Income Tax Filing, ITR Filing FY 2024-25: The Income Tax Department has been working to simplify the e-filing process of Income Tax Returns (ITR), and one key step in this direction is the introduction of pre-filled ITR forms. These forms aim to make tax filing faster, more accurate, and less burdensome for taxpayers.
What Are Pre-Filled ITR Forms?
Pre-filled ITR forms are return forms that already have certain details filled in automatically by the Income Tax Department. These include personal details, income information, tax payments, and more—collected from various reliable sources.
How Do They Help?
According to Preeti Sharma, Partner at BDO India LLP, the goal is to reduce taxpayers’ efforts and limit their role to simply reviewing and verifying the pre-filled information.
Over the years, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has invested in technology and collaborated with multiple agencies to collect and auto-fill taxpayer data in ITR forms. This ensures improved accuracy, reduced manual entry, and better compliance.
What Information Is Pre-Filled?
Till last year, pre-filled forms captured the following details:
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Personal Information – Name, PAN, date of birth, address, etc.
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Income Details, such as:
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Salary (from Form 16 filed by employers)
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Interest Income (from banks and financial institutions)
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Dividend Income (from companies and mutual funds)
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Tax Payment Details – TDS, TCS, and advance tax payments.
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Property Transactions – Sale or purchase of land or real estate, tracked under new TDS/TCS rules.
Updates for FY 2024-25
The Income Tax Department has launched online utilities for:
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ITR-1 (Sahaj) – For individuals and HUFs with simple income
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ITR-4 – For individuals and HUFs with presumptive business/professional income
More advanced versions of ITR-2 and ITR-3 are expected soon. These may include:
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Pre-filled Capital Gains details – Based on broker and depository data, broken down by each scrip.
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Deductions – As reported by employers.
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Bank account updates – All bank accounts linked to your PAN/Aadhaar will be listed.
Key Benefits of Pre-Filled ITR Forms
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Reduces human effort and manual errors
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Ensures complete disclosure of income
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Helps with record-keeping and comparing past returns
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Avoids tax-related disputes by matching your details with the department’s data early
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Simplifies filing for individuals without deep tax knowledge
In short, pre-filled ITR forms are making tax filing easier, more accurate, and more user-friendly—especially for salaried individuals and those with straightforward financial situations.