ITR Filing for AY 2026-27: Deadlines, Belated Return Rules and Which Form to Use

The July 31, 2026 deadline for ITR-1 and ITR-2 has passed, and so has August 31 for non-audit business and presumptive filers (ITR-3 and ITR-4). If you have not filed for AY 2026-27 (income of FY 2025-26), you can still file a belated return until December 31, 2026, with a Section 234F fee of ₹5,000 (₹1,000 if total income is ₹5 lakh or less) and interest under Section 234A of 1% a month on any unpaid tax. Audit cases are the only group that got an extension: CBDT Circular 07/2026 (28 September 2026) moved their return deadline from October 31 to November 21, 2026. This guide covers where each deadline stands, which form to use, what to gather, and how to file.

AY 2026-27 Deadlines: What Has Passed and What Is Still Open

Section 234F is the same for every form: ₹5,000, or ₹1,000 if total income is ₹5 lakh or less. The e-filing portal states the AY 2026-27 due date as "31st July, 2026 or 31st August for non-audit cases", and its ITR-4 FAQ gives 31 August 2026 for ITR-4. The November 21 extension in Circular 07/2026 covers only the audit category (persons in S. No. 2 of the table under Explanation 2 to Section 139(1)). We found no extension for individual filers, so check the portal's news page before you rely on a date.

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. Filing a nil return is still advisable to claim refunds of TDS on FD interest, for visa applications and for loan checks. Resident senior citizens aged 75 and above with only pension and interest income from a single bank can skip filing under Section 194P, once they submit Form 12BBA to that bank. The new Income Tax Act 2025 does not change slabs for the return you are filing now, but it introduces the unified Tax Year from April 1, 2026. It also renumbers the sections cited in this guide. Every section number here is the 1961 Act number that governs the FY 2025-26 return; the 2025 Act equivalents for later years are: Section 139(1), (4), (5) and (8A) are Sections 263(1), (4), (5) and (6); Section 234A is Section 423; Section 234F is Section 428; Section 112A is Section 198; Section 24(b) is Section 22(1)(b); Section 80C is Section 123; Section 80D is Section 126; Section 89 is Section 157; and Sections 44AD, 44ADA and 44AE are all in Section 58. After you file, see why your ITR refund is delayed if it has not arrived in 4–6 weeks.

Choosing the Right ITR Form

Most salaried employees file ITR-1 (Sahaj): salary or pension, up to two house properties (a change for AY 2026-27), interest income, and long-term capital gains under Section 112A of up to ₹1.25 lakh. Move to ITR-2 if you had short-term gains, long-term gains above that limit, sold a property, earned more than ₹50 lakh, or have a loss to carry forward. ITR-1 is also unavailable if you are a company director, held unlisted shares, have any asset, signing authority or income outside India, or had tax on ESOPs deferred — even a single RSU from an overseas employer counts as a foreign asset. ITR-3 or ITR-4 apply only if you have business, freelance or presumptive income. The portal often pre-selects a form from your Form 16; confirm it matches your actual income sources before accepting. 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 is the default. If you do not actively choose the old regime, new-regime slabs apply automatically, and salaried employees with no business income can switch between regimes every year. The old regime only wins when deductions are large: the new regime charges no tax up to ₹12.75 lakh of salary, and our break-even analysis shows you need roughly ₹5.4 lakh of deductions beyond the standard deduction at a ₹15 lakh salary, and about ₹7.1 lakh at ₹20 lakh. HRA, 80C, 80D, NPS 80CCD(1B) and home loan interest all count toward that. For a salaried walkthrough with examples, see the new vs old regime breakeven for salaried employees.

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 Missed the Deadline?