Filing your Income Tax Return (ITR) online may appear intimidating the first time. Many taxpayers log in to the Income Tax Portal and immediately feel overwhelmed by terms such as AIS, Form 26AS, tax regimes, deductions, capital gains, and verification.
The good news is that the new Income Tax e-Filing Portal has significantly simplified the process. Most taxpayer information is now pre-filled, reducing manual data entry and making online filing easier than ever.
If you are a salaried employee, pensioner, freelancer, professional, investor, or first-time taxpayer, this step-by-step guide will help you file your ITR online for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 (Financial Year 2025-26).
According to the Income Tax Department’s AY 2026-27 filing framework, online filing for ITR-1 and ITR-4 has already been enabled on the e-filing portal for eligible taxpayers.
Before You Start Filing Your ITR
Keep the following documents ready:
Basic Documents
- PAN Card
- Aadhaar Card
- Mobile number linked with Aadhaar
- Email ID
Income Documents
- Form 16
- Salary slips
- Pension statement (if applicable)
Tax Documents
- AIS (Annual Information Statement)
- Form 26AS
- TDS certificates
Investment Documents
- Mutual fund capital gains report
- Share trading report
- Interest certificates
- Dividend statements
Deduction Documents (Old Regime)
- PPF statement
- ELSS investments
- Insurance premium receipts
- Home loan certificate
- NPS statement
- Health insurance premium receipts
Read Also – Which ITR Form Should You File: ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-4 Explained Simply?
Step 1: Visit the Income Tax e-Filing Portal
Open:
Income Tax e-Filing Portal
Click:
Login
Enter:
- PAN
- Password
- Captcha
Then click:
Continue
If you are a first-time user:
Click:
Register
and complete registration using PAN and Aadhaar details.
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Step 2: Check AIS Before Filing
Before beginning the return, review AIS.
After login:
Services >> Annual Information Statement (AIS)
Click:
Proceed
Review:
- Salary income
- Interest income
- Dividend income
- Mutual fund transactions
- Equity transactions
- Property transactions
This is important because AIS often contains information that taxpayers forget to disclose.
Experts recommend reconciling AIS and pre-filled data before filing to avoid mismatches and notices.
Read Also : What Happens If You Miss the ITR Deadline? Penalty, Belated Return & Consequences
Step 3: Verify Form 26AS
Go to:
e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Form 26AS
Verify:
- TDS deducted by employer
- TDS on FD interest
- Advance tax paid
- Self-assessment tax paid
Ensure credits appearing in Form 26AS match your records.
Read Also : ITR Filing for AY 2026-27: Step-by-Step Complete Guide for Salaried Employees
Step 4: Identify the Correct ITR Form
One of the most common mistakes is choosing the wrong form.
ITR-1 (Sahaj)
Generally applicable for resident individuals having:
- Salary income
- Pension income
- One house property
- Interest income
- Agricultural income up to prescribed limits
- Eligible income profile within notified conditions
ITR-2
Generally applicable if you have:
- Capital gains
- Multiple house properties
- Foreign assets
- Income above ITR-1 eligibility conditions
ITR-3
Generally applicable for:
- Business income
- Professional income
ITR-4
Generally applicable for:
- Presumptive taxation under Sections 44AD, 44ADA, or 44AE
The notified AY 2026-27 forms continue to classify taxpayers based on income sources and eligibility criteria.
Read Also : Income Tax Act 2025: Top 10 Things Every Taxpayer Must Know Before July 2026
Step 5: Start Filing Your Return
After login:
e-File → Income Tax Returns → File Income Tax Return
You will see:
Assessment Year
Select:
AY 2026-27
Click:
Continue
Select:
Online Mode
Click:
Proceed
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Step 6: Select Filing Status
Choose:
Individual
Click:
Continue
The portal will suggest eligible ITR forms.
Select the appropriate form.
Click:
Let’s Get Started
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Step 7: Choose Tax Regime
The portal will ask:
Which Tax Regime Do You Want To Opt For?
You can choose:
New Tax Regime
or
Old Tax Regime
New Tax Regime
Suitable for taxpayers who:
- Do not have large deductions
- Prefer lower tax rates
- Want simpler compliance
Old Tax Regime
Suitable for taxpayers claiming:
- HRA
- Home loan benefits
- Section 80C deductions
- Section 80D deductions
- NPS deductions
Before proceeding, compare tax liability under both regimes.
Read Also: Documents Required for ITR Filing 2026 – Full Checklist
Step 8: Verify Personal Information
The portal automatically displays:
- Name
- PAN
- Aadhaar
- Address
- Mobile number
- Email ID
Check carefully.
If incorrect:
Click:
Edit
Update information before proceeding.
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Step 9: Verify Income Details
You will enter the section:
Gross Total Income
The portal may already pre-fill much of this information.
Salary Income
Verify:
- Gross salary
- Standard deduction
- Taxable salary
against Form 16.
House Property Income
Enter:
- Self-occupied property details
- Rental income details
- Home loan interest details
if applicable.
