Before You Start: What You Need
Filing your income tax return (ITR) online takes about 30–60 minutes if your documents are ready. Here is everything you need before you open the income tax portal:
- PAN and Aadhaar — your PAN must be linked to Aadhaar (mandatory since 2023)
- Form 16 — issued by your employer by 15 June; covers salary and TDS
- Bank account details — account number and IFSC for refund
- AIS / Form 26AS — your Annual Information Statement available on the portal; shows all income and TDS in one place
- Investment proofs — if you want to claim deductions (Section 80C, 80D, HRA, etc.) under the old regime
- Capital gains statement — if you traded stocks or mutual funds (download from your broker/AMC)
Step 1 — Identify Which ITR Form You Need
Using the wrong ITR form makes your return defective under Section 139(9). Here is a quick guide:
- ITR-1 (Sahaj) — salaried residents with income up to ₹50 lakh, one house property, and interest income only. Cannot be used if you have capital gains, more than one house, foreign income, or business income.
- ITR-2 — salaried residents with capital gains (stocks, mutual funds, property), more than one house, foreign income, or income above ₹50 lakh.
- ITR-3 — individuals with business or professional income (freelancers, consultants, directors).
- ITR-4 (Sugam) — presumptive taxation under Section 44AD/44ADA/44AE (small businesses, freelancers earning up to ₹75 lakh under 44ADA).
If you are a salaried employee with only Form 16 and a savings bank account, ITR-1 is almost certainly your form.
Step 2 — Choose New or Old Tax Regime
For FY 2025-26, the new regime is the default. If you want to claim HRA, 80C, 80D, or home loan deductions, you must actively opt for the old regime when filing.
New regime highlights for FY 2025-26 (Finance Act 2025):
- ₹0 tax for income up to ₹12 lakh (with full Section 87A rebate)
- Slab: 5% on ₹4–8L, 10% on ₹8–12L, 15% on ₹12–16L, 20% on ₹16–20L, 25% on ₹20–24L, 30% above ₹24L
- Standard deduction of ₹75,000 for salaried
- No deductions for 80C, 80D, HRA, home loan interest
Old regime: all deductions apply, but slabs are less favourable. If your total deductions exceed ₹3–4 lakh, the old regime may save you more. See our full new vs old regime comparison →
Step 3 — Log in to the Income Tax Portal
- Go to incometax.gov.in and click Login in the top right.
- Enter your PAN as the user ID and your password.
- If you are logging in for the first time, click Register and complete your profile.
- Once logged in, go to e-File → Income Tax Returns → File Income Tax Return.
Step 4 — Select Assessment Year and Filing Mode
- Assessment Year: AY 2026-27 (this covers income earned in FY 2025-26, i.e. April 2025 to March 2026)
- Mode of filing: Online (recommended — the portal pre-fills much of the data from AIS and Form 26AS)
Step 5 — Fill In Your Income Details
The portal will pre-fill data from your AIS. Review each section carefully:
- Salary income: Cross-check with your Form 16 Part B. If there is a mismatch, use Form 16's figure and flag the difference.
- TDS deducted: Should match your Form 16 Part A and Form 26AS. Any shortfall means you owe more tax.
- Other income: Add interest on savings bank (Section 80TTA deduction of ₹10,000 applies), fixed deposits, dividends.
- Capital gains: Enter from your broker's capital gains statement — STCG (short-term, held <12 months) is taxed at 20% from July 2024 Budget; LTCG (held >12 months) above ₹1.25 lakh is taxed at 12.5%.
Step 6 — Claim Deductions (Old Regime Only)
If you chose the old regime, this is where you enter deductions:
- Section 80C: PPF, ELSS, LIC, EPF, home loan principal, tuition fees — up to ₹1.5 lakh
- Section 80D: Health insurance premium — ₹25,000 (self) + ₹25,000 (parents), ₹50,000 for senior citizen parents
- Section 24(b): Home loan interest — up to ₹2 lakh for self-occupied property
- Section 80TTA/80TTB: Savings bank interest deduction
- HRA: If you pay rent and receive HRA component in salary
Step 7 — Compute Tax and Pay Any Dues
The portal computes your tax automatically after you fill all sections. If your total tax liability exceeds TDS already deducted, you owe self-assessment tax. Pay it online using Challan 280 before submitting your return — an unpaid balance means interest under Section 234B.
Step 8 — Review and Submit
Before hitting Submit, review the complete ITR summary. Key checks:
- Total income matches your Form 16 + other documents
- TDS figures match Form 26AS
- Bank account for refund is correct
- Regime choice is correct (new vs old)
Once satisfied, click Preview and Submit, then Submit.
Step 9 — E-Verify Your Return
Submitting is not filing. Your return is considered filed only after e-verification within 30 days of submission. Options:
- Aadhaar OTP — fastest; instant verification via your Aadhaar-linked mobile
- Net banking — login via net banking of major banks
- DSC (Digital Signature Certificate) — for those who have one
- Physical ITR-V — if you cannot e-verify, sign and send to CPC Bengaluru within 30 days (slow, not recommended)
Once verified, you receive an ITR Acknowledgement (ITR-V) in your email. Save this — it is your proof of filing.
Key Deadlines — FY 2025-26
- 31 July 2026 — last date for salaried individuals (ITR-1/ITR-2 without audit)
- 31 August 2026 — business income without audit
- 31 October 2026 — tax audit cases
- 31 December 2026 — belated return (₹5,000 late fee; ₹1,000 if income < ₹5 lakh)
What happens if you miss the July 31 deadline? →
Should You File Yourself or Use a CA?
If your income is straightforward — salaried, one employer, no capital gains — self-filing on the portal is very manageable. If you have capital gains, multiple income sources, a TDS mismatch, or income above ₹50 lakh, a CA adds real value: they catch errors, optimise your regime choice, and handle the notices if anything goes wrong.
FirstReports offers CA-assisted filing from ₹999 — a real Chartered Accountant reviews and files your return, with live status tracking in your portal. View our services →