ITR Season: Are You Overpaying Your CA's Fees?
A viral post about a CA earning ₹12 lakh during ITR filing season has people asking: what should tax filing actually cost? Here's what's fair to pay — and when you can file for free yourself.
₹12L in one ITR season = more than most salaried Indians earn in a full year at ₹8L CTC.
What a CA earns during ITR season — and what you overpay
Key Takeaways
Check your income type first — if you only have salary, one employer, and bank FD interest, you likely qualify for free ITR-1 self-filing on incometax.gov.in.
Compare CA fees before you pay — a basic salaried ITR should cost ₹500–₹1,500; anything above ₹3,000 for a simple return is worth questioning.
Use a CA only if you have capital gains, house property income, business income, foreign assets, or multiple employers — that complexity genuinely justifies professional fees.
A viral post about a CA earning ₹12 lakh during ITR filing season has people asking: what should tax filing actually cost? Here's what's fair to pay — and when you can file for free yourself.
Here's what happened: A viral social media post claimed a Pune-based CA earned ₹12 lakh from nearly 400 clients during the July ITR filing rush, sparking debate about tax filing fees.. India's ITR filing deadline (July 31 for salaried individuals) creates a seasonal surge in demand for CAs, allowing premium pricing during this short peak window.. Most salaried taxpayers with only salary income and bank interest qualify for ITR-1, which can be filed free on the official Income Tax e-filing portal using pre-filled data..
What you should do: Check your income type first — if you only have salary, one employer, and bank FD interest, you likely qualify for free ITR-1 self-filing on incometax.gov.in.. Compare CA fees before you pay — a basic salaried ITR should cost ₹500–₹1,500; anything above ₹3,000 for a simple return is worth questioning.. Use a CA only if you have capital gains, house property income, business income, foreign assets, or multiple employers — that complexity genuinely justifies professional fees..
Pre-filled ITR on the Income Tax portal now auto-imports your salary from Form 16, TDS from Form 26AS, and bank interest from AIS — for most salaried filers, you just verify and submit.
If this affects your borrowing choices, compare current personal loan options from 100+ lenders on GoCredit.
Explore TARA — Your Financial Co-Pilot
Retirement, tax, EMI, refinance and savings calculators — all free. Get a plan aligned to YOUR income, goals and CIBIL.
Try TARA — Free →References
- [1]“' ₹12 lakh in just a few days': Viral post on Pune-based CA's income during ITR season sparks debate online” mint - money · 2 Aug 2026
This article is reported by GoCredit's Editorial Team based on the source above. GoCredit synthesises, contextualises, and adds India-borrower-relevant analysis. We are not the original publisher.