CBDT To Soon Launch New Income Tax E-Filing Website: All You Need To Know

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said a proposed new online tax payment system and a mobile app on its soon-to-be launched advanced e-filing website will be activated on June 18 even as the portal will go live on Monday. The new e-filing link — www.incometax.gov.in — will replace the existing “http://existing www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in” from June 7.

“It is clarified that the new tax payment system will be launched on June 18, 2021 after the advance tax instalment date to avoid any taxpayer inconvenience,” the CBDT said in a statement. 

Earlier, it said that the upcoming website will enable a new online tax payment system with multiple new payment options using net banking, UPI, credit card and RTGS/NEFT from any account of taxpayer in any bank, for easy payment of taxes.

“The mobile app will also be released subsequent to the initial launch of the portal, to enable taxpayers to get familiar with the various features,” the CBDT said.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) frames policy for the Income Tax Department and the e-filing website is used by the taxpayers to file their tax returns and perform other transactions with the department. 

“Familiarisation with the new system may take some time, so, the department requests the patience of all taxpayers/stakeholders for the initial period after the launch of the new portal and while other functionalities get released since this is a major transition,” the statement said. It said the new website is aimed at “providing taxpayer convenience and a modern, seamless experience to taxpayers”. It is another initiative by the CBDT towards providing ease of compliance to its taxpayers and other stakeholders, it added. 

Here are the major features of the new e-filing website, according to the CBDT statement:

• The new taxpayer-friendly portal is integrated with immediate processing of Income Tax Returns (ITRs) to issue quick refunds to taxpayers and all interactions and uploads or pending actions will be displayed on a single dashboard for follow-up action by the taxpayer, it said.
• It will also have a free ITR preparation software with interactive questions to help taxpayers to file ITRs 1, 4 (online and offline) and ITR 2 (offline) to begin with and the facility for preparation of ITRs 3, 5, 6, 7 will be made available shortly, the statement said.
• Taxpayers will be able to proactively update their profile to provide certain details of income including salary, house property, business/profession which will be used in pre-filling their ITR in the new web port.
• Detailed enablement of pre-filling with salary income, interest, dividend and capital gains will be available after TDS (tax deducted at source) and SFT (statement of financial transaction) statements are uploaded (due date June 30, 2021), it said.
• A new call center for taxpayer assistance for prompt response to taxpayer queries is also planned and the portal will have detailed FAQs, user manuals, videos and chatbot/live agent also.
• Functionalities for filing income tax forms, add tax professionals, submit responses to notices in faceless scrutiny or appeals would be available, the CBDT said.

(With inputs from PTI)