Mistakes in ITR filing: Be alert, wrong deductions and exemptions in income tax returns can land taxpayers in trouble

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tax laws. Wrongfully claimed deductions can lead to penalties and criminal charges. Tax authorities can take legal action if discrepancies are found.

Deductions and exemptions not supported with actual transactions and supporting proofs should not be claimed, said Archit Gupta, Founder and CEO, Clear. Additionally, if you intentionally claim deductions or exemptions that you are not entitled to, it can be considered tax evasion and may result in penalties, fines, and even criminal charges.  This can land the taxpayer in trouble, due to short reporting of income or wrongfully claimed deductions. “Under Section 270A, misreporting of income attracts a penalty of 200% of the tax sought to be evaded, subject to certain conditions," said Abhishek Soni, Co-founder & CEO of Tax2win.  Tax authorities have the right to process your tax return and verify the accuracy of the information provided.

If they discover any discrepancies or false claims, they can take legal action against you. “The taxpayer must be prepared to respond to all of the department's queries and supply proofs wherever requested, should he/she receive a notice for the same," added Gupta. Abhishek Soni, Co-founder & CEO of Tax2win you can correct it by filing a revised return under Section 139(5) of the Income Tax Act.

But, do remember, the revised return can be filed three months prior to the end of the relevant assessment year; for the financial year 2022-23, the last date for filing the revised return would be December 31, 2023. The deadline to file the Income Tax Return (ITR) for the financial year 2022-23 is 31st July 2023.