The July 31 deadline does not apply to all taxpayers. Depending on the nature of your income and the Income Tax Return (ITR) form you need to file, you may have a later due date.

Individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) who do not have income from business or profession and are required to file ITR-1 or ITR-2 must submit their returns by July 31.

This generally includes taxpayers earning income from:

Salary or pension
House property
Capital gains
Interest and dividend income
Crypto assets held as investments
Foreign assets or overseas income (where applicable under ITR-2)

Not having any tax liability does not always mean you are exempt from filing an Income Tax Return (ITR). While individuals whose total income is below the basic exemption limit may not be required to file an ITR if they satisfy all prescribed conditions, several other situations can make filing mandatory.

Under the old tax regime, the basic exemption limit is:

Rs 2.5 lakh for individuals below 60 years of age
Rs 3 lakh for senior citizens (60 years to below 80 years)
Rs 5 lakh for super senior citizens (80 years and above)

Under the new tax regime, the basic exemption limit is Rs 4 lakh for taxpayers across all age groups.

Even if your income is below the exemption limit, you may still be required to file an ITR if you meet any of the specified conditions, such as:

Savings bank deposits exceeding Rs 50 lakh
Current account deposits exceeding Rs 1 crore
Foreign travel expenditure of more than Rs 2 lakh
Electricity bills exceeding Rs 1 lakh
Ownership of foreign assets or having signing authority in an overseas account

The Income Tax Department has prescribed different ITR forms based on the nature and source of a taxpayer’s income.

ITR-1 (Sahaj): Meant for resident individuals earning income from salary or pension, one house property, and other eligible sources, subject to the prescribed conditions.
ITR-2: Applicable to individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) who do not have income from business or profession.
ITR-3: Designed for individuals and HUFs earning income from business or profession.
ITR-4 (Sugam): Intended for taxpayers opting for the presumptive taxation scheme and earning presumptive income from business or profession, subject to the prescribed eligibility criteria.

If you discover an error after filing your Income Tax Return, you can submit a revised return within the time limit specified under the Income Tax Act. Taxpayers typically revise their returns to disclose previously omitted income, correct inaccurate deduction claims, update bank account details, or rectify other errors in the original filing.

Filing an Income Tax Return (ITR) is mandatory for individuals whose total annual income exceeds the basic exemption limit applicable under the tax regime they have chosen.

Under the old tax regime, the basic exemption limits are:

*Rs 2.5 lakh for individuals below 60 years of age.
*Rs 3 lakh for senior citizens aged 60 years or above but below 80 years.
*Rs 5 lakh for super senior citizens aged 80 years or above.

Under the new tax regime, the basic exemption limit is Rs 4 lakh for all individual taxpayers, irrespective of age.

There is no update on the extension of the deadline. So, the ITR filing due date remains Friday, July 31, 2026.

The Income Tax Department recommends keeping your tax profile updated to make the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing process smooth and hassle-free.

Before filing your ITR, ensure the following requirements are in place:

Keep your e-filing portal login credentials, including your password, readily available.
Update your profile with the latest personal and contact details.
Make sure your bank account is validated and linked to your e-filing profile.
Confirm that your PAN is linked with Aadhaar, wherever applicable, as required for individual taxpayers.

Taxpayers are also advised to avoid waiting until the final hours before the deadline to file their returns. If you are unsure about any tax provisions or the information to be disclosed, consider consulting a qualified tax professional to ensure your return is filed accurately and within the stipulated due date.

With the July 31 deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) almost here, taxpayers should keep in mind that filing the return alone does not complete the process.

An ITR becomes valid only after it is successfully e-verified. This mandatory step allows the Income Tax Department to start processing your return, making e-verification the final and essential stage of the ITR filing process.

Over the past five years, the Income Tax Department has extended the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline on four occasions. These extensions were granted due to factors such as disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, revisions to ITR forms, technical glitches on the e-filing portal, and delays in the release of ITR filing utilities.

As of now, the government has not announced any extension to the July 31 deadline for filing ITR-1 and ITR-2.

Last year, the Income Tax Department extended the due date twice after taxpayers encountered technical issues on the e-filing portal. The original July 31 deadline was first revised to September 15 and subsequently extended by one more day to September 16.

This year, however, tax professionals are advising taxpayers not to expect a similar relief. They recommend completing the filing process well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical glitches, late filing penalties, and delays in the processing of refunds.

No, as of now, there is no announcement of an extension of the due date. The deadline remains Friday, July 31, 2026.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has introduced a new Income Tax Return (ITR) form, ITR-BN (Income Tax Return for Block Assessment), for taxpayers covered under block assessment proceedings arising from search and seizure operations. Notified under the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 2025, the new return form will apply retrospectively from April 1, 2026.

Filing an Income Tax Return (ITR) is compulsory for individuals whose total annual income is higher than the basic exemption limit under the tax regime they have opted for.

Under the old tax regime, the basic exemption limits are:

Rs 2.5 lakh for individuals below 60 years of age.
Rs 3 lakh for senior citizens aged 60 years or above but below 80 years.
Rs 5 lakh for super senior citizens aged 80 years or above.

Under the new tax regime, the basic exemption limit is Rs 4 lakh for all individual taxpayers, regardless of age.

If your total taxable income crosses the applicable exemption threshold, you are generally required to file your ITR within the due date specified under the Income Tax Act.

The Income Tax Department advises taxpayers to keep their tax profile updated to make the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing process simpler and more seamless.

Before filing your ITR, make sure the following essentials are in place:

Ensure you have a valid password to access the Income Tax e-filing portal.
Verify that your profile details on the portal are up to date.
Confirm that your bank account has been validated and linked to your profile.
Check that your PAN is linked with Aadhaar, wherever this requirement is applicable for individual taxpayers.

The department also recommends avoiding last-minute filing. If you are uncertain about any information or tax-related details, seeking assistance from a qualified tax professional can help ensure your return is filed correctly and within the stipulated deadline.

No, there is no update related to the extension of the July 31 deadline to file the ITR.

The Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal has continued to operate without any major disruptions on July 31, the last date for eligible taxpayers to submit their Income Tax Returns (ITRs). Feedback from several regular users indicates that the platform has remained stable, enabling taxpayers to complete the filing process seamlessly, according to a Mint report. The uninterrupted performance is notable given the heavy rush of users typically seen on the final day of the ITR filing deadline.

As the July 31 deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) arrives, taxpayers should note that submitting the return alone does not complete the filing process.

An ITR is considered valid only after it has been successfully e-verified. Once the return is e-verified, the Income Tax Department can begin processing it.

The July 31 deadline does not apply to every taxpayer. Individuals with business or professional income, as well as those filing other categories of income tax returns, are governed by separate timelines depending on the nature of their income and whether a tax audit is mandatory.

The due dates for AY 2026-27 are as follows:

July 31, 2026: Resident individuals filing ITR-1 and ITR-2.
August 31, 2026: Taxpayers earning salary income along with freelance or business income that is not liable for a tax audit.
October 31, 2026: Businesses and professionals whose accounts are required to undergo a mandatory tax audit.

Before filing, taxpayers should carefully verify which ITR form applies to their income profile and confirm the relevant due date. Selecting the correct return form and filing within the applicable timeline can help ensure compliance and reduce the risk of penalties, delays or other tax-related complications.