eFiling Income Tax

The Income Tax Department of India offers a secure and convenient online platform for the electronic submission of income tax returns known as eFiling Income Tax. Almost all taxpayers in India are eligible to e-File their income tax returns.

eFiling allows for digital signatures, providing an extra layer of security for your tax return. Taxpayers can submit their returns electronically from anywhere with an internet connection, 24x7, potentially leading to faster processing and quicker tax refunds. The online platform also minimizes the risk of errors, ensuring accurate tax submissions. By eFiling Income Tax, you can skip the hassle of paper forms and mailing delays.

Table of Contents:

• ⇾ Income Tax Return Filing
• ⇾ Eligibility Criteria for Income Tax eFiling
• ⇾ Documents Required for eFiling of Income Tax
• ⇾ Mandatory Documents
• ⇾ Commonly Required Documents (if applicable)
• ⇾ Additional Documents (if applicable)
• ⇾ Benefits of e-Filing Income Tax Returns
• ⇾ Steps to eFile on Income Tax Department Website
• ⇾ Steps to Register For e-Filing Income Tax Website
• ⇾ ITR Forms for eFiling Income Tax in AY 2025-26 (FY 2024-25)
• ⇾ File Income Tax without Form 16
• ⇾ Check Income Tax e-Filing Status
• ⇾ Using Your e-Filing Account (Post-Login)
• ⇾ Pre-Login (without logging in)
• ⇾ Frequently Asked Questions

Income Tax Return Filing

Income Tax Return (ITR) filing is the process of submitting a form to the government that details your income earned and the taxes you owe (or are eligible for a refund on) for a specific tax year.

ITR Filing ensures the government has a record of your income and helps determine your tax obligation. Previously, this process involved paper forms and mailing. However, eFiling Income Tax offers a more modern and efficient way to complete this process.

Eligibility Criteria for Income Tax eFiling

The eligibility criteria for income tax eFiling depend on various factors, including income levels, sources of income, and specific categories of taxpayers.

Here’s the list of eligibility criteria for eFiling income tax.

• The specific ITR form you use determines your eligibility based on income sources and amounts.
• The most common ITR for salaried individuals with simple income is ITR-1 (Sahaj).
• To use ITR-1, your total income during the financial year (FY) cannot exceed ₹50 lakh.
• Your income must be from salary, one house property, family pension, agricultural income up to ₹5,000, and other specified sources like interest from savings accounts.
• Resident Individuals including salaried individuals, pensioners, individuals with income from house property, individuals with income from business or profession (if income falls under a certain limit), and individuals with other income sources covered under the Income Tax Act.

Not Eligible: Resident Not Ordinarily Resident (RNOR) or Non-Resident Indian (NRI), lottery winnings, racehorses, or business/profession, having capital gains or unlisted equity share investments.

Documents Required for eFiling of Income Tax

The process of eFiling income tax returns in India has significantly simplified tax compliance for millions of taxpayers. You might need certain documents ready before you begin the online filing process to ensure accuracy.

These are the documents required for eFiling income tax.

Mandatory Documents

• PAN Card
• Aadhaar Card

Commonly Required Documents (if applicable)

• Form 16 (or Form 16A/ Form-16B/ Form- 16C) - Typically needed for salaried individuals
• Bank Account Details
• Bank Statement/ Passbook (Optional, but helpful for reference)

Additional Documents (if applicable)

• Form 26AS and AIS/TIS
• Investment Proofs
• Home Loan Statement

Benefits of e-Filing Income Tax Returns

eFiling income tax returns offers numerous benefits that make it a preferred choice for taxpayers. This method of submitting tax information to the government offers numerous advantages over paper filing.

The table below presents the many benefits of eFilling income tax returns.

Steps to eFile on Income Tax Department Website

There are two different ways to file your income tax: eFiling and paper filing. Here are the steps to e-file on the Income Tax Department website.

Step 1: Find the Income Tax e-filing website.

Step 2: On the dashboard, click on the "e-File" tab and then select "Income Tax Returns" followed by "File Income Tax Return".

