What is Kar Saathi, and why does it matter for taxpayers
ET Online
AI-generated image
How Kar Saathi simplifies ITR filing
Quick answers to tax-related queries
Guidance on new tax rules, forms and laws
Reduced dependency on customer support or tax experts
Features of Kar Saathi chatbot
How Kar Saathi helps taxpayers reduce errors and penalties
For the average person, who doesn’t deal with taxes often, filing income tax returns can seem pretty confusing and time-consuming, especially with the frequent changes in tax rules, forms, and compliance requirements. As a result, many taxpayers find themselves depending on income tax professionals because they can’t find clear and easy-to-understand information.To simplify this process, the Income Tax Department has introduced a new AI-powered chatbot called Kar Saathi, designed to make tax filing and compliance more user-friendly and efficient. This chatbot is meant to answer most of the questions that taxpayers might have about the ITR filing process Announcing the update on X (formerly Twitter), the I-T department highlighted that:The New Income Tax website is here.✅ Simpler to navigate and faster to use.✅ One place to access all Income Tax-related information.✅ Meet Kar Saathi, your AI companion to help make your Direct Tax-related journeys easier.Kar Saathi is part of the newly revamped Income Tax portal, designed to provide instant assistance on tax-related queries and streamline the ITR filing experience.The initiative addresses a long-standing challenge in the tax ecosystem, information asymmetry, where taxpayers often struggle with fragmented or unclear information.“Kar Saathi may help users clearly understand their obligations, what is required, when it is required and how to comply by enabling a seamless flow of information between the department and stakeholders. It provides easy access to historical returns, relevant updates and contextual guidance, making compliance more structured and less overwhelming, “ says Rishi Agrawal, CEO and Co-Founder of Teamlease Regtech.The AI chatbot is designed to make tax compliance simpler by offering:“Kar Saathi is an AI chatbot on the Income Tax website that gives instant help to taxpayers. Instead of searching through different pages or documents, taxpayers can just ask their question and get a clear answer,” says CA Abhishek Soni, CEO & Co-founder, Tax2win.It is especially useful because many changes are happening with the new Income Tax Act, 2025, and the government wants to make this transition smooth, he adds.As pointed out by Soni, some of the key features include:It provides instant, real-time answers to queries related to tax filing, notices, refunds, and compliance, anytime. This reduces the need to depend on external consultants for basic questions.It works alongside the new income tax website, where all key services, like forms, challans, e-payment, and e-verification are available in one place. This removes the hassle of navigating multiple pages.The AI explains complex tax terms, new tax slabs, and deductions in simple, easy-to-understand language.It guides users through the entire ITR filing process, making it more structured and less stressful.It gives access to a large set of FAQs and guidance notes (2,200+), helping users quickly understand updated rules and compliance requirements.Kar Saathi helps taxpayers by significantly reducing the time, cost and complexity associated with compliance.“It minimises the risk of defective returns and associated penalties by guiding users step-by-step through the filing process and flagging potential errors, “says Agrawal.Additionally, it may lower the barriers to correct filing, particularly for individuals and small businesses, by simplifying processes and making information more transparent, he adds.Importantly, it signals a shift in the compliance approach, from a penalty-driven model to a prevention-based framework, where issues are addressed proactively before they escalate into enforcement actions.