Due date for filing income tax returns (ITR) for financial year (FY) 2021-22 and assessment year (AY) 2022-23 is July 31, unless the government extends it further.
Users can file ITR in two ways—offline and online. For filing the ITR offline, users need to download the ITR form from the official Income Tax Department website– https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/– in either Excel or Java and then upload it.
Users can also utilise a new feature – Import Draft ITR filled in online mode—if they have partially filled their return (ITR1 and ITR4 forms) in online mode and want to change the mode of filing from online to offline.
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Steps to file ITR offline
1. Visit the official Income Tax Department website. Download the appropriate ITR utility under Downloads—IT Return Preparation Software
2. Extract the downloaded ZIP file and open the utility from the extracted folder
3. Fill in the applicable and mandatory fields of the ITR form. Validate all tabs of the ITR form and calculate the tax
4. Generate and save the XML. Login to the e-filing portal by entering user ID (PAN), password, captcha code and hit ‘login’
5. Click on ‘e-File’ menu and select ‘Income Tax Return’ link
Steps to follow on Income Tax Return page
1. PAN will be autopopulated on the Income Tax Return page.
2. Select Assessment year and ITR form number
3. Select ‘Original/Revised Return’ in ‘Filing type’
4. Select ‘Submission Mode’ as ‘Upload XML’
5. Verify ITR using any of these options– digital signature certificate (DSC), Aadhaar OTP, EVC using prevalidated bank account details and EVC using prevalidated demat account details
6. Submitted ITR can be e-verified later by using My Account—e-Verify return option or the signed ITR-V can be sent to CPC, Bengaluru
7. Hit ‘continue’ option
8. Submit the ITR
Users can also enter relevant data directly online at e-filing portal and submit it as ITR1 and ITR4 forms can be filed on the official site. As per the website, “To avoid loss of data/rework due [to] session time out, Click on ‘Save Draft’ button periodically to save the entered ITR details as a draft. The saved draft will be available for 30 days from the date of saving or till the date of filing the return or till there is no change in the XML schema of the notified ITR (whichever is earlier).”
Steps to file ITR online
1. Visit the official Income Tax Department website.
2. Login using user ID (PAN), password and captcha code
3. Hit the ‘e-File’ menu and select ‘Income Tax Return’ link
Steps to follow on Income Tax Return page
1. PAN will be autopopulated on the Income Tax Return page.
2. Select Assessment year and ITR form number
3. Select ‘Original/Revised Return’ in ‘Filing type’
4. Select ‘Prepare and Submit Online’ in ‘Submission Mode’
5. Hit ‘continue’
6. Read instructions carefully and fill applicable and mandatory fields of the online form
7. Choose appropriate verification option in ‘Taxes Paid and Verification’ tab
8. Users can verify ITR using these options—e-verify, e-verification within 120 days from the date of filing, Aadhaar OTP, prevalidated bank account, prevalidated demat account or signed ITR-V can be sent to CPC, Bengaluru
9. Hit ‘Preview and Submit’ button. Verify data entered in the ITR
10. Click on ‘Submit’ the ITR
