Income Tax efiling can be done online through the Income Tax Website without any cost in 2 different ways:-

  1. Income Tax efiling by downloading the ITR Java utility or the ITR Excel Utility and furnishing details in the excel utility offline and then uploading it on Income Tax Website
  2. Income Tax efiling without downloading the Java Utility and furnishing all details online itself.

Procedure for Income Tax efiling using ITR Java Utility/ ITR Excel Utility

The Income Tax Department releases an updated income tax software for free every year for income tax efiling online. The Income Tax Software is released both in the form of Excel as well as Java Utility.

The Java Utility is a new type of utility and is much easier to file than the Excel Utility. Earlier, only the tax utility was released but now the Govt also releases a Java Utility which is much easier to file than the Excel Utility as it fetches a lot of details automatically and uploading the returns through the Java Utility is also much easier.

The following Article are the steps involved for Income Tax efiling by downloading the Java/ Excel Utility:-

  1. Logon to https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and select the Income Tax Return Form for your type of Income. There are various different Income Tax Return forms for different class of assessees. Recommended Read: Which Income Tax Form should you use?
  2. Download the ITR Java/ Excel Utility which pertains to your Income Tax Form and furnish all details in the ITR Java Utility and also cross check the same with the figures as mentioned in your Form 16/ Form 16A/ Form 16B and Form 26AS.
  3. After furnishing all details in the ITR Utility and validating the same, you can directly upload your Income Tax Return through the Java utility by logging in your account on the income tax website through the Java Utility itself. Alternatively, you may create a xml file of the Income Tax Return and then upload this file on the income tax website. (If you’ve forgotten your income tax efiling password, refer this article on How to recover income tax efiling password).
  4. On successful upload of your income tax return, an Acknowledgement Details would be displayed. An ITR-V would also be automatically generated and sent to your registered email id.
  5. In case while efiling income tax return you used your Digitally Signatures to digitally sign the Income Tax Return Form, the whole process gets completed on generation of “Acknowledgement”.
  6. However, in case while efiling income tax return , you didnt use Digital Signatures, on successful uploading of e-Return, the ITR-V Form would be generated and sent to your registered email id. This ITR-V Acknowledgement form should be signed by the Tax Payer and sent to the Income Tax Office.
  7. From the Financial Year 2014-15 onwards, the govt has also extended the option of linking the Aadhar Card with the ITR Form. Once the Aadhar Card and the ITR Form have been linked, the taxpayer wont be required to physically send the ITR Form to the Income Tax Office even if he didn’t use the Digital Signature to sign the form.

Procedure for Income Tax efiling without downloading the Excel Utility

Income Tax efiling can also be done without downloading the Income Tax Software and simply by furnishing all the details online. For efiling Income Tax Return without downloading the Java Utility, a person would be required to login to his account on https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and then go to “e-File – Income Tax Return – Prepare and Submit Online”

If the Income Tax Returns have not been Digitally Signed, the taxpayer would be required to take a print out of the ITR-V Acknowledgement Form, sign it and send it to the Income Tax Department

Recommended Read: Manner of sending ITR-V to Income Tax Department

The Address for sending duly signed ITR-V form is “Income Tax Department – CPC, Post Bag No – 1, Electronic City Post Office, Bengaluru – 560100, Karnataka,” by ordinary post or speed post only, within 120 days of transmitting the data electronically. In case, Form ITR-V, is furnished after the end of 120 days from the date of filing of Income Tax Return, it will be deemed that the return in respect of which the Form ITR-V has been filed was never furnished and it shall be incumbent on the Tax Payer to electronically re-transmit the data and follow it up by submitting the new Form ITR-V within 120 days. This completes the income tax efiling process for non-digitally signed Returns.

Other Relevant points regarding Income Tax efiling

  1. The Self Assessment Tax computed as per the Income Tax Slabs (after deducting the TDS and Advance Tax paid) is required to be fully paid before filing the Income Tax Return. (Recommended Read: Income Tax Slab Rates).
  2. In case excess tax is paid by the taxpayers, he can claim a refund of income tax by disclosing all facts in the income tax return. (Procedure for claiming Income Tax Refund)
  3. The due date for Income Tax efiling  is 31st July of the Assessment Year for taxpayers not required to get their Tax Audit done. For all taxpayers who are required to get their Tax Audit done, the Due Date is  30th September. (Category of Taxpayers who are required to get Tax Audit done by a Chartered Accountant)
  4. If a taxpayer is unable to file the income tax return before the income tax filing due date, he may file a Belated Income Tax Return along with Interest and/or Penalty.
  5. In case any error is recognised in the income tax return by the taxpayer himself, he may file a Revised Return of Income u/s 139(5) before the expiry of 1 year from the end of the relevant assessment year or before the completion of assessment (whichever is earlier).
  6. There are several other softwares of private vendors which are authorised by the Income Tax Deptt for Income Tax efiling online.

In case of any query with respect to income tax efiling, please post them on Chartered Club Q&A Portal and we would be happy to answer.