An income tax return is a type that allows a person to record their investments, income, spending, tax deductions, & taxes, among any other things. The Income Tax Act of 1961 needs a taxpayer to file an income tax return under a variety of situations. An IT return filing is a form used to unfold a taxpayer's yearly income. Even in the lack of money, there may be many reasons to file an income tax return.

A taxpayer may wish to file an income tax return in order to state the total profit for the fiscal year, carry forward losses, claim an income tax refund, claim tax deductions, and so on.

The Income Tax Department offers the choice of filing an income tax return online. Before delving into the stages required in e-filing an income tax return, a taxpayer must preserve the papers used for calculating & reporting data in ITR.

Advantages of IT Return Filing

There are certain advantages of IT return filing online that a taxpayer enjoys. The advantages are as follows:

Loan approval is simple- Filing IT returns facilitates quick approval for a variety of financial products such as 2 or four-wheeler loans, company loans, and so on. While verifying the paperwork, major financial institutions may request a copy of the IT results.

Fast visa proceeding- If you want to voyage abroad, the foreign consulate will need ITR permits from the past 2 years at the time of the interview. Furthermore, some embassies ought the preceding 3 years' IT returns. As a consequence, finishing an IT return will permit smoother immigration processing.

Income & address evidence- Another noteworthy advantage of presenting an IT return filing online is that it may sometimes serve as address verification.

Avoid punishments- If you are needed to file an IT return online but have forgotten to do so, you may face significant damage. As a consequence, filing IT returns on time can save a considerable amount of money.

Claim tax deductions- You can get restitution if you have paid more than your real tax due.

Carry on losses- Unless you have filed an IT return, you cannot carry over losses from the current fiscal year to the next fiscal year. As a result, it is critical to finish the task by the deadline.

Deductions for high-value investments- When you buy a home, the information is sent to the IT Department. As a result, when you pay the taxes & complete IT returns, you may deduct the transaction.

Eligibility of IT Return Filing Online

• Individuals (Indian residents and non-resident Indians) - Required for individuals whose income exceeds the stipulated level.
• Sole Proprietorship
• Companies
• LLP, Partnership Firms (Regardless of turnover, income, profit, or loss, 'Partnership Firms,' 'Sole Proprietorship Firms,' 'Companies,' and 'LLPs' must file an ITR.)
• Individuals who earn Income from mutual funds, bonds, equities, fixed deposits, interest, residential property, and so on.
• Individuals receiving income from charity trusts, religious trusts, or voluntary contributions, as well as those seeking tax refunds
• Salaried individuals whose taxable income, before deductions under sections 80C to 80U, exceeds the exemption ceiling.
• Individuals with foreign assets and income NRIs, and technology experts working on onsite projects are also eligible.

Types of IT Return Filing Forms

The types of IT return filing forms are stated below:

ITR 1

Individuals with income from a salary, a single-family home, agriculture, or other means. Individual inhabitants with a total income of up to Rs. 50 lakhs & agricultural income of up to Rs. 5,000 must complete this form.

ITR 2

This form is intended for individuals and HUFs generating income from sources other than profits & gain of business or profession. It might be from a financial gain, a lottery, overseas assets, or anything else, as long as the total income exceeds Rs. 50 lacs. Agriculture revenue should be greater than Rs. 5,000. It is also filed by people who purchased unlisted equity shares during the fiscal year.

ITR 3

Individuals and HUFs earn money via company or professional profits and gains. It must also be reported by persons who have income as a partner in a firm.

ITR 4

Individuals, Hindu Undivided families, & Firms other than LLP with a total income of up to Rs.50 lakhs from business or profession are considered residents. It also applies to persons who have chosen the presumptive income plan under Sections 44AD, 44ADA, and 44AE of the Income Tax Act.

ITR 5

Firms, Limited Liability Partnerships, Associations of Persons or AOPs, Bodies of Individuals, and other entities file ITR 5.

ITR 6 

ITR 6 is filed by firms that are not excluded under Section 11 which is Income from property held for spiritual or charitable purposes.

ITR 7

It must be submitted by those who fall under section 139(4A), section 139 (4B), section 139 (4C), or section 139 4(D), which might be an individual or a corporation.

The Procedure of IT Return Filing Online

The procedure of IT return filing online is stated step-by-step below:

Step 1: 

Go to the official site of the concerned Income Tax Department (IT Department).

Step 2: 

Make a Permanent Account Number account, which will operate as your user ID. The registered users can log in by selecting the option Login Here.

Step 3: 

Visit the e-file & pick the 'Income Tax Return' option.

Step 4: 

Choose the ITR form number & AY from the drop-down menu. The filing kind must be "Original/Revised Return," and the compliance method must be "Prepare and Submit Online."

Step 5: 

Choose 'Continue.'