Step 3: Choose the correct "Assessment Year" (AY) based on the financial year for which you're filing (e.g., AY 2024-25 for FY 2023-24). Then, select your filing status (Individual, HUF, etc.).

Step 4: Select the appropriate ITR form based on your income and circumstances.

Step 5: Choose the reason for filing your ITR (e.g., regular assessment, self-assessment, etc.).

Step 6: The e-filing portal might have pre-filled some data based on your PAN. Carefully review and edit this information if necessary. Fill in the remaining sections based on your income sources and deductions.

Step 7: Once complete, the portal will allow you to electronically verify the return using various methods (e.g., Aadhaar OTP, pre-validated bank account).

Step 8: After successful verification, you can submit the ITR electronically. You'll receive an acknowledgment with a reference number for future reference.

Steps to Register For e-Filing Income Tax Website

The Income Tax Department of India offers an online platform for electronic filing of income tax returns. Before filing for income tax returns electronically, you have to register for eFiling on the income tax website. Here are the steps to register for e-Filing.

Step 1: Find the Income Tax Department's e-Filing portal.

Step 2: Find the "Register" option on the homepage and click it.

Step 3: Choose "Register as a Taxpayer" from the available options.

Step 4: Enter your PAN Card number in the designated field and click "Validate".

Step 5: If your PAN is valid, you'll be directed to enter your basic details like name, date of birth (or date of incorporation for businesses), and gender (if applicable) as per your PAN information. Ensure these details match your PAN Card.

Step 6: Provide your primary mobile number and email address for verification and future communication.

Step 7: You'll receive One-Time Password (OTP) codes on your registered mobile number and email address. Enter these OTPs in the designated fields to verify your contact information.

Step 8: Upon successful verification, your registration for e-Filing will be complete. You'll receive confirmation and login credentials (user ID and password) for future access to the e-Filing website.

ITR Forms for eFiling Income Tax in AY 2025-26 (FY 2024-25)

The Income Tax Department of India might revise the ITR forms each Assessment Year (AY). Here's a list of common ITR forms used for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26) based on income sources and nature.

File Income Tax without Form 16

Gather the necessary documents including salary slips, bank statements, investment proofs, sales receipts/invoices, etc. Here are the steps to file for income tax without Form 16.

• Step 1: The Income Tax Department website offers various ITR forms.
• Step 2: Select the appropriate form based on your income sources and nature (e.g., ITR-1 for salaried individuals with simple income).
• Step 3: Go to the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal.
• Step 4: If you haven't already, register for e-filing using your PAN Card details.
• Step 5: Carefully enter your income details from your collected documents (salary slips, bank statements, etc.). Utilize Form 26AS for tax-deducted information.
• Step 6: If you have made tax-saving investments or incurred eligible expenses, claim them under the appropriate sections in the ITR form.
• Step 7: Double-check all entered information before final submission. Once satisfied, electronically submit your ITR.

Check Income Tax e-Filing Status

Here's how to check your Income Tax e-filing status in India.

Check e-Filing Status By Logging to e-Filing Account

Check the steps to check your efiling status Post-Login on income tax website:

• Step 1: Log in to the e-Filing income tax website
• Step 2: Use your PAN Card as the User ID and password to log in to your e-filing account.
• Step 3: Once logged in, navigate to the section for viewing your filed returns (might be titled "View Filed Returns" or similar).
• Step 4: You should be able to see a list of your filed ITRs, including their status for each assessment year.

Pre-Login e-Filing Status

Check the steps to check your e-filing status without logging on income tax website:

• Step 1: Go to the e-filing portal.
• Step 2: Locate the ‘ITR Status’ section on the homepage and click the designated button (might be titled "Track ITR Status" or similar).
• Step 3: You'll need to provide your acknowledgment number and a valid mobile number.
• The acknowledgment number is a unique reference number you receive after successfully submitting your ITR electronically.
• The mobile number should be the one registered with your e-filing account.
• Step 4: Depending on the website's setup, you might receive a One-Time Password (OTP) on your entered mobile number for verification.
• Step 5: Click ‘Submit’ or a similar button to view your ITR filing status. The website will display the current stage of your ITR processing (e.g., received, processing, processed).

You can also check other related Tax Forms and Information