What CAs Typically Charge to File Your ITR in India
The cost of CA-assisted ITR filing in India varies widely — from ₹500 for a simple return at a local tax preparer to ₹20,000+ for complex HNI situations. Here are realistic market benchmarks for FY 2025-26:
Simple Salaried Return (ITR-1)
- Local CA / tax agent: ₹500–₹1,500
- Online platforms: ₹999–₹1,499
- Big accounting firms: Typically do not offer individual salaried returns; they focus on business clients
A simple salaried ITR (one employer, no capital gains, no foreign income, Form 16 available) should cost you no more than ₹1,500 anywhere. If a CA quotes ₹3,000+ for a basic salaried return, that is above market rate.
ITR-2 — With Capital Gains or Multiple Income Sources
- Online platforms: ₹1,499–₹2,999
- Practising CA: ₹2,000–₹5,000 depending on complexity
Capital gains cases involve more work: the CA must compute STCG/LTCG scrip by scrip, apply FIFO matching for equity, and correctly apply the new 20%/12.5% rates from Budget 2024. This justifies a higher fee than a basic salaried return.
ITR for High Income (Above ₹50 Lakh)
- Online platforms: ₹1,999–₹3,999
- Practising CA: ₹3,000–₹10,000
HNI returns involve Schedule AL (assets and liabilities), surcharge computation, and sometimes foreign income or DTAA. This requires more expertise and more time, and the fees reflect that.
Freelancer / Business Income (ITR-3 or ITR-4)
- Online platforms: ₹1,499–₹2,999
- Practising CA: ₹2,000–₹8,000
If a tax audit is required (turnover above ₹1 crore for business, ₹50 lakh for professionals under certain conditions), costs rise to ₹10,000–₹25,000+ as the CA must certify the audit report under Section 44AB.
Why Do Prices Vary So Much?
The variation comes from several factors:
- Complexity of income: One employer + Form 16 = simple. Multiple brokers + rental income + ESOP = complex.
- Geography: Metro CAs charge more than tier-2 city CAs, even for identical work.
- CA seniority and reputation: A CA who is a partner at a firm charges more than a fresh practitioner.
- Urgency: Filing in June is cheaper than filing in the last week of July.
- Platform vs. individual CA: Online platforms achieve lower prices through standardisation and scale.
What Should Be Included in the Fee
A fair ITR filing fee should cover, at minimum:
- Review of Form 16 / income documents
- New vs old regime comparison and selection
- Income computation and ITR form preparation
- E-filing on the income tax portal
- E-verification
- ITR acknowledgement provided to you
Some CAs charge extra for e-filing, verification, and the acknowledgement — these should ideally be bundled. Always ask what is included before agreeing to a price.
Red Flags to Watch For
- "We will file a revised return if anything goes wrong" — charged separately: A revised return should be a standard service. If the error was the CA's fault, it should be free.
- No written engagement letter: Any professional engagement should have a clear scope in writing, even if it is just a WhatsApp message confirming what is included.
- Asking for your income tax portal password: A CA can file using their DSC or an OTP-based process. They should not need your portal login credentials. If they insist, be cautious — this creates a security risk.
- Promising a refund that seems too high: A CA cannot "create" refunds. Any refund you receive is your legally entitled TDS credit. Be skeptical of promises like "we will get you ₹50,000 refund" unless your Form 26AS shows that TDS was actually deducted.
- Charging by refund percentage: Some practitioners charge a percentage of the refund they "obtain" for you. This is not illegal, but it is an incentive structure that may not align with accurate filing.
Self-Filing vs. CA: When Is It Worth Paying?
Self-filing (free on the portal) makes sense if:
- You have one salary, Form 16 in hand, no capital gains, no foreign income
- You are comfortable with the income tax portal
- Your income and deductions are straightforward
A CA is worth the fee if:
- You changed jobs during the year (dual Form 16, potential tax shortfall)
- You have capital gains from stocks or mutual funds
- You have income above ₹50 lakh
- You have foreign income, ESOP, or RSU income
- There is a TDS mismatch in your Form 26AS
- You received a notice from the IT Department
The fee-saving on errors alone — a wrong regime choice or a missed TDS claim — can easily exceed ₹5,000 for a mid-income earner.
What FirstReports Charges
At FirstReports, we believe CA-assisted filing should not cost a fortune for straightforward returns:
- Income below ₹50 lakh (ITR-1/ITR-2): from ₹999
- Income above ₹50 lakh (ITR-2/ITR-3): from ₹1,999
- Advance tax calculation: from ₹999
All plans include full CA review, regime comparison, portal filing, e-verification, and ITR acknowledgement. Fixed pricing, no hidden add-ons. View detailed pricing →