How to file your income tax return on FBR IRIS, step by step

Before you start

Collect:

• Annual salary certificate from your employer (shows gross salary and tax deducted under section 149).
• Bank statements for 1 July – 30 June for every account.
• Withholding certificates: mobile operators, banks (profit on debt), vehicle token tax, property transactions.
• Last year's wealth statement, if you filed before.

1. Open the return

Log in to IRIS → Declaration → 114(1) Return of Income → select the tax year.

2. Salary

Under Employment → Salary, enter total gross salary. Enter tax deducted by the employer under Tax Chargeable / Adjustable Tax → Salary of Employees u/s 149.

3. Other income

• Profit on bank deposits, under Other Sources; enter the profit and the tax withheld (from the bank certificate).
• Rental income, capital gains, dividends, each has its own section.

4. Adjustable tax

Withholding you already paid on mobile bills, vehicle token, property purchase, cash withdrawals, etc. Enter each with the amount so it is credited against your liability. Missing these is the most common reason people overpay.

5. Tax computation

IRIS calculates tax on the slabs automatically. Compare it with our calculator. If tax deducted exceeds tax due, the difference becomes a refund claim.

6. Wealth statement (section 116)

List assets at cost (property, vehicles, bank balances, investments, gold, cash) and liabilities. The reconciliation must balance: last year's net wealth + this year's income − expenses = this year's net wealth. Unexplained increases in wealth are what draw notices.

7. Submit

Verify with the PIN sent to your mobile. Download the acknowledgement. Check the ATL the following Monday.

Mistakes that trigger notices

1. Bank deposits larger than declared income.
2. A car or property in your name that is missing from the wealth statement.
3. Foreign remittances without a bank certificate.
4. Declaring salary lower than what the employer reported.