I-T offices to remain open till midnight on August 5

The deadline for filing tax returns has been extended for five days till August 5, the I-T department announced. The decision was taken due to "difficulties faced by taxpayers", it said on Twitter.

This comes one day after a top official ruled out any extension this time.

Returns filing has been harder this time due to mandatory Aadhaar-PAN linking, relevant post-demonetization declarations and more.

Register yourself by providing PAN. Next, choose how you want to e-file your ITR. Either download, fill it offline and upload it back on the site or fill it by selecting the quick e-file option.

Select the requisite form: ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR 2A, ITR 3, 4 and 4S.

Fill the form and upload. Once done, verify ITR V.

Look up dos and don'ts beforehand.

Claiming refunds on advance taxes paid or on tax deducted at source will make you lose interest payable by the I-T department. A delay of even one day means loss of four-month interest.

Your losses won't be carried forward if you don't file returns in time.

However, there's no penalty for delayed filing this year. Proposed penalty on delayed filing kicks in from 2018.

On the last day of the deadline for filing income tax returns, the department's field offices will function till midnight to help taxpayers in manual filing.

e-filing of returns is mandatory for those earning above Rs. 5L and less than 80 years of age; all others can choose to file through paper forms.

The deadline was earlier extended from July 31 to August 5.