Everything you need to know about ITR-4 Form

The Indian Government specifies seven income tax returns categories for its citizens. Among these is the ITR-4. ITR-4 is filed by persons whose net income is less than ₹50 lakhs subject to other conditions. You can check out the eligibility rules of who needs to file this return.

Also, through this article, we will give you detailed, step-by-step points on how you can file the ITR file online and offline. Let's get started on the important details of the ITR-4 form.

The ITR-4 Sugam is one of the income tax returns forms. It is for those taxpayers who have opted for a presumptive income scheme. This scheme has been outlined in Section 44AD, Section 44AE, and Section 44ADA. Note, however, that if the business's turnover exceeds ₹2 crores, the taxpayer needs to file ITR-3.

What is the structure of the ITR-4 form?

The ITR-4 form has been divided into several parts. Each part takes information regarding different aspects of an individual's tax declaration. Take a look at the ITR-4 structure! 

• PART A contains all the general information like name, DOB and address
• PART B includes the gross income from five heads of pay such as salary, house property, income from other sources
• PART C is for deductions and total taxable income 
• PART D is for tax status and tax computations
• SCHEDULE BP has the details on income from business or profession
• SCHEDULE IT contains particulars of advance tax and self-assessment tax payments
• SCHEDULE TCS particulars of tax collected at source
• SCHEDULE TDS-1 has details regarding tax deduction at source from the salary
• SCHEDULE TDS-2 has the specifics of tax deducted at source on any income source except salary

Here is a list of who is eligible for ITR-4. If you fall under this category, you should declare your returns under the ITR-4 option. 

The ITR-4 is filed by individuals or Hindu Undivided Families who are RNOR (resident other than not ordinarily resident) or a firm which is not a Limited Liability Partnership but is a resident and has an income not exceeding ₹50 lakhs for the year 2020-21. Also, their revenues fall under the following heads:

• Income received from a business where it is calculated on a presumptive basis under Section 44AD with a gross turnover of up to ₹2 crores. Alternatively, under Section 44AE, which is concerning income from up to ten goods carriages.
• Income received from a profession where this income is calculated on a presumptive basis under Section 44ADA with a gross receipt up to ₹50 lakhs.
• Income from salary or pension
• Income from one house property
• Interest income from the family pension which is taxable under other sources.

Points to Note:

• The presumptive income computed under Sections 44AD, 44AE, 44ADA are assumed to be calculated after consideration is given to every loss, allowance, depreciation, or deduction under Income Tax Act.
• If the income of a spouse or minor child is to be clubbed with the income of an assessee, use this form if the clubbed income falls within the ₹50 lakhs bracket.

These were the ITR-4 eligibility rules.

While it is necessary to understand who needs to file the ITR-4 form, there is also a category of persons who do not need to file this form. Who these people are for the annual year 2020-21 is listed below:

The ITR-4 returns do not have to be filed by a person who:

• Has a signing authority in any account located outside of India
• Has unlisted equity shares in the 2019-20 year
• Income from any source that is outside of India
• Is a director of a company
• Has any financial asset located out of India

Also, according to Section B, a person cannot use these returns if they have income from any of the following categories acquired in the previous year:

• Income, profits, or gains from businesses or professions that are not required to be computed under 44AD, 44ADA, 44AE of Income Tax Act, such as incomes from brokerage, commission, agency, or speculative business
• Capital gains
• Income from more than one house property
• Income from winning in lottery
• Income from owning or maintaining racehorses
• Income taxable under special cases such as Sections 115BBDA or Section 115BBE
• Income which is to be apportioned under Section 5A
• Income from agriculture above ₹5,000

Further Section C specifies that a person cannot use this form if they have any claims of loss/deduction/relief/tax credit under the following categories:

• Any loss that is brought or carried forward under any income head
• Loss under income from other sources
• Any relief claimed from Sections 90, 90A, or 91
• Any deduction claim under Section 57
• Any deduction claim of tax deducted at source in the hands of any other person

Persons who fall under these categories do not have to file tax returns under the ITR-4 category.

There are two ways in which you can file the ITR-4 form. One is through the online method, and the other is through the offline mode. Let's find out how to file ITR-4.

Offline method of ITR-4 filing

You can file the ITR-4 form offline only in the following cases:

• If you are a super senior citizen of 80 years or more
• If your income is not more than ₹5 lakhs, and those who do not need to claim a refund in ITR

Here's the process of how you can file the ITR-4 form. 

• Provide the ITR-4 in physical paper
• Provide the bar-coded return

The Income Tax Department will issue an acknowledgement once they have received the physical paper. That answers how to file ITR-4 offline.

Next, learn about the online process.

The online method of filing ITR-4

File the ITR-4 form electronically on the e-filing web portal www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in. You can verify the filings in any of the following ways:

• Digitally signing the verification part
• Using EVC or electronic verification code to authenticate
• Using Aadhaar OTP
• Filling up and sending a copy of the income tax return verification form, which is ITR-V, by post to the below address:

Centralized Processing Centre, Income Tax Department, Bengaluru— 560500, Karnataka.

This verification form ITR-V should reach the office within 120 days from filing the form. Also, CPC will confirm the receipt of ITR-V to you on the email you have used to register for e-filing.

That's how to file ITR-4 online!

There are a couple of major changes for filing the ITR-4 for the annual year 2020-21. They are as shown below:

• Individual taxpayers that meet the below criteria should also fill up ITR-1:
• Those making cash deposits above ₹1 crore with a bank
• Incurring expenses above ₹2 lakhs on foreign travel
• Expenditure of above ₹1 lakh on electricity

The taxpayer should indicate the amount of expense or deposit.

• In part A, the "Govt" checkbox has been changed to "Central Govt" and "State Govt." 
• In the “Nature of Employment,” a checkbox "Not Applicable" has been introduced.
• The returns filed under this section have been separated into two categories. They are "Normal Filing" and "Filed in Responses to Notices" categories. 
• Schedule VI-A which is there for tax deductions, has some changes. It has been amended to include deductions under 80EEA and 80EEB. There is a drop-down menu to enter details of donations under the Section 80G. 
• Details of the tax deduction for investment, payments, or expenditures have to be made between 1st April 2020 and 30th June 2020.
• In SCHEDULE BP, gross turnover or receipts include revenues from any electronic mode before the date.

These were the changes in ITR-4 for the annual year 2020-21.

In conclusion, we have told you how to file ITR-4 and what ITR-4 means. Complete filing of your income tax returns today!