File Your Taxes:
खुद करो, पैसे बचाओ
Do it yourself, save money. It's that simple.
The ₹1,000-5,000 You're Wasting Every Year
You pay a CA to file your simple salary income tax return. It takes him 15 minutes. He charges you ₹1,500-5,000. Over 30 years, that's ₹45,000-1,50,000. What if you kept that money?
The Truth About Tax Filing in India
The Income Tax Department has made it ridiculously easy. You just don't know it because:
CAs Don't Want You to Know
If everyone filed their own simple returns, CAs would lose 60% of their clients. So they make it sound complicated. It's not.
You're Scared of Government Websites
The old IT portal was terrible. The new one (2021+) is actually good. User-friendly. Pre-filled. Most data is already there!
"बचाया हुआ पैसा, कमाया हुआ पैसा है।"
"Money saved is money earned."
₹2,000 saved on CA fees = ₹2,000 earned tax-free. And you learn a valuable skill. And you verify your own data (CAs make mistakes too!).
Should YOU File Your Own Taxes?
| Your Situation | Can You Self-File? | ITR Form |
|---|---|---|
| Salaried with one employer | YES - Super Easy | ITR-1 |
| Salaried + bank interest + FD income | YES - Easy | ITR-1 |
| Salaried + house property (one house) | YES - Moderate | ITR-2 |
| Freelancer/Consultant (no audit needed) | YES - With YouTube help | ITR-3 |
| Business with turnover >₹1 crore | NO - Hire a CA | ITR-3/4 |
| Multiple businesses, foreign income | NO - Hire a CA | ITR-2/3 |
Bottom line: If you're a salaried employee with simple investments (FD, savings account, maybe one house), you can 100% file your own taxes. And you should.
The Step-by-Step Process (Simpler Than You Think)
- Form 16 (from your employer - download from company portal)
- Bank statements (for interest income)
- Investment proofs (80C, 80D already in Form 16, but keep handy)
- PAN Card
- Aadhaar Card
That's it. For ITR-1 (salaried), you need nothing else.
- Go to incometax.gov.in
- Click "Login" → Use PAN as User ID
- If first time: Click "Register" → Verify with Aadhaar OTP
- Set password, security questions
- Login successfully
Pro tip: Save your password in a password manager. You'll need it every year.
The IT department already has most of your data:
- Your salary (from Form 16 uploaded by employer)
- Your tax deductions (TDS details)
- Your bank interest (from banks)
- Your FD interest (from banks)
You just need to VERIFY it's correct. That's 80% of the work—already done!
⚠️ Cross-check with your Form 16. Sometimes there are mismatches.
- Go to "e-File" → "Income Tax Returns"
- Select Assessment Year (FY 2023-24 = AY 2024-25)
- Choose ITR-1 (for salaried)
- Click "Continue with Pre-filled Data"
- Verify each section (salary, deductions, taxes paid)
- Add any missing deductions (if Form 16 doesn't have them)
- Preview the return
- Submit
- E-verify using Aadhaar OTP
DONE! You just saved ₹2,000 and learned a life skill.
Learn by Watching (Free YouTube Resources)
Thousands of Indians have created step-by-step tutorials. Here's how to find them:
- Search YouTube: "How to file ITR-1 for salaried person 2024"
- Watch videos with 100k+ views (popular = trusted)
- Follow along with the portal open on another screen
- Pause, rewind, repeat as needed
Investment: 1 hour of your time
Savings: ₹2,000-5,000 + confidence forever
Common Fears (And Why They're Nonsense)
CAs make mistakes too. Difference? When you file yourself, you catch your own errors before submitting.
Reality: ITR can be revised within assessment year. Mistakes are fixable.
Tax notices come from data mismatches, not from self-filing. If your Form 16 matches your ITR, you're safe.
Reality: 99% of simple salaried returns never get noticed.
If you can use Amazon, you can file ITR. The portal is literally Amazon-level easy now.
Reality: Your grandmother could file ITR-1 with a YouTube video.
First time: 1 hour. Every year after: 20-30 minutes.
Reality: You waste more time finding a CA, sharing documents, following up.
When You SHOULD Hire a CA
Be smart. Don't be penny-wise, pound-foolish. Hire a CA if:
- You have business income requiring ITR-3 or ITR-4
- You need tax audit (turnover >₹1 crore)
- You have foreign assets/income
- You have capital gains from property/large stock sales
- You're genuinely confused even after watching 3 YouTube videos
For everyone else (90% of salaried Indians): File yourself.
Ready to File Your Own Taxes?
Official Income Tax Department Portal
Go to IT PortalBookmark this. You'll need it every July.
The Money Math
What ₹2,000/year saved actually means:
| Saved per year: | ₹2,000 |
| Over 30 years: | ₹60,000 |
| Invested at 10% annually: | ₹3,61,887 |
This is the power of not wasting money on things you can do yourself.
"आत्मनिर्भर बनो।"
"Be self-reliant."
This isn't just about taxes. It's about taking control. Every skill you learn, every ₹100 you save by doing things yourself—it adds up to freedom.
Your Tax Filing Checklist
Before July 31st Every Year:
Bonus: What to Do with the Saved Money
₹2,000 saved on CA fees → Invest in UTI Nifty Index Fund → In 30 years = ₹3.6 lakhs
Now THAT'S how you build wealth. One small smart decision at a time.
स्वावलंबी बनो। अपना काम खुद करो। पैसे बचाओ।
Be independent. Do your own work. Save money. 📊
First Time Filing? Want a Safety Net?
You can 100% do this yourself—we believe in you. But if it's your first time and you'd feel more confident having someone double-check your work before you submit...
Premium members can get their ITR reviewed before filing (for simple returns). Not because you need a CA. Just because peace of mind helps you sleep better.
See Premium BenefitsFile yourself. But we're here if you want backup.