How to File ITR for Salaried Employees for Free (Step-by-Step Guide 2025–26)

How to File ITR for Salaried Employees for Free (Step-by-Step Guide 2025–26)

Every year, around June and July, a familiar pattern plays out. Salaried professionals who have been meaning to file their own ITR for years end up either paying a CA ₹500–₹2,000 for something they could do themselves in 30 minutes, or they miss the deadline entirely and file a belated return in December with a ₹5,000 late fee attached. The reality is that for most salaried employees — one employer, standard deductions, no business income — filing ITR is genuinely straightforward. The Income Tax Department's e-filing portal does most of the heavy lifting today. The data is pre-filled. The calculations are automated. You are largely reviewing and confirming, not building a return from scratch. This guide walks you through the entire process — which form to use, which documents you need, what the portal steps look like, and the mistakes that cause most returns to go wrong. No CA required for this one. Who This Guide Is For This article is specifically written for salaried employees who: …