Taxpayers often have a difficult time filing returns. Here is a step-by-step guide for filing returns on the official portal of income tax department:
1) If you are a first time return-filer, register yourself on the income tax department’s official e-filing portal (wwwincometaxindiaefiling..gov.in).
2) Your permanent account number (PAN) will act as your user ID. Keep key documents handy, including the Form 16, Form 26AS (tax credit statement), bank statements, copy of returns filed last year, capital gains statement from mutual funds and brokers.
3) Go to the ‘Downloads’ tab to download the ITR preparation software (JAVA or Excel utility) for the relevant assessment year.
4) Prepare the return using the downloaded software application; pre-populate the personal details and tax payments/ TDS by clicking on the ‘pre-fill’ button.
5) Ensure that nothing is left out. Enter all data and click on ‘Calculate’ to compute the tax and interest liability and final figure of refund or tax payable.
6) If tax is due, make the payment immediately and enter the details in appropriate schedule.
7) Repeat above step so that tax payable turns ‘zero’. Once all the details are in place, generate and save the ITR data in XML format.
8 Log in to the e-filing website, go to ‘e-file’ and click on ‘Upload Return’. Select the relevant ITR, assessment year from the menu and XML file saved.
9) Upload Digital Signature Certificate (DSC), if you have obtained one and it is registered with the portal, and click on ‘Submit’ button.
10) In this case, your process will now be considered complete.
11) For physical verification, send the printed and signed ITR-V form to the I-T department’s CPC in Bengaluru by post within 120 days of e-filing your return; an acknowledgement from the department will complete the process.
12) If you have not used DSC, ITR-V (verification form) will have to be downloaded; you can also choose to generate electronic verification code (EVC) through your bank ATM/netbanking or use Aadhaar-based OTP for e-verification.
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