It has almost become a ritual for people to delay filing their income tax returns till the last date and for the government to extend the same due to “popular demand”. However, the long queues that used to be another annual feature of the tax filing week has become a thing of the past due to the growing popularity of income tax e-filing.

The incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in has made it really easy for people to file their returns from the comfort of their homes. But remember to do so by August 5, the extended deadline for filing your income tax returns. Assessees in Jammu and Kashmir have till August 31 to file.

With the whole of this week left for people to finish this process, we tell you how to file your tax online.

Step 1: Select the right form: You have to select the form based on your source of incomes. So ITR-1 is for salaried individuals whose get a salary or a pension along with income from a house/property or from other sources, things like lottery. This is not for those with multiple houses/properties, income from winning a lottery, agricultural income of above Rs 5000, income from business. Tax payers filing for double tax relief should also not use this.

ITR-2A, introduced this year, is for those individuals who have income from more than one house property. ITR-2 can be used by individuals with no income from business/profession. ITR-3 is for individuals partnering in a firm, but not for those earning income from a proprietorship form. ITR-4 is for those individual earning income from a proprietorship firm. ITR-5 and 6 are for use by companies alone.

Step 2: Get your Form 16 ready: This form given by your employer shows your saving as well as the tax deducted. There will be multiple forms if you have changed jobs over the assessment year/

Step 3: Additional documents: You might need your bank statements, interest certificates, and your housing loan certificate (in case of housing loan).

Step 4: Download Form 26AS from the e-filing website to see which taxes are deducted at source

Step 5: Filing/uploading: Individuals with over Rs 5,00,000 income have to e-file their tax returns. You will get an automatic acknowledgement once the return is successfully uploaded. Verify this and submit the acknowledgement online, ideally with e-verification. This completes the process of filing your income-tax return.