Other Income
Add:
- Savings account interest
- FD interest
- Recurring deposit interest
- Dividend income
- Family pension
Capital Gains
If applicable:
Add:
- Equity gains
- Mutual fund gains
- Property gains
- Bond gains
Verify capital gains reports carefully before submission.
Experts continue to emphasize reporting all income sources correctly under the appropriate income heads.
Read Also : New Tax Regime vs Old Tax Regime: Which One Saves You More Money in 2026?
Step 10: Claim Deductions (Old Regime)
If using the old regime:
Open:
Deductions
Enter eligible deductions.
Section 80C
Examples:
- EPF
- PPF
- ELSS
- Life insurance
- Principal repayment of home loan
Section 80D
- Health insurance premium
Section 80CCD(1B)
- Additional NPS contribution
Section 80E
- Education loan interest
Section 80G
- Donations
Keep supporting documents for future verification.
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Step 11: Review Tax Paid Details
Go to:
Tax Paid
Verify:
- TDS from salary
- TDS from banks
- Advance tax
- Self-assessment tax
These values are usually imported from Form 26AS and portal records.
Any mismatch should be corrected before submission.
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Step 12: Validate Bank Account Details
Navigate to:
Bank Details
Check:
- Account number
- IFSC code
- Refund account selection
This is extremely important because refunds are credited only to validated accounts.
Experts recommend verifying refund bank account details before final submission.
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Step 13: Review AIS Reconciliation
Before moving forward:
Compare:
- ITR income
- AIS income
- Form 26AS records
Common omissions include:
- FD interest
- Savings interest
- Dividend income
- Mutual fund redemptions
- Share transactions
AIS reconciliation is now considered one of the most critical steps in ITR filing.
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Step 14: Preview Return
Click:
Preview Return
Review:
Personal Information
- Name
- PAN
- Address
Income Details
- Salary
- House property
- Capital gains
- Other income
Deductions
- 80C
- 80D
- NPS
Taxes Paid
- TDS
- Advance tax
Refund or Tax Payable
Take your time.
Many filing errors are caught during this review stage.
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Step 15: Submit Return
After verifying everything:
Click:
Proceed To Validation
The portal performs system checks.
If any error exists:
The system highlights the section.
Correct the error.
Click:
Submit Return
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Step 16: Pay Additional Tax (If Required)
If tax is payable:
Click:
Pay Now
Choose:
- Net Banking
- UPI
- Debit Card
- NEFT/RTGS
After payment:
Return to the ITR form.
Refresh tax details.
Ensure the challan is reflected.
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Step 17: E-Verify Your Return
This is the most important step.
Many taxpayers file the return but forget verification.
An unverified return is treated as not filed.
After submission:
Click:
e-Verify Now
Available methods:
Aadhaar OTP
Most popular option.
Net Banking
Bank Account EVC
Demat Account EVC
Digital Signature Certificate
After successful verification:
You will see:
Return Successfully Filed and Verified
Experts specifically recommend completing verification within the prescribed timeline after filing.
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How to Download Filed ITR
After filing:
e-File >> Income Tax Returns >> View Filed Returns
Select:
AY 2026-27
Click:
Download ITR-V
Save:
- ITR copy
- Acknowledgement
- Computation summary
for future reference.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Filing Before Receiving Form 16
Wait until employer information is available.
Ignoring AIS
Always reconcile AIS.
Missing Interest Income
Savings and FD interest are taxable.
Wrong ITR Form
Select the correct form based on income sources.
Claiming Ineligible Deductions
Especially under the new tax regime.
Not Reporting Capital Gains
Even small redemptions may require reporting.
Forgetting E-Verification
A filed but unverified return is not considered complete.
New Regime vs Old Regime While Filing
New Tax Regime
Advantages:
- Simpler filing
- Fewer documents
- Lower tax rates for many taxpayers
Challenges:
- Most deductions unavailable
Old Tax Regime
Advantages:
- Allows deduction claims
- Useful for taxpayers with significant investments and home loans
Challenges:
- More documentation required
- Greater compliance effort
Final Checklist Before Clicking Submit
Ensure you have:
✓ Selected the correct ITR form
✓ Verified AIS
✓ Verified Form 26AS
✓ Reported all income sources
✓ Chosen correct tax regime
✓ Claimed eligible deductions only
✓ Verified bank account details
✓ Checked refund amount or tax payable
✓ Reviewed return carefully
✓ Completed e-verification
Final Thoughts
Think of ITR filing like a yearly financial health check-up.
The actual filing process on the new Income Tax Portal usually takes less than an hour when documents are ready. Most problems arise not because the portal is difficult, but because taxpayers skip AIS verification, misreport income, choose the wrong form, or forget e-verification.
For AY 2026-27, the smartest approach is simple: collect your documents, reconcile AIS and Form 26AS, compare both tax regimes, review everything carefully, and then file confidently. Done correctly, your ITR becomes more than a compliance document. It becomes an accurate financial record that supports loan applications, visa processing, insurance claims, and long-term financial planning.
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