My story of filing IT returns #TaxPledge

I am glad to have the opportunity to write down why is filing tax returns so important for every individual. We often feel that we don't fall in the tax bracket and hence we cannot be taxed but this is not true. Whether working or not working, every individual who owns a PAN card and earns an amount that falls in the tax bracket is charged TDS for the same.

　

I'll share my story with you and how I filed my IT return online. Last year, my income fell in the tax bracket due to which I was charged TDS which was more than the amount I had to pay and the same was deducted from my account. I realized it quite late and was confused about how to file IT return online. A collegue of me explained me the basics of filing an e-return in few minutes and it was so simple. I just needed to login to incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and enter my PAN card details. My income details were all linked to my PAN card and I could already see the statement which mentioned all the necessary details I had to enter in my form. I then took a print out of my ITR-V form and posted it to the Income Tax Department. After few months, the amount was credited to my bank account and the process was very simple while earlier I had a misconception that I would need to enter each detail manually which was not the case here. I was taxed an amount more than the required sum and hence filing a return was beneficial. For those who don't have an internet connection, it is better to download the ITR form from the website itself and then fill in the details and get your ITR-V printed and posted to the IT department office. You'll get the return soon afterwards.

　

With H&R introducing the #TaxPledge activity, it has become easier and beneficial for us to file returns. H&R along with Freecharge has introduced a campaign where by every person who files an IT return via Freecharge gets a Rs. 200 cashback. Isn't this a great opportunity for all of us? I have also filed my return this year with Freecharge and H&R and I pledge to all those who haven't yet done it to do so soon.

I’m taking the #TaxPledge to file IT returns with the easy Income Tax efiling option from H&R Block at BlogAdda.

A story of Zizoo #TaxPledge

Let me tell you a story of Zizo...Yes...Zizoo...

 

Now you'll ask me, who is Zizoo? Well, Zizoo is an astronaut.

Zizoo earns over Rs. 50000 per month. Now, that's an income that falls into the tax bracket but Zizoo has just started to earn this income and was unaware that he needs to pay taxes.

　

On hearing about the last date to file an IT return, Zizoo asked his senior Tabo about how to file an IT return.

　

Tabo laughed an told him that he has not been filing an IT return for 3 years and nothing has happened to him. He told him that it's not necessary to file a return and declare your income.

　

Now, Zizoo was confused on hearing this and felt that if nothing has happened to tabo, nothing will happen to him. He anyways was a new joinee and it was all new to him. Nobody had ever explained to him about taxes and what's the taxable income.

　

After a month, Zizoo got the news that Tabo's house was raided by the IT department. Zizoo was shattered to hear the news and when he visited him, he saw how the officer arrested Tabo for tax evasion. Tabo was sorry for being a dishonest citizen and avoiding to pay taxes that he was liable of.

Zizoo then searched on his mobile about filing IT returns and he did so by logging into incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and submitting the ITR-V form to the mentioned address. On receiving the email from the tax department that he has succesfully submitted his form and now is a law abiding citizen by fulfilling his duty towards the Government, he can live his life as happy as he was living the way before.

　

　

In this story, we learn how Zizoo was misguided by his senior and was unaware of the consequences that can arise as a result of not paying taxes and avoiding our responsibilities. He was a new joinee and this story is a lesson for all those who are new in filing tax returns. We may meet many people who avoid paying taxes but the result always is negative and hence we should pay our taxes and avail the benefits by doing so. Taxes are our responsibility and like Zizoo took the right decision, we should do the same and pay our taxes in a timely manner. Check the website incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in for more details.


I’m taking the #TaxPledge to file IT returns with the easy Income Tax efiling option from H&R Block at BlogAdda.

Ki and Ka #ShareTheLoad message

Talking about gender equality and the preconceived notions of today, a movie named "Ki and Ka" set an example for us and we could actually see the truth that exists today in society.


This movie spoke about factors that all women and men discuss and feel in real life and now Blogadda and Ariel are too promoting the fact that laundry is not just the work of a woman, but it is the job of a man too or we can say that it's a joint responsibility wherein a women should not be the only person who is responsible for taking care of the laundry work.


