New Income Tax E-Filing Portal 2026: How to Use Karsati AI Assistant, New Forms, and Payment Integration

The income tax e-filing portal has been completely redesigned. If you have filed returns before using the old interface at incometax.gov.in, the new portal will look and work differently. The core URL remains the same (incometax.gov.in), with the e-filing interface accessible at eportal.incometax.gov.in.

Here is a practical walkthrough of what changed and how to use the new features.

What Changed on the Portal

The redesigned portal launched alongside the Income Tax Act 2025. Key changes include:

• A completely new user interface with simplified navigation
• Karsati, a built-in AI virtual assistant
• Form Wizard for guided ITR filing
• Integrated tax payment module supporting both old and new tax regimes
• New ITR forms for AY 2026-27 available directly on the portal
• Updated e-verification options
• New tax challans aligned with the Income Tax Act 2025

The portal still requires your PAN-based login. If you had an account on the old portal, your credentials carry over.

Karsati: The AI Virtual Assistant

Karsati is the portal's built-in AI assistant, available in English and Hindi. You will find it as a chat icon on most pages of the portal.

What Karsati Can Help With

• Answering questions about which ITR form to use based on your income sources
• Explaining specific fields in the ITR form while you are filling it
• Guiding you through the e-verification process
• Providing information about due dates and penalties
• Helping locate specific sections of the portal

How to Use Karsati

1. Click the Karsati icon (chat bubble) on any portal page
2. Type your question in English or Hindi
3. Karsati responds with step-by-step guidance or direct links to the relevant portal section
4. You can ask follow-up questions in the same conversation

Limitations

Karsati provides general guidance based on the Income Tax Act and Rules. It does not access your specific financial data or provide personalized tax advice. For complex situations involving multiple income sources, capital gains, or business restructuring, consult a tax professional.

Form Wizard: Guided ITR Filing

The Form Wizard is a new feature that simplifies the ITR filing process into a step-by-step flow.

How It Works

1. Log in to the e-filing portal
2. Navigate to "File Income Tax Return"
3. Select the assessment year (AY 2026-27)
4. The Form Wizard asks a series of questions about your income sources, residential status, and total income
5. Based on your answers, it recommends the appropriate ITR form
6. It then walks you through each section of the form, one at a time

Pre-Filled Data

The Form Wizard pulls pre-filled data from:

• Form 26AS (TDS and tax payments)
• Annual Information Statement (AIS)
• Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS)
• Employer-reported Form 130 (replacing Form 16)

Review every pre-filled field carefully. Data from AIS includes transactions reported by banks, mutual funds, property registrars, and other entities. If any entry is incorrect, you can modify it in the form and provide an explanation.

Integrated Payment Module

The new portal includes a unified tax payment interface that consolidates all tax payments in one place.

Features

• Pay advance tax, self-assessment tax, and regular assessment tax from a single screen
• Supports both old and new tax regime calculations
• Real-time challan generation with instant confirmation
• Payment methods: net banking, debit card, UPI, and NEFT/RTGS
• New challan numbers aligned with Income Tax Act 2025

How to Pay Tax

1. Log in and navigate to "e-Pay Tax"
2. Select the type of payment (advance tax, self-assessment tax, etc.)
3. Enter the assessment year and tax details
4. Choose your payment method
5. Complete the payment
6. The challan is auto-linked to your PAN and reflected in Form 26AS

New Challan Structure

Under the Income Tax Act 2025, challan codes and formats have been updated. The portal generates the correct challan automatically based on your payment type. You do not need to memorize new codes.

New ITR Forms for AY 2026-27

All ITR forms (ITR-1 through ITR-7, ITR-V, and ITR-U) are now available on the portal. The forms have been restructured to align with the Income Tax Act 2025 section numbering.

Key points:

• ITR-1 (Sahaj): Available for salaried individuals with income up to Rs 50 lakh
• ITR-4 (Sugam): Available for presumptive taxation filers
• ITR-3: For business/profession income (audit cases get deadline of August 31)
• All forms now reference new Act sections instead of the old 1961 Act sections
• The portal provides a mapping reference if you are searching for old section numbers

E-Verification Options

After filing your ITR, you must verify it within 30 days. The new portal supports multiple verification methods:

1. Aadhaar OTP: An OTP is sent to the mobile number linked with your Aadhaar. This is the fastest option.

2. Electronic Verification Code (EVC): Generated through your pre-validated bank account, demat account, or net banking.

3. Net Banking: Log in through your bank's net banking portal to e-verify directly.

4. Digital Signature Certificate (DSC): Upload your registered DSC to verify. Mandatory for companies and certain audit cases.

5. Physical verification: Send a signed ITR-V to CPC Bengaluru by post. This should be the last resort as processing takes longer.

The 30-day verification window is strictly enforced. If you miss it, your return is treated as not filed, and you will need to file again.

Navigating the New Interface

Dashboard

After login, the dashboard shows:

• Filing status for current and past years
• Pending actions (verification, notices, refund status)
• Key dates and deadlines
• Quick links to common actions

Notices and Communications

All notices from the Income Tax Department are now served digitally through the portal. Check the "Pending Actions" and "Notices" sections regularly.

Refund Status

Track refund status directly from the dashboard. The portal shows processing stage, expected timeline, and any issues holding up the refund.

Tips for First-Time Users of the New Portal

1. Update your profile first. Verify your email, mobile number, and bank account details before starting the filing process.

2. Use the Form Wizard. Do not try to select the ITR form manually unless you are certain of the correct form.

3. Verify AIS data. Download and review your Annual Information Statement before filing. Discrepancies caught early reduce the risk of notices later.

4. Keep Aadhaar linked. Aadhaar-PAN linking is mandatory. Without it, you cannot file or receive refunds.

5. Save progress frequently. The portal allows you to save a draft and return later. Use this feature if you need to gather additional documents.

Let Tax Garden Guide Your Filing

The new portal has more features but also more complexity. Tax Garden's tax compliance team handles the entire filing process, from form selection and data verification to submission and e-verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Karsati available in languages other than English and Hindi?

Currently, Karsati supports English and Hindi. Additional language support may be added in future updates by the Income Tax Department.

Can I still access old ITR forms and past filings on the new portal?

Yes, past filings and ITR forms from previous assessment years are accessible under the Filing History section. The new portal carries over all historical data.

What if the Form Wizard recommends the wrong ITR form?

You can override the Form Wizard recommendation and select a different form manually. However, filing the wrong form may result in a defective return notice under Section 139(9).

Is the e-filing portal available on mobile?

The portal is accessible through mobile browsers. The Income Tax Department also offers the AIS for Taxpayer mobile app for checking Annual Information Statements on the go.

What happens if I do not e-verify within 30 days?

Your return will be treated as if it was never filed. You will need to file again, potentially as a belated return with applicable late fees under Section 234F.