ITR Filing 2026: The Only Guide You Need Before the July 31 Deadline (AY 2026-27)

By Nitish Bharadwaj · Published Jun 29, 2026 · 7 min

The deadline for filing FY 2025-26 income tax returns (AY 2026-27) for salaried individuals is July 31, 2026. Missing it triggers a Section 234F late-filing fee of up to ₹5,000 plus interest on any unpaid tax. In 2026, the ITR calendar has been restructured with staggered deadlines: ITR-1 and ITR-2 filers retain July 31, while those with business income (ITR-3, ITR-4) now have until August 31. This guide covers the right ITR form, documents to gather, the old-versus-new regime choice, and the step-by-step filing process on the income tax portal.

The July 31, 2026 original deadline for ITR-1 and ITR-2 filers has passed. If you have not filed yet, you can still file a belated return by December 31, 2026 — with a Section 234F late-filing fee of up to ₹5,000 (₹1,000 if total income is below ₹5 lakh) and interest under Section 234A at 1% per month on any outstanding tax liability. Note: capital losses and business losses cannot be carried forward on a belated return. This guide covers what you need: which form to use, what documents to gather, and how to complete the return on the income tax portal.

Who Must File By July 31?

If your total income is below the basic exemption limit — ₹4 lakh under the new regime for FY 2025-26, ₹2.5 lakh under the old — you are not legally required to file. But filing a nil return is advisable for refund claims on TDS deducted on FD interest, for visa applications, and for loan eligibility verification. Note: TDS on FD interest is now deducted once annual interest from a single bank crosses ₹50,000 (₹1 lakh for senior citizens) — file Form 15G or 15H at the start of the year to avoid unnecessary TDS if your income is below the taxable limit. Resident senior citizens aged 75 and above with only pension and interest income from a single bank can go a step further and skip filing altogether under Section 194P, once they submit Form 12BBA to that bank. If you have freelance income alongside salary, understand advance tax rules for freelancers — missing quarterly payments incurs interest under Sections 234B and 234C. The new Income Tax Act 2025 does not change slabs for the return you are filing now but introduces the unified Tax Year concept from April 1, 2026. After you file, track your refund using our guide on why your ITR refund is delayed if it hasn't arrived in 4–6 weeks.

Choosing the Right ITR Form

Most salaried employees file ITR-1 (Sahaj): salary, one house property, FD or savings bank interest, and no capital gains. Move to ITR-2 if you sold any shares, mutual funds, or a second property in FY 2025-26, or if your total income exceeds ₹50 lakh. Both ITR-1 and ITR-2 are due July 31. Only if you have freelance projects, commission income, or a small business do you shift to ITR-3 or ITR-4 — and pick up the August 31 deadline. The income tax portal often pre-fills the recommended form based on Form 16 data; confirm it matches your actual income sources before accepting. There is one more trigger that forces you off ITR-1 regardless of income level: holding any foreign asset, even a single RSU from an overseas employer. Our Schedule FA disclosure guide covers who this applies to and the calendar-year reporting window that catches most people off guard.

Documents to Gather Before You Start

• Form 16 (Part A and Part B) from your employer — mandatory for ITR-1
• Form 26AS and Annual Information Statement (AIS) — download from incometax.gov.in under e-File before filling any income details
• Bank statements — for savings account interest; FD interest certificates from each bank
• Home loan statement — principal and interest split for Section 24(b) and 80C claims (old regime only)
• Rent receipts and landlord PAN — if claiming HRA; landlord PAN mandatory if annual rent exceeds ₹1 lakh
• Investment proofs for 80C — EPF passbook, PPF statement, ELSS statements, life insurance premium receipts
• Health insurance premium receipts — for Section 80D deduction (old regime)
• If your Form 16 shows salary arrears — file Form 10E for Section 89 relief before you file your ITR, not after, or the relief gets reversed at processing
• Capital gains statement — download Zerodha Tax P&L, CDSL CAS, or your mutual fund platform's capital gains statement for FY 2025-26
• Aadhaar-PAN linking status — linked Aadhaar is mandatory; an unlinked PAN throws an error at submission

Old Regime or New Regime — Decide Before You File

The new tax regime has been the default since FY 2023-24. If you do not actively choose the old regime, the system applies new-regime slabs automatically. Salaried employees with no business income can switch between regimes every year — you are not locked in. Our new vs old regime breakeven analysis for salaried employees shows that the old regime wins if your total eligible deductions — 80C (₹1.5L) + HRA + home loan interest (Sec 24b) + 80D + NPS 80CCD(1B) — exceed approximately ₹4.75 lakh for FY 2025-26. Below that, the new regime's simpler slabs and ₹75,000 standard deduction typically result in lower tax.

How to File on incometax.gov.in — Step by Step

1. Log in at incometax.gov.in → e-File → Income Tax Returns → File Income Tax Return
2. Select Assessment Year 2026-27 and choose Online filing mode (preferred for ITR-1 and ITR-2)
3. Confirm the ITR form — the portal pre-selects one based on Form 16; verify it matches your actual income sources
4. Download Form 26AS and AIS before accepting any pre-filled income figures — raise feedback inside AIS for any inaccurate entries before proceeding
5. Select your tax regime (new is default; scroll to the regime selection screen to opt for old if your deductions make it beneficial)
6. Enter income details and deductions — the system calculates tax automatically and shows the demand or refund
7. Pay any outstanding tax demand via UPI, net banking, or NEFT before submitting the return
8. Submit and e-verify within 30 days of filing — Aadhaar OTP is the fastest method (instant); net banking and DEMAT account e-verification also work — see our full e-verification guide for every method and what happens if you miss the window

What Happens If You Miss July 31?