Income Tax e-Filing

You can file your income tax returns online, either on the income tax department's website or with us at www.cleartax.in. Income Tax filing or e-filing is made easy on Cleartax. You can e-file your returns in just 3 minutes with minimal effort.

Yes, deducting TDS and filing a tax return are two separate legal compliances. Income tax should be paid on your taxable income as per the provisions of the Income Tax Act. Whereas, you file a tax return to show that you've paid all the tax you needed to pay.

There are seven ITR forms (ITR-1 to ITR-7) prescribed for different taxpayers. ITR-1 to ITR-4 are for individuals and HUFs, based on their income and sources. ITR-5 applies to firms, LLPs, AOPs, BoIs, and similar entities. Companies generally file ITR-6, except those claiming exemption for charitable or religious income, which must file ITR-7. Platforms like ClearTax automatically select the correct form during e-filing.

You can still file your tax return on ClearTax without a Form 16. You will just need your payslips and check Form 26AS/AIS to ensure all income reflected in it is accurate and appears in your ITR. Follow the instructions in this guide to e-file without Form 16.

ITR-V is a 1-page acknowledgement document that you receive after e-filing your income tax return, and where e-verification is pending. You can verify your income tax return through offline or online mode. There are various methods of online verification. However, to verify your return offline, you must print, sign and send the ITR-V to the Income Tax Department within 30 days from e-filing your tax return.

ITR return forms are attachment-less, and hence the taxpayer is not required to attach any document (such as proof of investment, TDS certificates, etc.) along with the return of income (whether filed manually or electronically).

You can file ITR-1 if your agricultural income is up to Rs 5,000. For agricultural income exceeding Rs 5,000, you have to file ITR 2. To know about ITR 2.

You can claim a refund of the excess tax paid by filing your Income-tax return. It will be refunded to you by crediting it to your bank account through ECS transfer. It is important to pre-validate your bank account details before filing your income tax return.

Any person with a taxable income can file their returns using ClearTax, even if their tax liability is zero.

You can seek the help of chartered accountants and agencies dedicated to ITR filing. It is wiser not to share your PAN and password with anyone to prevent fraud. Also, you can always take assistance from a CA to file IT returns. With ClearTax, you can get a Tax Expert to calculate your taxes and e-file your tax return. It is a totally safe and secure platform. See return filing plans here.

Under Section 234F of the Income Tax Act, a late filing fee of up to Rs 5,000 applies for a delayed ITR submission. However, if total income is up to Rs 5 lakh, the maximum penalty is limited to Rs 1,000.

Under Section 234A of the Income Tax Act, a taxpayer with outstanding tax liability will have to pay a monthly interest of 1% on the outstanding tax payable till the belated ITR is filed in addition to interests under Section 234B and 234C.

Yes, ITR-1 and ITR-4 are simplified returns that can be easily filled out with basic knowledge. Also, if you are a salaried employee, then you can directly upload your Form 16, and all the details will get auto-populated in Clear's (previously ClearTax) e-filing utility. This will make your ITR filing process much smoother and simpler. For more complex ITRs, such as ITR 2 or 3, it is better to gain some knowledge or seek expert advice.

While many tax-saving deductions are not available under the new regime, taxpayers can still claim some of them. For example, an employer's contribution to the National Pension System (NPS) under section 80CCD(2), interest paid on a home loan of a let-out property under section 24, and contribution to Agniveer Scheme under section 80CCH (only for defence personnel opting for Agnipath scheme).

Even if you did not plan your taxes, you can always claim the standard deduction on salary and rebate (when your income is up to specified limits), irrespective of whether you have made the expense or investment.

For individuals who do not have business income (those who file ITR-1 and ITR-2), the due date is 31st July, 2026. For business people who are not liable for tax audit (ITR 3 & 4 cases), the due date is 31st August, 2026.

Yes, ClearTax is a government authorised income tax filing portal.

Filing a belated return using ClearTax is as simple as filing an original return using the platform. ClearTax automatically considers late fees and late filing interest.

Yes, NRIs can file their ITR using ClearTax. The platform has fields for Schedule FA and Schedule FSI, which can be filled with ease during the filing process.

Yes, taxpayers with LTCG under section 112A up to Rs 1.25 lakhs can file ITR-1.

Taxpayers filing ITR under the new tax regime benefit from a tax rebate of up to Rs 60,000 under Section 87A. Therefore, effectively zero tax liability for taxpayers with taxable income up to Rs 12 lakhs.

Taxpayers opting for the old tax regime benefit from a wide range of deductions and exemptions in comparison to the new tax regime. However, the new tax regime offers enhanced tax slab rates. Therefore, taxpayers with large deductions and exemptions can opt for the old tax regime and taxpayers with very little deductions to claim can opt for the new tax regime.

Salaried taxpayers can easily switch between the old and new tax regime every year. However, taxpayers with business and professional income face restrictions and can only switch back once.