The Income Tax Return (ITR) filing season for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 is underway. Yet, many taxpayers continue to approach ITR filing with certain misconceptions. Some believe that the word "return" in Income Tax Return is synonymous with "refund" and expect that filing an ITR will invariably result in a tax refund. Others, particularly salaried employees, view ITR filing as a mere procedural formality because tax has already been deducted by their employer through Tax Deducted at Source (TDS).
Both assumptions are misplaced.