With the government refusing to extend the deadline to file Income Tax Returns (ITR), all taxpayers have to file their returns for 2016-17 fiscal before the day (today – July 31) ends. Users who have tried to get online and finish the process at the eleventh hour have complained of the website not responding.  

There were other reasons too that were being cited for the government to extend the deadline. However, the government has not budged, so far. 

“The last date for filing of ITRs remains July 31. There are no plans to extend this deadline. The department has already received over 2 crore returns filed electronically. The department requests taxpayers to file their return in time,” an I-T department official said on Sunday. 

The department has also issued advertisements in leading national dailies in the last few days stating that taxpayers should disclose their income “correctly” and file their ITRs on or before July 31.

The linking of Aadhaar number with the PAN (Permanent Account Number) of a taxpayer has also been made mandatory for filing of an ITR, beginning July 1.

Keeping in view the government’s inclination towards technology, the filing of ITR has been made easy and hassle-free.

Here are the steps on how to file your Income Tax Return online: 

* Log on to Income Tax e-filing website incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in, and click on the options ITRs (updated on 26/07/2017)

* Of the many options (ITR-1,2,3,4), ITR-1 is only or persons doing jobs and the salary is less than Rs 2.5 lakh. The ITR-2 is for everyone and the margin of income is less than Rs 5 lakh. ITR-3 is for people doing business, and ITR-4 is for people who are paying taxes under the present taxation basis.

* Click on ITR-2 and fill the options like name, PAN, date of birth (DOB), Aadhaar card number carefully. Once completed, please click on the option validate. If the form is filled correctly, it will read OK. 

* Next step is to move to the next sheet – Part B of ITR-2, where you have to fill your total income. Once completed, fill the I-T sheet next.
 
* In the IT sheet, mention if you have paid any advance tax before. Once completed, click on the option validate. 

* The next is the TDS sheet: Here you need to mention the amount deducted by the organisation that you work for. Once completed, click the option validate. (If you have sold any property, you need to fill the form 18-C)

* Now move to sheet salary, where employer’s name, address, salary needs to be mentioned. Once completed, click the option validate.

Alternative options

There are a lot of online portals that are offering ITR filing services and you can avail of them at zero or minimal cost. The process need not take more than 20-30 minutes, provided you have the necessary documents ready. 

Documents you should keep handy

*PAN card

*Aadhaar card

*Form 16

*Bank Account details

*Investment details viz LIC, PPF, NSC, NPS, Health *Insurance, and the like

*Donations receipts

*House rent receipts

*Home loan details and loan certificates

*Medical expenditure receipt on self or any other dependent

*Tuition Fee receipts of up to 2 children

Link your Aadhaar

You will need to mention your Aadhaar number on the form. It’s compulsory if you have an Aadhaar card. You can write the application number, if you have applied for Aadhaar. The Supreme Court has made it mandatory for those who have Aadhaar card to link it with their PAN. The date for filing ITR without Aadhaar ended on June 30. It was also the deadline for applying for a new PAN card without the Aadhaar. 

Your PAN card is not going to become invalid yet if you haven’t linked it to your Aadhaar number. Delayed filing of ITR is also not going to draw any penalty this year. However, it will have a bearing on the amount you would otherwise have got as refund. The government is going to come out with a last date for linking Aadhaar with PAN, following which PAN cards not linked to Aadhaar will become invalid. 

Latest Business News