Hi everyone,
I’m an NRI and wanted some clarity on the correct and intended process for working with a CA on income-tax filings in India.
In the past, my compliance was handled by a CA using my own income-tax login credentials. While this worked operationally, I’ve always had a feeling that this may not be the ideal or recommended approach, especially from a security and compliance perspective.
My understanding is that:
• The proper process is to add the CA as an Authorized Representative / CA on the Income-tax e-Filing portal
• The CA then files returns and submissions using their own login
• The taxpayer (me) still does the final e-verification using Aadhaar, net banking, or other methods
I’d appreciate confirmation from professionals here:
• Is this understanding correct as per current Income-tax Department processes?
• Are there situations where using the taxpayer’s login is unavoidable, or is authorization the preferred route in most cases?
I’m trying to work with a professional CA who follows best practices, so I’d also love guidance on how to evaluate this upfront.
Some questions I’d ask your advice on:
• What questions should a client ask a CA before onboarding to ensure the process will be handled correctly?
• What information or access does a CA typically need from an NRI client if the authorization route is used?
• From a CA’s perspective, what does a well-prepared, compliant client usually do right?
A couple of broader, genuine questions as well:
• In practice, do most CAs handle filings personally, or is this typically delegated to trained team members under their supervision?
• How do platforms like ClearTax, TaxBuddy, etc. compare to working with an independent CA?
Would really appreciate insights from CAs and experienced taxpayers here.
Thanks
CAclubindia
