The ITR portal is live and the July 31 deadline is closer than it feels — but rushing into a filing method can cost you real money. File yourself when you didn't need to, and you might miss deductions. Pay a CA when you didn't need one, and you've spent ₹2,000–10,000 for nothing.
What this means for you
- If your only income is a salary and your Form 16 (the salary tax certificate your employer gives you) is in hand — you can file yourself on the IT portal for free in under 30 minutes, no CA needed.
- If you have rent income, freelance payments, or sold mutual funds or property this year — a tax practitioner (₹500–2,000) catches deductions a DIY filing often misses.
- If you run a small business or made a large profit selling shares or property — a CA (₹3,000–10,000+) is worth it; one missed deduction can cost more than the fee.
What you can do
- Check your Form 26AS (a government record of all tax deducted from your income) and your AIS (Annual Information Statement — a summary of all income the government has on record for you) on the IT portal today — if everything matches your salary slip and there's no extra income, go DIY with confidence.
- If anything looks unfamiliar in your AIS — freelance income, stock gains, interest — book a tax practitioner before July, not the week of the deadline when they're fully booked.
The right filing choice isn't about how much tax you pay — it's about how complicated your income actually is this year.
Grow with clarity 🌱