The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has enabled online e-filing and Excel utility for ITR-1 and ITR-4 for Financial Year (FY) 2025-26 and Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27.
An ITR is a document through which taxpayers disclose details of their income, assets, taxes paid, losses and refunds for a particular assessment year.
Before filing a return, taxpayers need to keep essential documents ready, including PAN and Aadhaar details, bank statements, Form 16, donation receipts, stock trading statements, insurance payment receipts, bank account details linked with PAN, Aadhaar-linked mobile number for e-verification and interest certificates from banks.
To begin filing an ITR online, taxpayers need to log in to the Income Tax Portal, select ‘File Income Tax Return’, choose the relevant assessment year, select filing status and the applicable ITR form.
For FY 2025-26, taxpayers filing returns need to select AY 2026-27. The correct ITR form must be chosen based on income sources. ITR-1 to ITR-4 are generally meant for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), while taxpayers with capital gains income without business or professional income may need to file ITR-2.
Also read: ITR season: Who qualifies for presumptive taxation and how it works
Before submission, taxpayers should download Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement (AIS) from the e-filing portal and match the details with bank statements, Form 16, broker statements and other income records.
After entering all required details, taxpayers need to validate the return, confirm the summary and complete e-verification within 30 days. Returns not verified within the deadline will be treated as not filed.
How to file ITR offline
Taxpayers can also file their ITR using the offline utility available on the Income Tax Portal. To begin, download and install the common offline utility from the portal’s downloads section.
After opening the utility, select the ‘File Return’ option and choose ‘Download Pre-fill’ to fetch available details. Enter your PAN and select the relevant assessment year. After logging in through the offline utility, select the taxpayer status and applicable ITR form.
Taxpayers need to fill in personal details, bank account information, income details, TDS details and other required disclosures. After reviewing and validating the information, they can generate the JSON file.
The JSON file then needs to be uploaded on the Income Tax Portal by selecting the relevant assessment year, filing type and ITR type. The final step is to verify the return after submission.
Common mistakes to avoid while filing ITR
Common mistakes while filing ITR include selecting the wrong form, missing the filing deadline, quoting the incorrect assessment year, not reporting all income sources and claiming deductions without valid documents. These errors can lead to defective returns, delays, penalties or notices from the Income Tax Department.
Missing the filing deadline can result in a late fee of up to ₹5,000 and may restrict taxpayers from carrying forward certain losses. Taxpayers should also ensure all income, including secondary sources, is disclosed to avoid mismatches with information available with the tax department.
ITR filing is mandatory for individuals if their income exceeds the basic exemption limit or if they meet specified conditions, including certain foreign asset holdings, high-value transactions, business receipts above ₹60 lakh or professional receipts above ₹10 lakh.
Also read: New income tax return forms ask for more details, simplify capital gains filing
