If you are salaried
Employer's TDS certificate, salary slips, and proof of any claims you are making, such as rent or investments.
Service
Income tax return help, for the year the new Act changed
The Income-tax Act, 2025 applies from 1 April 2026, so older guides may now mislead you. This page helps you prepare, and know what to ask, whoever files your return.
First, which law applies to your return?
The year in which the income was earned decides this, not the date on which you file. Section 536 of the 2025 Act keeps the 1961 Act's rules for any tax year that began before 1 April 2026, including notices and assessments started after that date.
| Income earned in | Law | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 31 March 2026 (FY 2025-26 and earlier) | Income-tax Act, 1961 | Old terms such as "assessment year" and old section numbers still apply to these returns |
| From 1 April 2026 (tax year 2026-27 onward) | Income-tax Act, 2025 | New "tax year" term and new section numbers. Forms and dates should be checked closer to filing |
We found conflicting reports on due dates and new return forms for tax year 2026-27, so we are not stating them here. Check the Income Tax Department's portal (opens in a new tab), or ask Deepak Mittal to show you the notification on the call.
What to have ready
Your situation decides which records matter. Start with the Annual Information Statement and tax credit statement on the portal, then gather whatever applies below.
If you run a business
Profit and loss account and balance sheet, GST returns, bank statements, loan statements, and stock details.
If you are a professional
Fee receipts, TDS statements from clients or hospitals, and expenses kept separate from personal ones.
If you invest
Capital gains statements from brokers and funds, interest and dividend records, and property sale or purchase papers.
If you rent out property
Rent received, municipal tax paid, and home loan interest details.
If you have foreign income or assets
Mention them on the first call. These need specific disclosure and care.
Choosing the right return
Different ITR forms exist for different income types. In recent years, business or professional income has usually ruled out the simplest forms, with separate forms for presumptive income and for full accounts. The wrong form can make a return defective, so ask why a form was chosen.
For a business or professional, two questions often matter more than the form:
- Presumptive income or full accounts? Section 58 of the 2025 Act lets eligible residents declare income on a set basis: for many businesses with turnover up to ₹2 crore, or ₹3 crore if cash receipts are within 5%, the deemed profit is 6% of turnover received through banking or online channels and 8% of the rest; for specified professions, 50% of receipts up to ₹50 lakh, or ₹75 lakh if cash receipts are within 5%. Conditions apply, and brokers and agents are excluded from the business scheme.
- Is a tax audit needed? Section 63 applies where business turnover exceeds ₹1 crore (₹10 crore if cash receipts and cash payments are each within 5%), where professional receipts exceed ₹50 lakh, or where you claim less than the presumptive profit in some cases. It needs an "accountant", meaning a CA in practice.
What a filing engagement should include
- Collecting records and matching them with the portal's statements
- Working out income and tax, and advising which option they used and why
- Showing you the draft and tax computation
- Paying any balance tax, which you approve and normally pay yourself
- Filing and verifying the return. An unverified return may not count as filed
- Giving you the acknowledgement and computation, and keeping your supporting records available
What stays with you
The return is filed in your name. Read the income figures before you verify it, and do not agree to claims that you cannot support. Be especially wary of anyone offering a bigger refund through a deduction you did not actually incur.
What affects the fee
Number of income sources, capital gains volume, business accounts needed, foreign items, past years pending, and whether notices are covered. See what affects accounting costs.
When a return needs a closer look
Raise any of these with Deepak Mittal before work starts, because they change what the return involves.
- You have received a notice. See income tax notices.
- You have large capital gains, property sales or foreign assets.
- You have missed years, or need to revise a return.
- Your turnover or receipts are near a tax audit limit.
Sources checked, November 2026
- Income Tax Department portal (opens in a new tab) (official)
- Income-tax Act, 2025, Gazette copy (opens in a new tab), sections 58, 62, 63 and 536 (read at source, November 2026)
- Patron on 2025 Act applicability (opens in a new tab) and TaxHeal on AY 2026-27 (opens in a new tab) (secondary)
Want help with your return?
Tell us which year, your income types, and whether you have received a notice.
