ITR-1 (Sahaj) Return Filing Online India — AY 2026-27 Tax Guide

Governing Act: Income-tax Act, 1961 & Income Tax Rules, 1962

Relevant Sections: Section 139(1), Section 115BAC, Section 87A, Section 139AA

Official Portal: Income Tax Department e-Filing Portal (incometax.gov.in)

Statutory Fee: Section 234F late fee: ₹5,000 (or ₹1,000 for income <= ₹5 Lakhs)

Form ITR-1 (Sahaj) is the simplified statutory income tax return prescribed under the Income-tax Act, 1961 for resident individuals earning total annual income up to ₹50 Lakhs. Eligible income sources include salary or pension income, income from one residential house property, and other sources (such as savings account interest, bank fixed deposits, family pension, and dividends).

For Assessment Year 2026-27 (Financial Year 2025-26), returns are evaluated under the revised default New Tax Regime under Section 115BAC (offering standard deduction of ₹75,000 and Section 87A rebate up to ₹60,000 for income up to ₹12 Lakhs) or the optional Old Tax Regime.

Pricing details

₹999 / Fixed

Key Advantages & Statutory Benefits

  • Avoids Statutory Penalties under Section 234F and Daily Interest Charges under Section 234A
  • Essential Proof of Income for Bank Loan Approvals, Credit Cards, and Visa Processing
  • Seamless Claim and Speedy Direct-Bank Credit of Excess TDS Withholding Refunds
  • Statutory Record for Legal Financial Transparency and Wealth Creation

Documents Required

  • PAN Card and Aadhaar Card (Mandatorily linked under Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act)
  • Form 16 (Part A with TDS challan data and Part B with detailed salary breakup) from employer
  • Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) downloaded from e-Filing portal
  • Form 26AS verifying tax deducted at source by all deductors and advance tax deposits
  • Bank Account Statements and Interest Certificates for all active savings and fixed deposit accounts
  • Home Loan Interest Certificate issued by lending institution (under Section 24 for Old Regime)
  • Chapter VI-A Investment Proofs (Section 80C, 80D, 80G, 80CCD) if exercising Old Regime option

Filing Process & Roadmap

  1. Data Ingestion & Cross-Reconciliation: Matching employer Form 16 figures against auto-populated AIS, TIS, and Form 26AS data.
  2. Tax Regime Optimization: Computing comparative tax liability between the revised New Regime (Section 115BAC) and Old Regime to recommend the highest tax savings.
  3. Income Computation: Consolidating taxable salary, house property deductions, and other source interest income.
  4. Form ITR-1 Compilation on Income Tax Portal: Preparing the electronic return schema and validating against CBDT system rules.
  5. Return Submission & Aadhaar e-Verification: Submitting the return and executing mandatory Aadhaar OTP or net-banking e-verification within 30 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is eligible to file income tax return using Form ITR-1 (Sahaj)?

A: Resident individuals whose total taxable income does not exceed ₹50 Lakhs from: (1) Salary or pension, (2) One residential house property, and (3) Income from other sources (interest, dividends, family pension). Agricultural income must not exceed ₹5,000.

Q: Who is strictly disqualified from filing ITR-1?

A: Individuals who are directors in a company, hold unlisted equity shares, have income from business or profession, have capital gains, own more than one house property, have foreign assets or foreign income, or earn total income exceeding ₹50 Lakhs cannot file ITR-1.

Q: What is the statutory due date and penalty for late filing of ITR-1?

A: The statutory due date for non-audit individuals is July 31st of the assessment year. Filing after July 31st attracts a late fee under Section 234F of ₹5,000 (restricted to ₹1,000 for total income up to ₹5 Lakhs) plus penal interest of 1% per month under Section 234A.

Q: How does the Section 87A rebate work under the New Tax Regime for AY 2026-27?

A: Under the revised Section 115BAC for FY 2025-26 / AY 2026-27, resident individuals with net taxable income up to ₹12 Lakhs receive a tax rebate up to ₹60,000, resulting in zero net tax. Salaried individuals earning up to ₹12.75 Lakhs pay zero tax after deducting the ₹75,000 standard deduction.