Income Tax Return eFiling Steps

Efiling is very easy for salaried person. If you still did not try it or you avoid technology, give it a try. Within 15 minutes you will be able to file income tax return online. Through the online not only you will save 300-1000 rupees, but also you need not to share your earnings with anyone. Let us see how easy it is.

‘Register’ or ‘Log in’ efiling Portal

Visit the efiling website : https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/

Handling A Peculiar Situation

If you have filed your return earlier through chartered accountant, he might registered you. In this case you will not be able to register yourself as your CA has already used your PAN as user ID.  So simply dial to your CA and ask the password. If for any reason you can’t get password, use the ‘forgot password‘ option.

How To Reset Your Password

Remember your PAN is the user ID. It will give you three modes to reset your password.

1. In the first case you have to answer the secret question. This one is the easiest one, but if the CA has set it, you will not be able to answer.
2. The second mode is  the digital signature, most  of the  people don’t have this (it is costly to maintain one).
3. In the third option you need to give your bank account number and assessment year. You can get your acknowledgment number from intimation mail of income tax department. Your CA should have provided this intimation mail.

It may also happen that CA has not filled bank account number in previous year’s return, then you can’t use this option.

Also if you give everything correctly the password will be sent to the earlier provided email. It may also happen that CA has given his email address while income tax return efiling .This means that refund cheque would come to his address. Further he can ask a share from refund.

In my office almost everyone who has used the service of CA is facing this problem. CA has not given the password. He has given his email address in the accounts of clients. Also, he did not give bank account numbers in the previous return. He has done everything to stonewall his clients if they try to file their return themselves. Earlier he used to give his address on the returns. So that they can again ask some cut from the refund.

However the situation has reversed this year. The income tax department has set limit for email ID and mobile number to be used in different accounts. Now CA will be forced to give your mobile number and email ID while filing the return. This will mean that you will get keys in your hand.

But if you can’t get your details for any reason, don’t worry, there is an easier alternative. Mail your details to income tax department stating your inability to log in. They will send you the new password however it will take  2-3 days.

During the helping to my colleague’s returns, I found that log in is the  biggest deterrent of this procedure.  But again this is one time problem. Once you get a password, there will not be looking back.

Online Filing of Income Tax Return

After Log in you can see your own page where you can file your return online, see your previous returns, and change your personal details. I advise to check your personal details first. If CA has created your account, it is  a must. Specially check your mobile number and email address.

Now lets go ahead to e-file the income tax return. Look at left hand upper corner of the page, there is a link for quick filing. Go through this link now, within ten minutes your efiling will be complete.

You should have these documents or details before proceeding:-

•     Form 16
•     Other income details
•     Bank account number
•     IFSC code
•     Personal details

Now, click on the quick e-File ITR link.

• Choose ITR-1 if you have salary income.
• In most of the cases assessment year would be the current financial year.  If you are filing late return for one year earlier,  choose the previous year as assessment year.
• There will be three options for second option. You will get the opportunity to verify and rectify this.
• Most of the people don’t have digital signature, then choose ‘NO’

Fill Personal Details

After submitting you will see ITR-1 form. In this form most of your  personal detail  would be already there. You have to  only fill Sex, Country, email address, and mobile number. If your address has changed then change the address also.

Income Tax Efiling Status

In the next step of online efiling you need to tell about your filing status.

• A18-  Private company employee should choose ‘Other’ in ‘Employer Category’ column.
• A19 – You can leave the tax status column, as it will change according to its calculation.
• A20- Those people who were more than 180 days in India during the  last financial year should choose the Resident option in residential status column.
• A21- If you are filing your return before the last date, select ‘Before the due date’ else ‘After the due date’
• In most cases, your return should be original unless you are filing revised return for the same financial year.
• If you are filing revised return, you should give additional information about the previous return.

Give Income Details

After efilling the first page don’t forget to save the draft. On the next page you have to fill the income details and tax saving investments. So keep your form-16 handy. Keep in mind that for filing income tax return your ‘income from salary’ is not the gross income. In Form 16 it must be under column ‘Income Chargeable Under The Head ‘Salaries’. Take that figure from form 16.

If you are earning from house property or bank deposit (interest more than 10,000) then you have to fill this as well. For  these other income tax should be already paid.  If not, deposit the tax online and get the details. You should give those details with the return. Now you have to give details of expense or investment which are eligible for tax deductions. If you have declared all the details to your employer correctly, you should not worry, it will be on Form-16. Take the figures from form-16 and fill the return.


Tax Saving Investment/Expense Details

Taxes Paid Details

After filling your income details and deductions now you should give the information about the tax deducted at source and advance tax if any. On this page there are three sections, but if you have only salary income and TDS has been deducted for same, you have to worry about the first section only.  In your form-16 there must be the TAN number of the employer. Also check the correct name of the employer in the form-16. Again, you have to fill taxable salary for the year. It should be the same as column B1. Form 16 has the details of TDS. Companies normally submits TDS every quarter, so there should be 4 entry of TDS. You have to give the total TDS.

If you have any other income and tax has been deducted before the payment, give details in the second section. Tax deductor should give you these details as your company gives in form-16. In case you have submitted some tax yourself (for property income or interest income) then fill the third section. After this page you are almost done.

Tax Payable/Refund Status

On the next page of online return draft. Ideally, there should be zero in tax payable and refund column.

Bank Account Details

In the next section of Cheque leaf contains IFSC code. You can also  get if from here. Now submit it, but don’t forget to take printout of ITR-V. Sign in  the ITR-V and send it CPC Banglore. Full address will be in the ITR-V. Send ITR-V only by simple post.

Now you all set!! You will get an acknowledgement mail within one month and will get confirmation/verification email within two months.