How to File ITR Online: Step-by-Step Guide for AY 2026-27

Before You Start: Documents You'll Need

Keep these ready before logging in to the e-filing portal:

For related guidance and tools, visit the Income Tax and Salary Hub.

• Form 16 from each employer you worked with during the year
• Form 26AS, AIS and TIS — for reconciling TDS, interest income and other reported transactions (see our guide to these documents)
• Bank account statements for interest income, and capital gains statements from your broker/mutual fund platform
• Proofs of deductions you intend to claim (80C, 80D, home loan interest certificate, etc.) if filing under the old regime
• A bank account for refund credit, with IFSC code, pre-validated on the portal

Step 1–2: Login and Choose the Right ITR Form

Log in at the income tax e-filing portal using your PAN as the user ID. Navigate to e-File → Income Tax Returns → File Income Tax Return, select the assessment year, and choose Online mode. The portal often suggests an ITR form based on your previous filings and the income sources reported in your AIS, but you should verify this is correct — filing the wrong form can make your return defective. See our ITR-1 vs ITR-2 vs ITR-3 vs ITR-4 guide to confirm which form applies to your income types.

Step 3–5: Verify Pre-Filled Data, Income and Deductions

Most fields — salary details from Form 16, TDS, interest income, and dividend income — are pre-filled from data reported by your employer, bank and other deductors. Do not assume pre-filled data is complete or correct. Cross-check each section against your own records:

• Salary income against Form 16 Part B (see our Form 16 guide)
• Interest and other income against your AIS — banks sometimes report interest gross before TDS, or report joint-account interest to both holders
• Capital gains — many brokers provide a consolidated capital gains statement that can be uploaded or used to cross-check the pre-filled figures from the AIS
• Deductions under Chapter VI-A — these are usually not pre-filled beyond what your employer considered for TDS, so enter any additional eligible deductions (if filing under the old regime)

Step 6–7: Tax Computation and Self-Assessment Tax Payment

Once all schedules are completed, the portal computes your total tax liability and compares it against TDS already paid (from Form 26AS) and any advance tax instalments. If there's a shortfall, you'll need to pay self-assessment tax under Section 140A via the e-pay tax facility before submitting the return — an unpaid balance will typically attract interest under Sections 234A/234B/234C.

Step 8: Submit and e-Verify — The Step Most People Forget

Submitting your return is not the final step. Your ITR is treated as not filed until it is verified — either electronically (Aadhaar OTP, net banking, or a bank/demat EVC) or by sending a signed physical ITR-V to the CPC Bengaluru.

Common Mistakes That Trigger Notices

• Selecting the wrong ITR form for your income profile, making the return defective under Section 139(9)
• Claiming TDS credit that doesn't appear in Form 26AS/AIS, leading to a demand for the unreconciled amount
• Missing high-value transactions reported in the AIS (large deposits, mutual fund purchases, property transactions) that don't appear anywhere in the income schedules
• Forgetting to report income from a previous employer when switching jobs mid-year — see our guide on tax implications of switching jobs

If you discover an error after filing, you can usually file a revised return before the deadline, or an updated return (ITR-U) later, subject to additional tax.