You can pay your income tax easily online using secure payment gateways authorized by the IT department. This will save your time and money.
It is imperative that you provide correct PAN (Permanent Account Number) to the IT Department for all your tax-related activities.
This is because the IT Department records all financial information and transactions using your unique PAN.
Online
The income tax department has a number of options to help individuals pay taxes online. These include net banking, debit card, RTGS/NEFT and payment gateway.
The last two are online options while the former involves a physical visit to an authorised bank. Meanwhile you can discover the steps to become an income tax officer at Growwpedia
However, these options do come with transaction charges, which you should take into account when deciding which one to choose.
The first step in paying taxes online is to log on to the income tax department’s e-filing portal. Once there, you will need to enter your user ID and password.
Next, select ‘e-Pay Tax’ under ‘Quick Links’ on the homepage. After this, you will be prompted to enter your PAN and re-enter it to verify it. Once you’ve done this, select ‘Continue’.
You will then be prompted to choose an authorised bank from the list. Make sure that you select the same one from which you’ll be making your payment.
If you don’t, the challan will not work at another authorised bank.
Once you’ve selected an authorised bank, click on the ‘e-Pay Tax’ option and enter the amount you want to pay.
You can also submit a cheque or cash at the authorised bank counter. Once you’ve paid the amount, the bank will give you a receipt.
You should keep this receipt in case you need to file a return for that year.
Offline
Online income tax payment is a convenient and easy-to-use method that allows individuals to pay their taxes from the comfort of their homes.
However, some individuals might prefer to use the offline method to make their payments. This is because using the online method requires uninterrupted internet connectivity.
Fortunately, the government offers two offline methods for making taxes payments — RTGS/NEFT and bank challan.
To make a tax payment through RTGS/NEFT, an individual must first select the option from the e-filing portal’s payment page.
Then, they must choose an authorised bank from the list of options and click on continue.
After selecting the authorised bank, they must then download the RTGS/NEFT mandate form. Finally, they must visit the selected bank to deposit their taxes.
The RTGS/NEFT mode of payment is a safe and secure way to make taxes payments.
In addition, this method provides instant credit to the government. It also offers a convenience to individuals who have limited or unavailable access to the internet.
In contrast, the bank challan method is a more time-consuming and inconvenient method for paying taxes.
However, it is a popular choice among individuals who are unable or unwilling to use the online method.
The challan is a tax-deposit slip that shows the amount paid and the date of deposit. It also displays the BSR code and serial number of the bank branch. e-Filing
Unlike the offline mode where tax credit is given to the government only after a day, the online method allows taxpayers to make payments anytime and anywhere.
Moreover, it is also safe and secure. The key prerequisites for e-payment of taxes are a valid mobile number, an active bank account with internet banking enabled and a PAN card.
In addition, the challan must be issued under the taxpayer’s name and should be endorsed with the PAN card number.
To make a payment online, the individual first needs to visit the income tax department’s e-filing portal.
After logging in, the individual will see a button named ‘e-pay tax’ under Quick Links on the left side of the page. Click on it and select the appropriate option from the list of authorised banks.
Once the selection is made, an RTGS/NEFT mandate form will be downloaded for that particular bank and can be printed out. The next step is to fill in the relevant details.
Depending on the assessment year and the type of payment, an individual will be required to fill in various rows. This includes the amount of advance tax, surcharge, cess, etc.
Once all the fields have been filled in, an individual can proceed to the next step, which is to select a preferred mode of payment.
Challan
Whether you are an employee or self-employed, paying income tax is a legal and essential part of being an citizen.
The government keeps a close eye on anyone who attempts to evade taxes, and the process has been streamlined by the use of digital technologies.
Individuals can now pay their advance tax, self-assessment tax, and other charges online using Challan 280.
To make an online tax payment, first log in to the e-filing portal using your user ID and password.
Then, click on ‘New Payment’ to initiate the process. Once you’ve entered your details, you can select the bank from which you wish to make the payment.
You will then need to enter a captcha code to confirm your identity and continue.
Once the transaction is successful, you will receive an immediate acknowledgement in the form of a receipt.
The receipt will also display the BSR code and challan serial number. This information can be used to file your return later on.
The process of making a tax payment online using Challan 280 is simple and efficient.
You can choose to pay using net banking, debit card, or UPI, and the challan will be generated by the authorized bank on the next working day (day 1).
In addition, you can download your challan counterfoil for proof of payment at any time.
So this is all about how you can pay your income taxes online. And do not forget to go through with the Growwpedia comprehensive guide on becoming an income tax officer
