Filing IT returns may sound like a difficult process, but in reality, it is not. Here is a complete guide on how to file an IT return.

The income tax return is a form where taxpayers state their tax liability and deductions according to the form’s category and demand. There are various ITR forms like, ITR-1 to ITR-7.

When an individual fills the respective form and submits it to the IT Department, she/he has filed an income tax return. But how? Let us tell you about this process.

An income tax return can be filed both via online and offline methods. We will start with the online IT return filing method first.

Step-by-step process to file an IT return online

• Step 1 - Visit Income Tax Department’s official portal.
• Step 2 - Register with PAN, which is your user ID. Registered users can click on ‘Login Here.’
• Step 3 - Navigate to e-file and click on ‘Income Tax Return.’
• Step 4 - From the drop-down menu, choose the ITR form number and AY. You have to select “Original/Revised Return’ as the filing type, and ‘Prepare and Submit Online’ as the submission mode.
• Step 5 - Click on ‘Continue.’
• Step 6 - Fill in the essential details demanded in that ITR form.
• Step 7 - Calculate the payable tax.
• Step 8 - From the ‘Taxes Paid and Verification’ tab, select the relevant option.
• Step 9 - Next, select ‘Preview and Submit.’
• Step 10 - Complete the verification process either by Aadhaar OTP, electronic verification code (EVC) through details of bank account, bank ATM, details of Demat account, or by dispatching a filled ITR-V (either speed post or normal) to the IT Department.
• Step 11 - For final submission, type OTP/EVC sent to your registered mobile number within its validity period and follow such instructions to submit.

If you are not comfortable with filing IT returns online, you can easily take the, other route i.e., the offline process.

Step-by-step process to file IT returns offline

The process of how to file ITR step-by-step involves an individual having to download the applicable form, fill in the mandatory details offline and save and upload the newly generated XML file.

However, this method requires downloading one of the following ITR utilities – 

• Excel Utility 
• Java Utility 

Follow these steps mentioned below to file an income tax return offline.

• Step 1 - Visit the official e-filing portal.
• Step 2 - Download the relevant ITR utility under ‘Download ˃ IT Return Preparation Software.’
• Step 3 - Extract the utility ZIP file that you have downloaded.
• Step 4 - Open that particular utility file.
• Step 5 - Provide the necessary details in the IT returns form.
• Step 6 - Validate all the tabs and compute the tax.
• Step 7 - Create and save the XML file.
• Step 8- Login to the e-filing portal by providing PAN and password. Next, enter the Captcha code.
• Step 9 - Select e-file.
• Step-10 - Select the ‘Income Tax Return’ link.
• Step 11 - Subsequently, provide details like Assessment Year, ITR form number. Next, set the filing type as ‘Original/Revised’ form as well as the ‘Submission Mode’ to offline.
• Step 12 - Select ‘Continue and attach the ITR XML file generated in Step 7 for validation.
• Step 13 - To verify the ITR, select any of the options like ‘Aadhaar OTP,’ ‘EVC Through Bank Account Details,’ ‘Demat Account Details,’ or ‘Digital Signature Certificate’ that is present.
• Step 14 - Depending on the selected verification option, you have to attach/provide the required file. To be precise, 
  • If you choose DSC as a verification option, you have to provide the signature file created from the DSC utility.
  • If you select Aadhaar one-time password (OTP) as a verification option, you must provide the OTP sent to your UIDAI-registered mobile number.
  • If you choose ‘EVC Through a Bank Account,’ ‘Bank ATM,’ or ‘Demat Account’ as a verification option, you have to provide an EVC number sent to your linked mobile number with the bank or Demat account.
  • If you choose any other verification option, the ITR submission process will get completed; however, the procedure will not be considered as completed until the verification is complete. Thus, this is how you can submit an income tax return. 
  • Individuals need to e-verify the submitted ITR by using the My Account ˃e-verify option. The document has to be sent to the IT Department (CPC, Bengaluru) and the individual’s signature on it.
• Step 15 - Click on ‘Submit’ ITR.

In filing IT returns, Form-16 plays a crucial role. Form-16 is an essential certificate that employers provide to employees with all the important details of tax deducted at source (TDS) and proper salary break up.

That is why it is the basic form that individuals should collect. However, there are some cases where an individual can apply for IT files even without Form-16.

Therefore, to clear the fog around how to file ITR with Form-16 as well as without it, we have discussed both these processes.

File ITR with Form-16

The income tax form is issued under Section 203 of the Income Tax Act. This document contains detailed information regarding salary, the components paid by an employer, and the tax exempted from the salary.