In the movie, Arjun Kapoor was shown as a house husband and Kareena was a working women. Being individuals of today, both shared the responsibility equally wherein Arjun would handle all the household duties and Kareena would just work outside and be the man of the house. The movie did bring out interesting facts like a woman trying to be the male and the husband trying to be the female of the house and how the women's ego was hurt when her husband was getting recognition for just being a house-husband. It also addressed the fact of men sharing laundry duties with their wives wherein Kareena spoke about a campaign or advertising idea of introducing 50% off on cooking oil when a male goes to buy oil from a grocery store. Many men in the room first hesitated from passing this idea but then on giving it a thought, they actually agreed with her and made the decision final.
Like shown in the movie, I would like to share a bunch of ideas that can help Ariel promote the #ShareTheLoad message:


1. Ariel can introduce a discount on detergent powder when males go to buy the same from grocery stores. This would create a curiosity among women to force their men to buy detergents from stores and share the load.
2. While buying detergents from the market, Ariel could also start a campaign which would make males to share their videos wherein they are seen using the detergent and washing their clothes on their own in their houses. The best video can be then chosen and it could be an exciting task to perform for males.
3. Having unisex washing machines, men already are aware that they can too take up the laundry responsibility. Having posters with men promoting washing machines could be a big step in promoting the ShareTheLoad message.
4. Having special small detergent packets for male kids where they can see how other kids are sharing the load with their parents can help to spread this message among the youth.
5. Having a campaign where all men and boys are showing washing their clothes instead of women (just like we had a SwachBharatAbhiyaan) can be helpful as well.

I am taking part in the #ShareTheLoad Challenge with Ariel and Aksharaat BlogAdda.

Not just an Activity...It was a Reality #ShareTheLoad

This activity turned into a reality for me recently.

　

Since it's the holiday season, I and my family went on a trip to Dahanu to experience a change in weather and take few days off from the Summer heat and visit our family as well. We had such a blast for 5 days and it was a different experience all together as we had visited that place after 6 long years.

　

We have a small bungalow in Dahanu which is owned by our grand parents. There is a well in the back area and a huge courtyard where the family gets together and cooks food for special occasions. It is an enclosed area and we cook food there as it is a part of our tradition and our elders say that it binds us together. The well is still present in the house and it has been there for the past 60-65 years. Though we have tanks for the water supply, we make use of the well during Summers as it has cool water and it is believed to be good for the body.

　

This time, we were so exhausted by the heat of Mumbai that we decided to all spend time in the courtyard and perform all the household chores in the back area itself. It was 6 in the morning and the time when we get up to wash clothes. This time our husbands and kids too decided to come down as there were too many clothes to wash and we could all spend maximum time together after years. It was my husband and his brothers who pulled out buckets from the well and passed it on to us and our kids took responsibility of adding soap in the buckets. As we kept washing the clothes, we had a great time chit chatting, singing songs loudly and sharing jokes with each other. It was after years that we all were washing our clothes in the traditional way rather than using the washing machine and it really reminded me of the ShareTheLoad activity that Blogadda and Ariel had made me blog about few weeks ago. That day, we were not only women who were sharing the load but it was the men, women and kids of the house together sharing the load. This is a great message to all those young males and boys to share this responsibility and make the load less for the females of their houses.


I am taking part in the #ShareTheLoad Challenge with Ariel and Aksharaat BlogAdda.

My daughter's pregnancy journey #YummyMummy

Now times have changed and people no longer ask their friends or family members for tips or advise during pregnancy. They refer to online websites or online apps to fetch the latest information. Even sonography and other medical tests are done at home. While my daughter was pregnant, she could take her pregnancy test at home itself with Preganews and then she took out a test via our family doctor to confirm the news. It has become so simple these days.


My daughter was able to monitor her baby bump as well and she used to come and tell me that her baby bump should increase by so many inches and during which month as well and that use to amaze me about the new technical generation. She used to use an app that used to morph pictures of her and her husband and give a result of how her baby would look like. I used to tell her to not trust such apps as they can give inaccurate results but the smile on her face while imaging her baby was worth cherishing.


