Can India make filing taxes as easy as a phone recharge? CoinSwitch's Ashish Singhal thinks it should

Time of India

4 days ago

Ashish Singhal
, co-founder of
CoinSwitch
, has called out a reality check for India's salaried workers and startup employees. Many are shifting to the
new tax regime
, enjoying more take-home pay. But Singhal asks if this extra cash is building better discipline or just giving people more room to delay the annual tax scramble.
'Only 6.7% of Indians filed ITRs last year,' Singhal wrote in a LinkedIn post that's got people talking. 'Even among those who want to comply — salaried folks, startup employees — filing is often treated as a last-minute emergency.'
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India's tax system has come a long way. There are smoother online portals now, simpler forms and digital payment options. All this should make tax filing easier than ever. But for many, it's still a once-a-year panic.
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Singhal summed it up well: 'Deadlines shift. Habits don't.'
He believes India's low
digital tax participation
is a blind spot. 'Low digital tax-participation is a blind spot. The system's getting smarter, but not easier,' he said.
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Millions wait until the last week of July to hunt for documents, receipts and old bank statements. It's become a ritual. Newer tools help, but convenience still hasn't caught up with intent.
The new regime's bigger promise
Under the new tax regime, people keep more of their money. But does it lead to better planning? Singhal is not so sure.
He asked, 'As users get more liquidity under the new tax regime, are we helping them build
financial discipline
or just giving them more runway?'
His warning is clear. Unless this extra liquidity is paired with better habits, it risks being wasted. Bigger pay slips mean nothing if the same old scramble continues every July.
Beyond pop-ups and reminders
For Singhal, the answer is not another flood of ads, SMSes or 'file now' push notifications. He wants smarter systems that weave
tax planning
into daily life.
'We don't need more 'file now' reminders. We need infra that builds tax planning into everyday finance,' he wrote.
Small nudges can help people stay ahead of deadlines. Singhal wants tools that remind people to collect paperwork early, fill out forms automatically and flag mistakes.
He explained, 'We need tools that auto-remind, pre-fill, and validate. Nudges that turn filing from a chore into a habit. Products that treat tax compliance as a core loop, not a checkbox.'
One comment under his post captured the mood. 'Imagine if AI could turn tax filing into something as easy as paying for groceries. Isn't that the future we want?'
Tax season is once, money planning is daily
Singhal's message is simple. Tax deadlines may come once a year. But managing money is daily work.
'Tax season comes once a year. Financial planning? That's every day,' he said.
If India wants more people to file tax returns on time, the system must feel as normal as paying a phone bill. Routine, quick and not a source of stress.
As more Indians move to the new regime, Singhal's question remains: Will this extra cash help people build better habits? Or will it just push the rush to next July, yet again?