please tell the difference between different charitable sections for donations.
    Presently, when I put 30K in 80G. It calculates System Calculated to 25K for deduction. While, my taxable salary is much more than 3Lac (so, 30K should be allowed). While, if I put 24K, then whole 24K is calculated for deduction. Please help, whats happening exactly and where to put the donation for 80G???

  • Hello Pankaj,

    I have two form 16 from two different employers for FY 2010-11 (AY 2011-12) from two different cities. Unfortunately , In these two form 16 , HRA is not mentioned. But I have paid rent during FY 2010-11 and have proofs ( rent receipt).

    I have added both form 16 salaries (Income chargeable under the head
    Salaries) and subtracted HRA based on my calculations what I have paid ( using HRA rule). I mentioned that net amount ( after subtraction HRA) in column 1 ( Income chargeable under the Head ‘Salaries’(Salary/ Pension)) of ITR -1 form . But maintaining original salaries as per employers form 16 in column 23 (Income chargeable under the Head ‘Salaries’). It means there is mismatch between column 1 and column 23 due to HRA detection.

    My question is Can I show HRA exemption in this way if it is not mentioned in the form 16 ? or any other way to show HRA exemption ?

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