I bought new clothes for the baby and we had already started searching for baby names if it was a boy or girl from the internet itself. I had an old "Baby names" book which I told her to refer and she wanted the name to be different rather than begin with the initials of her and her husband. My daughter used to still ask me for health related advise with regards to the ladoos that I used to eat during my pregnancy and the soups I used to drink. She started consuming the same and it used to give her a good relief.


My daughter used to rarely complain about the pain she used to get and she was quite healthy during her pregnancy that have me a relief too. She used to get to know when the baby is moving and she used to keep talking to the baby. It was her husband too who used to communicate with the baby and doctors say that the baby does hear what we speak or talk during our pregnancy. She had bought some child elated books and stories that she used to keep reading for the baby.


During her delivery, I accompanied her throughout along with her husband and there were slight complications due to which the delivery was taking even longer. I stood besides her and caressed her face and she finally saw her son wrapped in a white cloth and smiled. I became a grandmother that moment and we all held each other's hands welcoming the new member of our family.


I’m writing about my wonderful journey of pregnancy for the#YummyMummy blogging activity at BlogAdda in association with Marico Bio Oil.

Those special moments #YummyMummy

This Mother's Day is going to be special for all moms and even their kids who get to read and learn about their mother's journey while they were expecting them. Each child love to know what her/his mother went through during their pregnancy and even my children used to keep insisting that I should share my experience with them. However, this experience is not understood or felt till one herself goes through the same. Even though males cannot experience this physically, they can experience the moments mentally and the same case was with my husband.



I remember the day clearly. It was 3rd of April when I got to know about my pregnancy. It was my dad's birthday too and it was the best gift I could give him ever of becoming a grand father. My father then had started collecting my clothes and toys from his cupboard which he had kept in a box safely and he took the box out and gave it to me. I opened it and couldn't stop crying holding my dresses and toys in my hand. I could feel what he was going through as his own child was giving birth to her own one. That feeling was so special and meaningful for both of us.



As the first month passed by, my husband told me that I had to stop working in the court as already 3 months had passed. I explained to him that till 5 months, there was no physical stress for me and I could continue working without taking any pressure on my body. He wasn't convinced and said that it would harm me and the baby and hence we consulted the doctor as well who confirmed the same.



I kept on putting on weight and also felt embarrassed when my tummy could be seen. Getting a place in the bus was easy but travelling too started becoming an issue for me. I was happy to see people also taking care of pregnant woman and in my court too, there were lawyers who used to share tips with me about what I should eat and what I should avoid. There were new things that I had learnt too like to avoid eating heaty stuff or fruits, not to consume any tablets (which was something that I found tough avoiding), I had to avoid alcohol too but I usually never used to consume it, sleeping on the back (which was tough as I had a habit of moving a lot while sleeping) and exercising too. My neighbors used to make ladoos too in their homes for me and I was pleased with their gesture.



When the day arrived when my baby would finally open its eyes and welcome his new life, I kept counting those moments when my baby would be in my arms. When I heard its cry, a tear dropped from my eyes I've given birth to a new life. Whenever my baby celebrates his birthday, I recall all those moments.


I’m writing about my wonderful journey of pregnancy for the#YummyMummy blogging activity at BlogAdda in association with Marico Bio Oil.

Who am I?

This is Luiza Fernandes. I am a mother of 2 kids and a grandmother of 2 kids. I have a daughter and son who are both married. I am a Lawyer by profession and my husband works in an IT company. I work in a small law firm and handle criminal cases. I love eating a lot and am a foodie. My favourite food is Chinese Fried Rice and Veg. Manchurian. I also like to sing and dance and whenever I get a chance in parties or weddings, I love to shake my leg. I don't like cooking a lot and am not a very good cook. I share my responsibilities of my house with my maid and my kids. My husband too helps me at times. My favourite holiday destinations are Goa and Australia (as my family lives there too).


This is a little bit about myself.