For FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27), all individuals with taxable income or meeting specific income thresholds are required to file online. The filing process begins by entering personal details including name, mobile number, and email ID, followed by verification through OTP. Taxpayers can choose from guided DIY filing starting at ₹24 or expert-assisted filing from ₹649 for various income types including salary, business, capital gains, F&O, crypto, and NRI income. The system pre-fills income, deductions, and tax details from Form 26AS and AIS, and compares old vs new regime to determine which saves more tax. As reported by Tax Buddy, filing through their platform removes the need for separate income tax login entirely, as they handle the process as an authorized ERI.
More than two crore income tax returns have been filed so far for AY 2026-27 as the ITR deadline approaches. According to reports from Mint, taxpayers are urged to gather all necessary documents, including interest certificates, to ensure accurate income reporting and avoid filing errors. The interest certificate provides a consolidated record of interest earned on savings accounts, fixed deposits, recurring deposits and other eligible deposit schemes during the financial year. The ITR filing schedule includes ITR-1 and ITR-2 (Salary and capital gains income): 31st July 2026, ITR-3 and ITR-4 (Business income - Non-audit cases): 31st August 2026, and ITR-3 and ITR-4 (Business income - Cases requiring audit): 31st October 2026.
For SBI, taxpayers can access interest certificates through the Personal Banking website by navigating to 'e-Services', selecting 'My Certificates', and choosing 'Interest Certificate' from the dropdown menu. As reported by Business Standard, HDFC Bank customers can find the download option under quick links in the accounts section, while ICICI Bank users must go to payments & transfer, select tax centre, and download from the interest certificate section. PNB customers can access through 'Manage Accounts' under deposit accounts, and India Post users through the internet banking portal's accounts tab. Axis Bank customers can access their interest certificates through the 'My Accounts' section under the 'Account Services' tab, while Kotak Mahindra Bank users can find the download option under 'Services & Tools' in the banking section. Most banks provide the document instantly in digital format, and if online options are unavailable, taxpayers can request interest certificates through mobile banking apps, customer care, or by visiting the nearest branch.
As reported by Mint and Business Standard, the interest certificate serves as a formal document providing comprehensive interest income data for savings, fixed, and recurring deposits, along with loan interest where applicable. The document includes account numbers, interest amounts, covered periods, and taxpayer names, ensuring complete income reporting and helping avoid penalties that may arise from incorrect tax return filing. Experts advise taxpayers to collect interest certificates from all banks and financial institutions well before filing their ITR, as cross-checking the figures with AIS and Form 26AS can make the return filing process smoother and more accurate. Since many taxpayers maintain accounts with more than one bank, collecting certificates from all institutions is crucial to ensure no interest income is left out of the tax return. Taking this extra step can make the filing process smoother, improve return accuracy, and reduce chances of receiving notices over mismatched income details.
