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Income Tax Return (ITR e-Filing & Forms ITR-1 to ITR-4)

ITR-1 Sahaj vs ITR-2/ITR-4 Sugam, e-Filing portal, July 31 deadline, Section 234F penalties & ITR-V download

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📝 Reviewed by: India Docs Portal Editorial Team📅 Last updated: August 28, 2026Sources: Official .gov.in portals

Quick Answer

💡 An Income Tax Return (ITR) is an annual statutory statement filed electronically on incometax.gov.in under Section 139 of the Income Tax Act 1961 declaring gross income, deductions, taxes paid, and claiming refunds. Non-audit individual taxpayers must file by July 31st using pre-filled AIS data and mandatorily e-verify within 30 days via Aadhaar OTP.

Quick Information

⏱️ Processing Time

Instant e-filing submission | CPC Bangalore Intimation under Section 143(1) and Tax Refund credit: 15–45 working days

💵 Fees

100% Free on incometax.gov.in | Late filing fee under Section 234F: ₹1,000 (if total income ≤ ₹5 Lakh) or ₹5,000 (if total income > ₹5 Lakh)

✅ Eligibility

Every resident/NRI individual earning taxable income or meeting statutory criteria under Section 139(1) (electricity bills > ₹1 Lakh, foreign travel expenditure > ₹2 Lakh, bank deposits > ₹50 Lakh)

Who Needs This Document?

All individuals, professionals, and businesses whose gross total income exceeds the basic exemption limit (under Old or New Tax Regime), individuals holding foreign assets, claiming tax refunds, applying for home/car loans, or seeking overseas visas

Required Documents

  • Permanent Account Number (PAN Card) and Aadhaar Card (linked under Section 139AA)
  • Form 16 issued by Employer (for salaried taxpayers)
  • Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS downloaded from the e-Filing portal
  • Bank Account Statements of all active savings/current accounts (for interest computation and refund validation)
  • Capital Gains Tax Statements from Stock Brokers / Mutual Funds (for share and mutual fund sales)

How to Apply for Income Tax Return (ITR e-Filing & Forms ITR-1 to ITR-4)

1

Log In to Income Tax e-Filing Portal (incometax.gov.in)

Sign in using your 10-digit PAN and secure password. Download your Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) from the 'Services' tab.

2

Select the Correct ITR Form

Choose ITR-1 Sahaj (salary, 1 house property, income < ₹50L), ITR-2 (capital gains, multiple properties, foreign assets), ITR-3 (business/professional income), or ITR-4 Sugam (Section 44AD/44ADA presumptive taxation).

3

Review Pre-Filled Demographic & Income Data

Verify pre-filled salary from Form 16, interest from bank FDs/savings accounts, dividends, and LTCG/STCG capital gains.

4

Choose Tax Regime (New vs Old)

Select the default New Tax Regime (Section 115BAC) or opt out to Old Tax Regime to claim Chapter VI-A deductions (80C, 80D, HRA, home loan interest under Section 24b).

5

Calculate Tax Liability or Refund

Review final computation. Pay any remaining self-assessment tax via e-Pay Tax or review the calculated tax refund amount.

6

Submit & Mandatory e-Verification within 30 Days

Submit return and immediately e-verify using Aadhaar OTP, Net Banking, or Demat EVC. Returns not e-verified within 30 days are declared legally invalid (Null & Void).

📝 How to Update Income Tax Return (ITR e-Filing & Forms ITR-1 to ITR-4)

How to file a Revised Return under Section 139(5) to fix errors in your filed ITR:

1

Log In to e-Filing Portal

Sign in at incometax.gov.in and go to 'e-File > File Income Tax Return'.

2

Select 'Revised Return under Section 139(5)'

Provide the original 15-digit ITR-V Acknowledgment Number and Date of Original Filing.

3

Correct Discrepant Figures

Update missing deductions, correct salary/interest entries, and re-compute tax.

4

Submit & Re-Verify with Aadhaar OTP

Submit and e-verify the revised return before the statutory December 31st deadline.

⬇️ How to Download Income Tax Return (ITR e-Filing & Forms ITR-1 to ITR-4)

Download an official ITR-V Acknowledgment and Intimation Order PDF:

1

Log In to incometax.gov.in

Sign in using your PAN and password.

2

Go to 'View Filed Returns'

Navigate to 'e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns'.

3

Download ITR-V & Form

Click 'Download Receipt' for the ITR-V Acknowledgment and 'Download Form' for the complete filled return.

4

Download Section 143(1) Order

Download the CPC Bangalore processing order confirming refund credit or nil demand.

🔍 How to Check Income Tax Return (ITR e-Filing & Forms ITR-1 to ITR-4) Application Status

Track your ITR processing and tax refund credit status online:

1

Visit e-Filing Status Page

Go to incometax.gov.in and click 'Income Tax Return (ITR) Status' under Quick Links.

2

Enter Acknowledgment Number & Mobile

Input your 15-digit ITR-V Acknowledgment ID.

3

View Processing Lifecycle

Check whether your return is 'Successfully e-Verified', 'Under Processing at CPC', or 'Refund Processed and Transmitted via NECS/RTGS'.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Failing to e-verify the ITR within the statutory 30-day window (unverified returns are treated as never filed)
  • Choosing ITR-1 when holding capital gains or foreign stocks (leads to defective return notice under Section 139(9))
  • Not disclosing all active bank savings accounts or interest income (captured automatically in AIS)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3, and ITR-4?

1) ITR-1 (Sahaj): For resident individuals with total income up to ₹50 Lakh from salary, one house property, and other sources (interest). 2) ITR-2: For individuals/HUFs not having business income, but having capital gains (shares/property), foreign assets/income, or owning multiple properties. 3) ITR-3: For individuals running businesses or independent professionals (doctors, lawyers, consultants). 4) ITR-4 (Sugam): For small businesses and professionals declaring presumptive income under Section 44AD, 44ADA, or 44AE with turnover up to ₹2 Crore (or ₹75 Lakh for professionals).

What is the statutory deadline and penalty for late ITR filing?

The statutory deadline for non-audit individual taxpayers is July 31st of the assessment year. If filed after July 31st (Belated Return under Section 139(4) up to December 31st), a mandatory late fee under Section 234F is levied: ₹1,000 if total taxable income is up to ₹5 Lakh, and ₹5,000 if total taxable income exceeds ₹5 Lakh, along with 1% per month interest under Section 234A.

How to download the ITR-V Acknowledgment Receipt PDF?

1) Log into incometax.gov.in. 2) Go to 'e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns'. 3) Click on 'Download Receipt (ITR-V)' against the relevant Assessment Year to save the official password-protected PDF (Password is your PAN in lower case + Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format).

What is the tax rebate under Section 87A?

Under Section 87A of the Income Tax Act, resident individuals with taxable income up to ₹5 Lakh (under Old Regime) or up to ₹7 Lakh (under the default New Tax Regime) receive a full tax rebate, reducing their net income tax payable to ₹0 (Zero).

Why is the Annual Information Statement (AIS) critical for filing ITR?

The AIS is a comprehensive financial ledger maintained by the Income Tax Department that aggregates high-value transaction data reported by banks, stock exchanges, mutual fund houses, and registrars (including savings interest, stock sales, dividend payouts, and vehicle/property purchases). Cross-verifying your ITR figures against the AIS prevents automated tax demand notices.

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