For Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 (Financial Year 2025-26), the last date for filing an Income Tax Return (ITR) depends on the category of taxpayer; for example, the deadline for most salaried individuals and pensioners remains July 31, 2026.
As of now, there is no CBDT notification extending the AY 2026-27 filing deadline for individual taxpayers. Therefore, taxpayers should plan based on the currently applicable due dates. The Income Tax Department has already enabled filing utilities for ITR-1, ITR-2, and ITR-4 on the e-filing portal.’
Some taxpayers and tax professionals are wondering whether the government could grant additional time, as it did last year, due to a number of factors, such as new reporting requirements in ITR forms, technical glitches in the income tax portal, and more.
ITR filing due dates for FY26
| Taxpayer Category | Due Dates |
| Individuals/HUFs not requiring audit (ITR-1, ITR-2) | 31 July 2026 |
| Non-audit business and professional taxpayers (ITR-3, ITR-4) | 31 August 2026 |
| Taxpayers requiring a tax audit | 31 October 2026 |
| Transfer pricing cases for businesses | 30 November 2026 |
| Belated return | 31 December 2026 |
| Revised return | 31 March 2027 |
| Updated Return (ITR-U) | March 31, 2031 |
Note: If you fail to file your ITR by the applicable due date, you can still submit a belated return up to December 31, 2026, but certain consequences may apply such as late filing fee under Section 234F of up to Rs 5,000 and if any tax remains unpaid as of the due date, interest is charged at 1% per month or part of a month from the due date until the tax is paid.
ALSO READ
Why may ITR filing due dates get extended?
While the due date for filing income tax returns (ITRs) for AY 2026-27 remains July 31, 2026, for most individual taxpayers, some taxpayers and tax professionals are wondering whether the government could grant additional time, as it did last year. Here are some factors that could fuel such expectations:
STORIES YOU MAY LIKE
1. Last year’s extension created a precedent
Last year, the government extended the ITR filing deadline for AY 2025-26 from July 31, 2025, to September 15, 2025. The extension was granted because the ITR forms and filing utilities were released later than usual, giving taxpayers additional time to file their returns. As a result, many taxpayers are now wondering whether a similar extension could be announced this year as well.
As of June 2026, the Income Tax Department has notified all ITR forms (ITR-1 to ITR-7) for AY 2026-27. Online filing and utility support have already been enabled for ITR-1, ITR-2, and ITR-4, while taxpayers using other forms should keep an eye on further utility releases and updates on the e-filing portal.
For the current tax year, ITR forms were notified relatively early, and ITR-1 to ITR-4 filing utilities are already available; there is no strong indication of an extension. Hence, taxpayers should currently plan based on the existing deadlines.
ALSO READ
2. New reporting requirements in ITR forms
The Income Tax Department has introduced several new disclosure and reporting requirements in the ITR forms for AY 2026-27, and the latest ITR forms include additional disclosures relating to capital gains and certain financial transactions, reporting of buyback losses, separate reporting of F&O and intraday trading in ITR-3, high-value transaction disclosures, and expanded eligibility for two house properties.
Taxpayers may need extra time to understand and comply with the revised reporting requirements.
First-year implementation of new disclosures often leads to demands for a longer compliance window.
3. AIS and Form 26AS data may take time to stabilise
Tax experts often advise taxpayers to wait until key tax data, including AIS and Form 26AS, is fully updated before filing returns.
Information such as interest income, dividend receipts, TDS credits, securities transactions and other high-value financial transactions is reported by various institutions over time. As a result, filing too early could lead to mismatches between the income reported in the ITR and the information available with the Income Tax Department.
If taxpayers encounter mismatches or incomplete information, industry bodies may seek more time for compliance.
4. Possible technical or utility-related issues
The Income Tax Department has introduced several changes to the ITR forms for AY 2026-27, including new reporting requirements for capital gains, buyback losses, F&O transactions, and other disclosures. As with any major update, taxpayers may face potential technical glitches or utility-related issues during the initial phase of the filing season.
Any significant technical glitches or delays in utility releases could lead to calls for an extension.
Similar concerns played a role in the extension granted last year.
5. Rising complexity of tax return filing
Taxpayers with capital gains, share trading income, mutual fund transactions, foreign assets or multiple income streams face increasingly detailed reporting requirements.
Tax professionals may argue that additional time is needed to ensure accurate filing and avoid errors.
Taxpayers with multiple income sources, investments, or stock market transactions may therefore need more time to gather information and ensure accurate reporting. This has led some tax professionals and taxpayers to expect that the government could consider extending the filing deadline if a large number of taxpayers face compliance challenges.
However, such expectations are based on the increasing complexity of return filing and not on any official indication from the government. Taxpayers should continue to plan their filings according to the currently notified due dates unless an extension is formally announced.
Key takeaway
Although the government has proposed a new Income Tax Bill to simplify tax laws, the current ITR filing season for AY 2026-27 continues to be governed by the existing Income Tax Act, 1961, and not the new Income Tax Act, 2025.
The due date for filing ITR for AY 2026-27 remains July 31, 2026.
There is currently no official announcement from the Income Tax Department or CBDT regarding any extension.
The factors listed above are merely reasons that could lead to demands or expectations for additional time, based on past trends and filing-season developments.
Taxpayers should plan to file their returns by the existing deadline; however, at present, this remains only an expectation, and no proposal to extend the filing deadline has been officially announced.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax advice. Tax laws and regimes are subject to frequent changes by the government. Readers should verify details with official Income Tax Department notifications or consult a Chartered Accountant before making any financial decisions.
Every financial journey has a turning point. What’s yours?
Financial Express is launching a new series highlighting real experiences with money, investments, and the taxman. Did a sudden tax rule catch you off guard? Did a piece of financial advice change your life? Your story could provide invaluable, practical lessons for thousands of fellow taxpayers. Share your experience with us. We respect your privacy: no stories will be featured without a direct conversation and your full consent. Thank you.
Read Next
aniltikotekar4sme.com 