Keep in mind that this is the gross income before any deductions and tax breaks. If your annual income is `4.2 lakh and you invest `1.5 lakh under Sec 80C, your tax will come down to zero. But you are still liable to file your tax return. Similarly, even if all your taxes are paid, you still need to file the return.

For a lot of people, confusion stems from a rule introduced four years ago, where salaried individuals with an income of up to `5 lakh a year were exempted from filing returns. However, that rule has long been withdrawn. Although the regulation was applicable only to that particular financial year, many people tend to still follow it. Not filing returns is not a very serious offence if all your taxes are paid. You will only get a notice asking you to do the needful. The tax laws allow a tax payer to file delayed returns even after the due date has passed.But if you have unpaid taxes, be ready to pay interest as well as a penalty of up to `5,000.

Don't miss filing your return even if your tax is zero or all your taxes are paid. File online to avoid mistakes