Think You Can File ITR Without a CA? Watch Out for These 5 Common Mistakes:

Think You Can File ITR Without a CA? Watch Out for These 5 Common Mistakes Filing your Income Tax Returns (ITR) has become much easy than before. With online portals and digital forms many people are filing their tax returns by themselves with the need of a CA. It not only saves your time but also money. Even though the process has become simple, some common mistakes can still cause big problems. These small errors can delay refunds or even lead to notice for the Income Tax Department. Here is a simple guide to avoid doing such mistakes while filing ITR without any professional help.

Choosing the Wrong ITR Form

One mistake which many people always make is using the wrong ITR form. The correct form depends on how much a person earns their income. For example, if ITR -1 is for those people who earn up to Rs. 50 lakh from salary or pension, ITR-2 is for those who have capital gains whereas ITR-3 and ITR-4 are for freelancers or those running a business. Using of wrong form may lead to rejection of return, so you should choose your form properly.

Confusing the FY and AY

Another common mistake is selection of the wrong AY. For example, if income earned between April 2024 and March 2025, the correct AY is 2025-26. If the wrong year is chosen, the return becomes invalid.

Forgetting to Report Interest Income or TDS

Most people remember to report their salary but forget to include income from interest earned on fixed deposits or savings accounts. The Income Tax Department already has this information through AIS (Annual Information Statement) and Form 26AS. Before filing the return, it is important to check these forms properly and report all the income.

Claiming Wrong Deductions

Many claim deductions under sections like 80C (for PPF, LIC, ELSS) or 80D (for health insurance) without having the proof. It is important to have all the documents required to support these claims. Also, under the new tax regime, most deductions are not allowed. So if you're someone who wants to claim deductions they must choose the old tax regime while filing.

Not Doing E-Verification

Filing is not complete only by submitting the return online, the last step includes e-verification which must be completed within 30 days of filing. If this is missed, the return will be considered invalid, and you may also need to do the whole process once again. E-verification can be done easily using Aadhaar OTP, net banking, or an EVC code.

What’s New This Year?

There are a few changes which is done this year to be aware of:

• AIS and Form 26AS are now more detailed and provide a full summary of income.
• A new AIS mobile app is available to help view income details on the phone.
• The new tax regime is now the default option. If the old regime is better for saving money, it must be selected manually while filing.
• Also, it is a good practice to match the details in AIS and Form 26AS with the Form 16 (provided by the employer) to avoid any mismatch.