The benefits of income tax return filing (ITR) far outweigh the time and effort required. According to income tax legislation, income tax return filing is required for some and optional for others; nonetheless, filing one is necessary regardless of which group one falls into.
Income tax returns are essentially a taxpayer’s self-declaration of their income, assets, and appropriate taxes paid. Senior citizens have the option of doing it manually as well as electronically via e pay tax online.
What Is Electronic Filing (E-filing)?
E-filing is the abbreviation for electronic tax filing or e pay tax online. E-filing your income tax returns for a specific year means you are submitting your tax returns via the internet. This implies you won’t have to go to the nearest Income Tax Department office to file your returns. Instead, you log on to the internet and finish the job.
E-filing can be done in three different ways.
There are three basic methods for electronically filing income tax forms or e pay tax online.
- A digital signature certificate is required for the first option, which is to e-file your document (DSC). Because it is the digital equivalent of physical or paper certificates, a DSC is a helpful technique for electronically signing documents.
- The second option is to file electronically without a DSC. The one-page document, the ITR-V form (Income Tax Return–Verification), is generated in this scenario. If the Aadhar details on the income tax return filing website are not updated, the form must be printed, signed, and mailed to the Central Processing Centre (CPC) in Bangalore within 120 days after the e-filing date.
- The third alternative is to e-file or e pay tax online your income tax return filing without a DSC and then validate it using your Aadhar number or a bank. The CPC does not require the filing of an ITR-V in this situation.
Who Is Eligible To File Tax Returns Online?
Individuals who fall under the following categories can file an ITR:
- Those who earn more than Rs. 5 lakhs
- Individual/HUF residents with assets located outside of the nation
- A firm (as defined by section 44AB), a cooperative society, a BOI, an artificial judicial person, and a local authority are all examples of artificial judicial persons (ITR 5)
- An assessor who is in charge of preparing U/S 139 (4B) returns (ITR 7)
- You must be a resident of India and have signing power over any accounts you have outside of India.
- If you’re claiming relief under sections 90 or 90A, or if you’re claiming deductions under section 91,
- Each and every business
You must compile a complete audit report under sections 10(23C) (via), 10(23C) (VI), 10(23C) (v), 10(23C) (IV), 10A, 12A (1) (b), 44AB, 80IA, 80IB, 80IC, 80ID, 80JJAA, 80LA, 92E, or 115JB in order to provide the proof.
How To Use The E-Portal To File An ITR?
The following is a step-by-step guide on how to use the e-portal for income tax return filing:
Step 1:Log-In To The website.
To file returns online, go to the Income Tax Department’s website (www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in). Your Permanent Account Number (PAN) will serve as your user ID when you register.
Step 2: Fill Out The Appropriate ITR Form
Identify the suitable Income Tax Return Filing (ITR) form from the drop-down menu under e-filing for the specific assessment year under ‘Download’. If you are a salaried individual, download ITR-1’s (Sahaj) return preparation software.
Step 3: Fill Out Form 16 With Your Information.
Follow the on-screen instructions and enter all of the data from your Form 16 into the downloaded Return Preparation Software (excel utility).
Step 4: Make A List Of All Pertinent Tax Information.
Calculate the amount of tax due, pay the tax, and enter the information from the applicable challan into the tax return. You can skip this step if you don’t owe any money in taxes.
Step 5: Confirm The Above Information.
Confirm the information you submitted and create an XML file that is stored on your computer automatically.
Step 6: Send In Your Return
Upload the XML file in the ‘Submit Return’ area.
Step 7: Signature On A Computer
When requested, you can digitally sign the file. If you do not have access to a digital signature, you can skip this step.
Step 8: ITR Verification Confirmation
Confirmation of successful e-filing appears on your screen. The ITR-Verification acknowledgment form is generated and can be downloaded. It is also sent to the email address that you have provided.
Step 9: E-Verify Return
In order to e-verify your tax return, you can use any of the following methods:
1) Internet banking
2) ATM at a bank
3) Aadhaar One-Time Password
4) Account Number in the Bank
5) Account Number for Depository Receipts
6) Your registered phone number and email address.
The necessity to provide a physical copy of the ITR-5 acknowledgment to CPC, Bengaluru is eliminated with e-verification.
How To File An ITR For Super Senior Citizens (Offline)?
Senior citizens (those who are 80 years old or older) have the option of filing their ITRs offline during the fiscal year. If an individual or a HUF has an income of less than Rs.5 lakh and is not entitled to a refund, the ITR can be filed offline as well.
The following is a step-by-step guide on filing returns offline:
- Individuals must submit a Form 16 request.
- The ITR returns must thereafter be submitted in paper form to the Income Tax Department.
- The Income Tax Department will send you an acknowledgment slip once you’ve submitted the form.
Conclusion
The government is doing its utmost to raise public awareness of the benefits of income tax return filing, as well as the commencement and deadline dates, by using all available media, including television advertising and newspaper articles. Taxes must be paid, and they must be paid on time, for the benefit of both the country and the individual. It should be seen as the citizens of India’s moral responsibility and duty.
