Wrong Tax Regime? Switch & Save ₹1.5L at ITR
Many salaried people don't know they can switch tax regimes when filing their ITR — even if their employer deducted TDS under a different regime. Here's how to use this flexibility to pay less tax.
Skipping a regime switch costs more than 5 years of Netflix subscriptions — every single year.
Your 80C deductions alone can save this much under the old tax regime
Key Takeaways
Calculate your tax liability under both regimes using your actual salary slips, investment proofs, and HRA — a free tax calculator on the income tax portal takes under 10 minutes.
If the old regime saves you more money, file your ITR under it regardless of what TDS was deducted — any excess tax already paid becomes a refund.
Check whether your employer's Form 16 reflects the correct regime; if there is a mismatch, reconcile it carefully in your ITR to avoid a defective return notice.
Many salaried people don't know they can switch tax regimes when filing their ITR — even if their employer deducted TDS under a different regime. Here's how to use this flexibility to pay less tax.
Here's what happened: Salaried employees can choose a different tax regime at ITR filing time, even if their employer used another regime for TDS deductions throughout the year.. Those with business or professional income face stricter rules — they can switch regimes only once and must file Form 10-IEA to opt out of the new regime.. The new default tax regime has lower rates but no major deductions; the old regime allows 80C, 80D, HRA, home loan interest, and other exemptions that can significantly cut taxable income..
What you should do: Calculate your tax liability under both regimes using your actual salary slips, investment proofs, and HRA — a free tax calculator on the income tax portal takes under 10 minutes.. If the old regime saves you more money, file your ITR under it regardless of what TDS was deducted — any excess tax already paid becomes a refund.. Check whether your employer's Form 16 reflects the correct regime; if there is a mismatch, reconcile it carefully in your ITR to avoid a defective return notice..
If your annual 80C investments, home loan interest, and HRA together exceed ₹3.75 lakh, the old regime almost always saves you more tax than the new regime's lower rates.
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- [1]“Can you change the income tax regime while filing ITR? Here's what taxpayers should know” mint - money · 28 Jul 2026
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