ITR Filing 2026: The process of filing Income Tax Returns for the financial year 2025-26 (Assessment Year 2026-27) has officially started on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal. Currently, ITR-1 and ITR-4 forms are live for general taxpayers. Those whose income exceeds the basic tax exemption limit can now log in to the portal and file their returns. However, this article discusses in detail how logical or safe it is to rush and file your ITR right at this moment.
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Basic Steps to File Your ITR Online
Taxpayers can easily submit their income tax returns from the comfort of their homes. To do so, follow the steps below:
- First, visit the Income Tax Department’s e-filing website and log in using your PAN number and password.
- After logging in, go to the ‘e-File’ option, select ‘Income Tax Return’, and then click on ‘File Income Tax Return’.
- Select ‘2026-27’ as the Assessment Year and ‘Online’ as the mode of filing, then click ‘Continue’.
- Next, click on ‘Start New Filing’, select ‘Individual’, and proceed.
- Choose the applicable form (ITR-1 or ITR-4) based on your income sources.
- After selecting the form, you will get an option to compare the New Tax Regime vs. the Old Tax Regime. Keep your Form 16 and other documents handy, and click ‘Let’s Get Started’.
- Select the correct reason for filing (e.g., Taxable income is more than the basic exemption limit) and proceed.
Warning Before Filing: Is It Safe to Submit Right Now?
Although the portal is live, tax experts suggest that submitting your return right now might not be the best decision. The primary reasons include:
- Incomplete Information: Details like Gross Total Income, Total Deductions, or Tax Payments in the personal information section may not be fully updated on the portal yet.
- Pending TDS Updates: Often, TDS for the last quarter of the financial year or tax payments for the last one or two months are not immediately reflected on the portal.
- Form 26AS and AIS: It generally takes until May or June for Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement (AIS) to be completely updated on the income tax portal.
Therefore, if the e-filing portal shows your data as 100% correct and updated, only then should you proceed to complete the filing. Otherwise, waiting a few weeks until all data is thoroughly synced is the smarter choice.
Conclusion and Actionable Advice
Filing your income tax return is a critical financial responsibility. Submitting incorrect or incomplete information can result in a notice from the Income Tax Department. Therefore, gather and organize all necessary documents—such as Form 16, bank statements, and investment proofs. Wait until the portal is fully updated with your TDS and AIS data before confidently submitting your ITR.