Step 6: 

Fill in the necessary information on the ITR form.

Step 7: 

Decide the amount of tax due.

Step 8: 

Choose the appropriate option from the 'Taxes Paid and Verification' menu.

Step 9: 

After that, click 'Preview and Submit.'

Step 10: 

Complete the verification procedure by using Aadhaar OTP, electronic verification code through bank account details, bank ATM, and Demat account information, or by sending a properly finished ITR-5 (either by post or by mail) to the Income Tax Dept.

Step 11: 

To finish the submission, enter the OTP or the EVC that was issued to your registered cellphone number during its validity time and follow the instructions.

Documents Needed for IT Return Filing

The documents that are needed for IT return filing online are as follows:

• Aadhaar copy and PAN
• Address Specifics
• Bank account information
• Additional information on payroll income and fixed deposits
• Data needed to claim a deduction
• Data is needed for TDS return submission and advance tax payments.
• Proof of investment
• Form 16 TDS certificate
• Form 16A Interest Income Certificate
• 26AS Form

Importance of IT Return Filing

Individuals must submit returns only if their income exceeds the basic exemption level or if they fulfil specific requirements, like as spending more than rupees two lakh on overseas trips and using more than Rs 1 lakh of energy. In FY 2019-20 or later, deposited an amount/aggregate of an amount exceeding Rs 1 crore in one or more current accounts.

In the situation of a resident whose asset is situated outside of India or who has signing power over an account that is headquartered outside of India.

Penal Provisions

• A demand notice for tax payment is sent to the taxpayer under Section 156.
• The sum calculated must be paid within thirty days of the notification at the location & to the person designated.
• If the taxpayer forgets to pay the tax owing, he will be considered an asset in failure.
• The taxpayer is given a fair opportunity to be heard before the penalty is imposed.

IT Return Filing with or without Form 16

IT Return Filing with Form 16

Provisions of the section of the Income Tax Act need the allocation of the income tax form. This paper thoroughly details salary, the elements an employer pays, and the taxes that are not included in the salary.

It is elaborate here on how to submit an income tax return filing online using Form-16.

Step 1: 

Go to the official e-filing site.

Step 2: 

If you haven't registered yourself. The PAN will serve as your user ID, and your birth date will be the password.

Step 3: 

Make Form-26AS, which may be found on the NSDL-TIN website.

Step 4: 

Obtain the ITR-1 form from the income tax site (if your salary/pension income is less than fifty lakhs), or the ITR-2 form if your salary/pension income exceeds 50 lakhs.

Step 5: 

Complete the IT return form with the required details. For practical help, see Form-16. Form-16 and Form-26AS can merely be used to ask for undeclared statements or other information.

Step 6: 

Put your income information and finish the validation procedure with the aid of the required papers.

Step 7: 

Determine your tax liability.

Step 8: 

Guide to the tab showing the tax payment status whether it has been paid or is being paid. Fill out the bank details & confirm the concerned declared statement.

Step 9: 

Attach the papers & press the 'Submit' button.

Step 10: 

Create an ITR-V. (acknowledgement & verification document).

Step 11: 

E-verify the information.

IT Return Filing without Form 16

You can submit an IT return if you've not obtained Form-16 from the employer for whatever reason. Here's the way to file an IT return without Form-16.

Step 1: 

Identify all the sources of the revenue. Salary & pensions, financial gains, income from real estate, income from other sources such as fixed deposit interest, interest on refund, and so on may all be included.

Step 2: 

Obtain Form-26AS can also be termed as an annual tax statement. It is available for download from the Income Tax Department's TRACES website.

Step 3: 

Compile data on different payments & investments and claim deductions under Sections 80C & 80D of the Income Tax Act, where appropriate.

Step 4: 

The next step in proclaiming House Rent Allowance and other allowances is the procedure of how to submit an IT return filing without Form 16.

Step 5: 

Once the deduction & claim have been selected, the total taxable income must be added. The total taxable amount may be calculated by deducting the total deductions (to be requested) from the total income.  

Step 6:

After that, calculate the tax liability based on the suitable slab rate.

Step 7: 

Estimate the applicable tax.

Step 8: 

Once you have finished all of the primary processes, you may go to the official e-filing website.

Step 9: 

Submit IT returns without Form 16.

Step 10: 

After you have finished your ITR, you must e-verify it.

Conclusion

Income tax is a tax imposed straight on your earnings. It implies that a percentage of your earnings are paid to the government. This sum is charged by the government for expenditures connected to health, education, agriculture subsidies, infrastructure, and so on. It is paid by an individual/Hindu Undivided Family/any taxpayer based on their income or profits in a fiscal year. A firm must pay income tax regardless of its earning level. From time to time, the government introduces laws dictating the rate of taxation on your earnings.