ITR Filing Deadlines & Checklist for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27)

Every filing season, the same thing happens — taxpayers scramble in the last week of July because a document went missing or a deadline was misremembered. Here's a straightforward checklist to file on time, the first time.

Key due dates to know

• 31 July: typical due date for individuals and entities not requiring an audit (salaried employees, most freelancers and small proprietors).
• 31 October: typical due date for businesses and professionals whose accounts require a tax audit.
• 30 November: typical due date for taxpayers involved in international or specified domestic transactions requiring a transfer pricing report.
• 31 December: last date for filing a belated return (with late fees) if you miss the original deadline.

Due dates are occasionally extended by CBDT circular closer to the deadline — always confirm the current date on the official income tax e-filing portal before assuming an extension applies to you.

Documents to keep ready

• Form 16 from your employer (for salaried individuals)
• Form 26AS and Annual Information Statement (AIS) — to reconcile TDS and reported income
• Bank interest certificates and fixed deposit statements
• Capital gains statements from mutual fund houses or brokers, if applicable
• Proof of tax-saving investments (Section 80C, 80D, home loan interest, etc.)
• Business/professional income records — books of accounts, GST returns and expense records, if applicable
• Aadhaar-linked PAN and a validated bank account for refund credit

Common mistakes that delay refunds

1. Not reconciling Form 26AS/AIS — mismatches between reported income and what's declared trigger notices.
2. Choosing the wrong ITR form — filing ITR-1 when you have capital gains or foreign assets, for instance, makes the return defective.
3. Skipping e-verification — a return is treated as not filed until it's verified (via Aadhaar OTP, net banking or a physical ITR-V) within the prescribed window.
4. Bank account not pre-validated — refunds fail silently if your bank account isn't validated on the portal.

Filing early doesn't just avoid the deadline rush — returns filed well before the due date are typically processed and refunded faster, since the department's systems aren't handling peak-season volumes.

Old vs new tax regime

Since the new tax regime became the default option, taxpayers need to actively evaluate — and in some cases elect — which regime works better for them each year, particularly if you claim significant deductions like home loan interest, HRA or 80C investments. This choice materially changes your final tax liability, so it's worth running the numbers rather than defaulting by habit.