Know About Income Tax Return

Income tax forms simplified, date for filing returns extended to Aug 31

NEW DELHI: The finance ministry on Sunday came out with new three-page income tax return (ITR) forms, dropping the controversial provision for mandatory disclosure of foreign trips and dormant bank accounts, while it also extended the last date of filing to August 31.

The new forms — ITR 2 and ITR 2A — will have only three pages and other details will have to be filled in schedules, said a finance ministry statement.

A new form ITR 2A has been brought out by the ministry which can be filed by an individual or HUF who does not have capital gains, income from business/ profession or foreign asset/foreign income.

The statement also said that the last date for submission of tax returns will be extended to August 31, 2015.

With regard to the controversial provision of disclosing details of foreign visits, the release said that the assessee will be required to disclose only the passport number.

"In lieu of foreign travel details, it is now proposed that only passport number, if available, would be required to be given in Forms ITR-2 and ITR-2A. Details of foreign trips or expenditure thereon are not required to be furnished," it said.

Further, the ministry has done away with disclosure of details of dormant accounts which are not operational during the last three years.

"As regards bank account details in all these forms, only the IFS code, account number of all the current/savings account which are held at any time during the previous year will be required to be filled-up. The balance in accounts will not be required to be furnished," the statement added.

The simplified I-T return forms are being brought after the earlier version was opposed by industry, MPs and assessees for its cumbersome disclosure norms.

The salaried individuals and those persons who do not have business/professional income are required to file I-T returns in either ITR-1 or ITR-2 by July 31 every year.

 

 

 

INCOME TAX RETURN FORMS ITR 1, 2 AND 4S SIMPLIFIED FOR CONVENIENCE OF THE TAX PAYERS; A NEW FORM ITR 2A PROPOSED WHICH CAN BE FILED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR HUF WHO DOES NOT HAVE CAPITAL GAINS, INCOME FROM BUSINESS/PROFESSION OR FOREIGN ASSET/FOREIGN INCOME; IN FORM ITR 2 AND THE NEW FORM ITR 2A, THE MAIN FORM WILL NOT CONTAIN MORE THAN 3 PAGES, AND OTHER INFORMATION WILL BE CAPTURED IN THE SCHEDULES WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE FILLED ONLY IF APPLICABLE;AS THE SOFTWARE FOR THESE FORMS IS UNDER PREPARATION, THEY ARE LIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE FOR E-FILING BY 3RD WEEK OF JUNE 2015;TIME LIMIT FOR FILING THESE RETURNS IS ALSO PROPOSED TO BE EXTENDED UP TO 31.08.2015; ONLY PASSPORT NUMBER, IF AVAILABLE, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE GIVEN IN FORMS ITR-2 AND ITR-2A. DETAILS OF FOREIGN TRIPS OR EXPENDITURE THEREON ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE FURNISHED.

Forms ITR 1, 2 and 4S for Assessment Year 2015-16 were notified on 15th April 2015 (15.04.2015). In view of various representations, it was announced that these ITR forms will be reviewed. Having considered the responses received from various stakeholders, these forms are proposed to be simplified in the following manner for the convenience of the taxpayers:-

1) Individuals having exempt income without any ceiling (other than agricultural income exceeding Rs. 5,000) can now file Form ITR 1 (Sahaj). Similar simplification is also proposed for individuals/HUF in respect of Form ITR 4S (Sugam).

2) At present individuals/HUFs having income from more than one house property and capital gains are required to file Form ITR-2. It is, however, noticed that majority of individuals/HUFs who file Form ITR-2 do not have capital gains. With a view to provide for a simplified form for these individuals/HUFs, a new Form ITR 2A is proposed which can be filed by an individual or HUF who does not have capital gains, income from business/profession or foreign asset/foreign income.

3) In lieu of foreign travel details, it is now proposed that only Passport Number, if available, would be required to be given in Forms ITR-2 and ITR-2A. Details of foreign trips or expenditure thereon are not required to be furnished.

4) As regards bank account details in all these forms, only the IFS code, account number of all the current/savings account which are held at any time during the previous year will be required to be filled-up. The balance in accounts will not be required to be furnished. Details of dormant accounts which are not operational during the last three years are not required to be furnished.

5) An individual who is not an Indian citizen and is in India on a business, employment or student visa (expatriate), would not mandatorily be required to report the foreign assets acquired by him during the previous years in which he was non-resident if no income is derived from such assets during the relevant previous year.

6) As a measure of simplification, it has been endeavoured to ensure that in Form ITR

2 and the new Form ITR 2A, the main form will not contain more than 3 pages, and other information will be captured in the Schedules which will be required to be filled only if applicable.

As the software for these forms is under preparation, they are likely to be available for e-filing by 3rd week of June. Accordingly, the time limit for filing these returns is also proposed to be extended up to 31st August, 2015 (31.08.2015). A separate notification will be issued in this regard.