You may be surprised to receive an intimation/notice from the income tax department even if you have filed your income tax returns within the due date. You may not be sure about what it is and how to respond to it. Don’t worry, we will break it down for you to help you understand your notices in detail.

First and foremost, it is important that you understand the difference between an intimation and a notice. There is a very thin line of difference between the two. An Intimation is to highlight the outcome of the processing of your return or conclusion of the assessment, and you may not be required to act upon it (although there are a few exceptions to it).

Before you respond to any communication received in the name of the income tax department, it is important to verify whether the notice/order issued is genuine and issued by the income tax authority.

You can authenticate the notice/order/letter issued by the income tax authority on the e-filing portal. Let us understand to verify the same.

Go to income tax e-filing portal. On the home page, go to ‘Authenticate notice/order issued by ITD’ under ‘Quick Links’.