How-To · ITR Filing
How To Fill In Income Tax Return (India, 2026)
For a salaried person with simple income, filling in the income tax return is mostly a matter of checking the numbers the portal already knows and adding the few it does not. This guide shows how to fill in ITR-1 step by step, who is allowed to use it, and how to download the acknowledgement once you are done, for assessment year 2026-27.
- ITR-1 (Sahaj): for a resident individual with salary, one house property and other income within the limit.
- Keep ready: Form 16, Form 26AS, the AIS, interest certificates and a pre-validated bank account.
- Check, do not trust: match every pre-filled figure against your own documents.
- Balance tax: pay through e-Pay Tax before submitting and enter the challan.
- Acknowledgement: the ITR-V is generated after e-verification; download and keep it.
- Not ITR-1: business income, large capital gains or multiple properties need ITR-2 or ITR-3.
01Who can use ITR-1 (Sahaj)
ITR-1, also called Sahaj, is the simplest return. It is meant for a resident individual whose income is straightforward.
- Salary or pension income.
- Income from one house property.
- Other income such as bank and deposit interest.
- Total income within the limit notified for ITR-1, and long term capital gains only within the small limit the form now allows, as notified.
You cannot use ITR-1 if you have business income, capital gains beyond the allowed limit, more than one house property, or you are a company director or hold certain foreign assets. In those cases use ITR-2 or ITR-3, which are covered in the guide to the income tax return form online.
02What to keep ready
Have these in front of you before you start:
- Form 16 from your employer, which shows your salary and the tax deducted.
- Form 26AS and the AIS from the portal, which show all tax credited against your PAN.
- Bank interest certificates or passbook entries for interest earned.
- Your bank account number and IFSC, pre-validated on the portal, for any refund.
- Proof of any deductions you plan to claim if you use the old regime.
03Filling in ITR-1, step by step
- Log in at incometax.gov.in with your PAN and start a new return for AY 2026-27, online mode, form ITR-1.
- Confirm your personal details, which are pre-filled from your PAN and Aadhaar.
- Check the salary section against your Form 16; the portal pre-fills it, but compare the figures.
- Add other income such as savings and fixed deposit interest if it is not already shown.
- Choose your regime, new or old. If old, enter your deductions with proof.
- Review the tax computation the portal shows.
- Submit once everything matches.
Do not trust the pre-filled numbers blindly. Match every figure against your Form 16 and 26AS before you submit, because you are responsible for what the return says.
04Checking the tax and paying any balance
After you fill in your income, the portal calculates your tax and compares it with the tax already deducted (TDS). One of three things happens:
- Refund: if more tax was deducted than due, you get a refund in your pre-validated bank account.
- Nil: if the numbers match, there is nothing more to pay.
- Balance due: if too little was deducted, pay the balance through e-Pay Tax before you submit, and enter the challan details.
Check the figure carefully. A refund that looks too large often means income was missed, which can lead to a notice later.
05Getting your acknowledgement
After you submit, e-verify the return, usually with an Aadhaar OTP. Once verified, the portal generates the acknowledgement, known as the ITR-V.
- Download the ITR-V from the e-File, View Filed Returns section.
- Keep it with your records; it is proof that you filed and is often asked for by banks and visa offices.
- If you cannot e-verify online, a signed physical ITR-V can be sent to the processing centre within the time allowed, though e-verification is faster.
06How Claw Tax helps
Claw Tax and Accounts is an online tax, GST and accounting service for India that connects you with a verified chartered accountant at a fixed, published price, with a Claw reviewer checking every filing before it is submitted.
Filling in ITR-1 yourself on the portal is free, and for a single salary with simple interest income it is very doable in one sitting. Claw Tax is for when your income is less simple, you are unsure which form applies, or you just want a professional to fill it in and check it.
You pick an ITR service at a fixed, published price, a verified chartered accountant fills in and reviews the return, a Claw reviewer checks it before filing, and you get the acknowledgement saved plus reminders before the next due date. See the fixed prices at clawlaw.in/tax.
This is general information, not tax advice; a verified CA handles the specifics of your case.
07Frequently asked questions
How do I fill in my income tax return as a salaried person?
Log in at incometax.gov.in, start ITR-1 for AY 2026-27, confirm your personal details, check the salary section against Form 16, add any interest income, choose your regime, review the tax, pay any balance through e-Pay Tax, submit, and then e-verify. Keep Form 16, Form 26AS and the AIS in front of you to match the figures.
Who can file ITR-1?
ITR-1 (Sahaj) is for a resident individual with salary or pension, income from one house property, and other income such as interest, within the income limit notified for the form. You cannot use it if you have business income, capital gains beyond the small allowed limit, more than one house property, or certain foreign assets.
How do I file ITR for a salaried employee?
A salaried employee usually uses ITR-1. Collect Form 16 from the employer, log in to the portal, check the pre-filled salary and TDS against Form 16 and Form 26AS, add any other income, choose the regime, confirm the tax, submit and e-verify. If more tax was deducted than due, you receive a refund.
How do I get my income tax return acknowledgement?
After you submit and e-verify your return, the portal generates the acknowledgement called the ITR-V. Download it from e-File, View Filed Returns. Keep it safe, since it is your proof of filing and is often requested for loans and visa applications.
What if the pre-filled data on the portal is wrong?
You can and should correct it. The pre-filled data is a convenience, not the final word, and you are responsible for what the return says. If the salary, TDS or interest shown does not match your Form 16, Form 26AS or your own records, edit it to the correct figure before you submit.
Do I need to send a physical copy after filing?
Usually not. E-verification, most often by Aadhaar OTP, completes the filing without any paper. If you are unable to e-verify online, you can send a signed physical ITR-V to the processing centre within the time allowed, but e-verification is faster and avoids postal delays.