Not every notice means trouble. The section number tells you how serious it is.
An income tax notice lands in your inbox and the first instinct is panic. Before you react, find the section number quoted in the notice — it tells you exactly what you're dealing with.
This is the most common one. It's an automated intimation after your return is processed, comparing your filed return against the department's own computation. Most of the time it just confirms your return matches, or flags a small mismatch (like a rounding difference or a TDS credit not reflected yet). Read it, check if any demand is raised, and respond only if there's an actual discrepancy.
This means something in your return doesn't add up — a mismatch between the ITR form and the income reported, or a missing schedule. You typically get 15 days to fix and refile. Ignoring it can cause your original return to be treated as invalid.
These mean your return has been picked up for detailed scrutiny or the department wants specific documents/information. This is not routine — respond within the deadline with complete documentation, ideally with a CA involved.
This means the department believes income has escaped assessment in a prior year. It's serious and time-sensitive. Get professional help immediately — the response you file shapes the entire reassessment outcome.
Every real income tax notice carries a Document Identification Number (DIN). You can verify any notice on the income tax e-filing portal under "Authenticate Notice/Order." If a "notice" arrives by email or WhatsApp with no DIN and asks you to click a link or pay urgently, it's very likely a scam — don't act on it.
Send it over on a call — I'll tell you exactly what it means and what to do next.
