For the average person, the process is simply too cumbersome and complicated to even attempt it. But it's simple really. Just log on to filemyreturns.com "We hope to eliminate the fear about tax and help individuals comply with the law,'' says Prasad Rajappan, one of the founders of the site.

All you have to do is intimate them about your intent to file returns. A representative from the site will drop in at your home and help you fill out forms, offer you free advice, do the follow-ups, get your refunds and even your PAN card.

It has been pretty successful, too, going by the numbers. According to Rajappan, the site has, in two years, summed up a user base of 30,000 customers, not including its corporate clientele.

The site itself is a storehouse of tax information. There are articles about tax-saving schemes, VRS, taxation for women, NRIs, taxability of perks, etc.

A comprehensive FAQ gives you a lowdown on capital gains, income from property, PAN, tax rebates, and more. There is also a section where you can ask experts questions related to taxation.

Tuhina Misra posed a few questions to Prasad Rajappan. Excerpts:

Why did you feel the need for the service? How has the response been?
Our research indicated that there is a strong need in the area of tax advice and actual facilitation of tax returns. It has been two years since we began. The response has been tremendous and overwhelming. We have a user base of about 30,000 customers.

What kind of follow-up procedure does your site have once the returns are filed?
We offer complete yearlong consultancy from simple to complicated issues related to tax, savings and investments. We take the service to the individual's doorstep. Right from the time of filling the forms till the returns are filed.

Your service is restricted to salaried people. Why are you not servicing self-employed professionals and even small businesses?
People who might not want or cannot afford the services of a chartered accountant? Is there a likelihood of your site servicing these individuals?
We were initially focusing on individuals, both salaried as well as those covered under the 'one-by-six scheme. Now, based on popular demand, we have started catering to self-employed professionals and smalltime businesses.

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Income Tax on RediffSearch Comprehensive listing of sites related to income-tax. Includes taxation forms, services, laws, planning, and more. eSaral Tax Site for salaried resident Indian individuals to compute their taxable income and liability thereof and file tax returns. Times of Money: Taxation Service similar to filemyreturns.com. Promises to file your taxes in 20 minutes flat.

Do you offer individual and personalised tax advice? Or do you merely file the returns? If you do offer this what are the additional costs?
Personalised service is our forte. We help and guide the individual at every step. There is no additional cost involved for any value-added service. As mentioned earlier we are in the service of helping individuals remove their fear about tax and help them comply with the law. Even NRIs have lauded our service.

We charge Rs 200 to file returns for salaried individuals and Rs 100 for PAN. The tax advice and consultancy comes free. It's for subscribers to judge what value for money our services can offer.

For corporates we have special models like the Intranet Model and the Tax-Bridge. Tax-Bridge is a proprietary tool that links the organisation's payroll to our tax programs.

What about capital gains? Do you do capital gains, at all?
We definitely cover capital gains. In fact, our site has the most comprehensive capital gains calculations. We also advice people extensively on all income tax related queries, including capital gains.

Your service is not completely online. In the sense that it requires you to send a representative offline to get the form filled. Is there a possibility that the entire process could be handled online? What are the hurdles? And how soon do you think such a service might come into play?
As a venture, we are already geared up to be completely online. We have also submitted a proposal to Central Board of Direct Taxes in this regard. Now that digital signatures have become a reality, we are fast moving towards online filing of tax returns. It could start happening within the next couple of months.

The main hurdle then will be the customer reaction to use this service online. Right now, our offline service is a great differentiator.

What about refunds? Do you help individuals reclaim their refunds?
We help our customers get their refunds faster by following up with the income tax department. We succeed most of the times, though at times we face problems.

What kind of assurances and clarifications do customers usually seek?
Normally customers need genuine advice and look for follow-up services like PAN facilitation and refunds. They are also concerned about the consistency and continuity of service.

How secure is the information provided by the customer to your site? What about privacy issues?
On the site we have a 128-bit SSL, which is high security. Strict confidentiality is maintained with regard to their information. We are working towards ISO 9000 standards.

How do you see the future of your site?
Just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.

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