ITR Filing AY 2026-27: Check Last Date, Late Fee, Refund Rules & Which Form You Should Choose

The ITR filing season for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 has officially begun, and salaried employees, pensioners, freelancers, professionals, and businesses across India are now preparing to file their income tax returns before the due dates announced by the government.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had earlier announced staggered ITR filing deadlines while presenting the Union Budget 2026 on February 1. This was to reduce last-minute pressure on the Income Tax Department portal and for the smooth operations of the return processing for different categories of taxpayers.

For lakhs of salaried employees here is a complete explainer on deadlines, penalties, revised returns, and everything else you need to know.

ITR Filing AY 2026-27: Important Due Dates

The government has introduced category-wise deadlines for filing income tax returns.

Salaried Employees & Pensioners Taxpayers filing ITR-1 or Sahaj & ITR-2 must file returns by July 31, 2026.

This category includes also includes individuals with income up to Rs. 50 lakh and taxpayers with simple income sources like salary, one house property, and interest income.

Freelancers, Professionals & Small Businesses Taxpayers filing ITR-3 & ITR-4 without audit requirements must file by August 31, 2026.

Businesses Requiring Audit: Businesses and entities requiring tax audit have time till October 31, 2026, to file returns.

Companies involved in transfer pricing and international transactions can file till November 30, 2026.

Belated & Revised Returns Deadline

For the Belated return, the deadline has been set to December 31, 2026 and the revised return deadline is March 31, 2027.

ITR Filing Window Opened

The ITR filing window for AY 2026-27 opened on April 1, 2026. Although returns can technically be filed immediately, most salaried taxpayers usually wait until June because employers issue Form 16 by June 15. Other tax documents like Form 26AS and AIS also become fully updated around that period.

For taxpayers, it is advisable to avoid waiting till the last moment because the Income Tax portal often experiences heavy traffic close to the deadline.

Early ITR filing has several benefits. Those who file returns early generally receive refunds faster compared to those filing near the deadline.

There are fewer technical problems as compared to Last-minute filing, which often leads to website crashes, Login issues, etc.
Also, taxpayers get enough time to correct mistakes, match TDS entries, verify bank details, and fix any mismatches

Which ITR Form Should Salaried Employees Choose?

Choosing the correct ITR form is extremely important, as using the wrong ITR form may lead to defective return notices from the Income Tax Department.

ITR-1 (Sahaj): This is meant for individuals with:

• Income up to Rs. 50 lakh
• Salary income
• One house property
• Interest income

ITR-2: This is required if taxpayers have:

• Capital gains
• Multiple house properties
• Foreign assets
• Higher complexity in investments

ITR Late Filing Fee

Taxpayers who miss the ITR filing deadline may have to pay a late filing fee under Section 234F of the Income Tax Act. Individuals with total income up to Rs. 5 lakh can face a penalty of Rs. 1,000, while those earning above Rs. 5 lakh may have to pay a penalty of up to Rs. 5,000. Apart from the late fee, the Income Tax Department also charges interest at 1% per month under Section 234A on any unpaid tax amount after the due date. Missing the ITR deadline can also lead to loss of important tax benefits, including the carry-forward of losses related to stocks, mutual funds, capital gains, or business income, which many taxpayers use to reduce future tax liability.

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ITR Filing AY 2026-27: Check Last Date, Late Fee, Refund Rules & Which Form You Should Choose