Below is discussed how to file an income tax return with Form-16.

• Step 1 - Visit the official e-filing portal.
• Step 2 - Register yourself, in case you have not done it yet. The PAN will be your user ID and your date of birth will be your password.  
• Step 3 - Generate the Form-26AS, which can be downloaded from the income tax efiling portal by going to My Account and then clicking on View Form 26AS. 

• Step 4 - Click on E-file and select ‘File Income Tax Return’ from the list. Fill in the required details like Assessment Year and select the ITR form you want to file. Alternatively you can file your return using the offline method mentioned above.

• Step 5 - Fill in the ITR form with the required details. Refer to Form-16 for effective assistance. Undeclared reports or other information can easily be obtained from Form-16 and Form-26AS.
• Step 6 - Fill in the income details and complete the validation process with the help of the essential documents.
• Step 7 - Compute your tax liability.
• Step 8 - Follow the tab displaying tax payment status (if it’s paid, yet to be paid, or to be refunded). Fill in the bank details and validate the declaration. 
• Step 9 - Click on the ‘Submit’ button.
• Step 10 - Generate ITR-V (acknowledgement and verification document).
• Step 11 - E-verify the details.

File ITR without Form-16

If you have not received Form-16 from your employer due to some reasons, you can continue to file an IT return. Following is how to file ITR without Form-16.

• Step 1 - Identify your income from all sources. It may include salary and pensions, capital gains, income from house property, income from other sources like fixed deposit interest, interest on refund, etc. 
• Step 2 - Get Form-26AS (can be termed as annual tax statement). You can download it by logging in to your account on the income tax efiling portal.

• Step 3 - Gather data related to various payments and investments and claim deduction under Section 80C and 80D of the Income Tax Act as applicable. 
• Step 4 - The next step in the process of how to file an income tax return without Form-16 involves figuring out and claiming House Rent Allowance (HRA) and other allowances yourself.
• Step 5 - After the deduction and claim are decided, the total taxable income has to be calculated. You can calculate the total taxable amount by subtracting the total deductions (that is to be claimed) from the total income (earned in the respective FY). 
• Step 6 - Next, calculate the tax liability per the applicable slab rate.  
• Step 7 - Determine the payable tax.
• Step 8 - After you have finished doing all the above-mentioned steps, you can visit the official e-filing portal.
• Step 9 - File ITR returns without Form-16.
• Step 10 - Once you have completed filing ITR, you need to e-verify it.

If you complete all the procedures and do not e-verify, the submission will not start.

Income tax is the money/amount you pay that comes as a boon and helps build the nation with more uniformity. 

On top of that, you can avail a host of benefits by filing IT returns. Read along!

• Hassle-free loan approval - Filing IT returns helps get easy approval on various financial products like two-wheeler or four-wheeler loans, business loans, etc. Major financial institutions can ask for a copy of IT returns while verifying the documents.
• Fast visa processing - If you are willing to travel overseas, the foreign consulate demands ITR receipts of the previous two years at the time of interview. Moreover, some embassies even ask to furnish the previous three years’ IT returns. Hence, filing for an IT return will facilitate faster visa processing without any trouble.
• Income and address proof - Another major benefit of filing an IT return is that, at times, it works as an address proof. 
• Avoid penalty - If you are due to file an IT return but have not filed yet, you may incur a hefty penalty of Rs. 5000 or Rs. 1000 depending on your income Therefore, filing IT returns within the stipulated date can save a substantial amount.

• Get a tax refund - If you have paid more than your actual tax liability, you can claim a refund.
• Carry forward losses - You cannot carry forward capital losses and business losses of the current financial year to the next financial year unless you have not filed an IT return. Therefore, it is imperative to do the same within the due date. 

[Source 1]

[Source 2]

You may get a notice under section 142(1) for not filing your income tax return. You can reply to the notice and file your ITR. Apart from that, you may have to pay a penalty for not filing your return. 

[Source]

According to Section 234F of the Income Tax Act, a late penalty fee for filing IT returns will be levied from FY 2018-19 onwards. If you file an IT return after the due date but before the 31st December of the Assessment Year, you will have to pay a late fine of ₹5000. In case you pay after the 31st of December of that AY, the penalty will be ₹10000. However, the late fee would not exceed ₹1000 if your income does not exceed ₹5 lakhs. 

The above-mentioned write-up extensively talks about how to file an IT return, the benefits of filing an IT return, the required document, the due date of filing returns, etc. Read the details thoroughly and file an IT return before the deadline to avail of significant benefits offered under it.

[Source]