ITR Filing 2026: Complete Guide for AY 2026-27 (Deadline 31 July 2026)
Published 10 June 2026. The July 31, 2026 deadline is fixed for non-audit taxpayers filing returns for FY 2025-26. CBDT notified ITR-1 to ITR-4 in April 2026 with a redesigned capital gains schedule (split between pre- and post-23 July 2024 rate change) and expanded AIS pre-fill for salary, TDS, dividend, and mutual fund data. E-verification within 30 days is mandatory. Estimate your liability with our Income Tax Calculator before you file.
Key Changes for AY 2026-27
- Split capital gains schedule: Report gains before and after 23 July 2024 separately — different LTCG rates (10% vs 12.5%) and indexation availability apply.
- Aadhaar OTP e-verification: Physical ITR-V post to CPC Bengaluru phased out; failure to e-verify in 30 days makes the return invalid.
- Pre-filled AIS 2.0: Salary, house rent (via TDS), interest, dividends, MF transactions and TCS auto-fetched — cross-check against Form 26AS.
- Updated return window: Now 48 months (four years) from end of AY, per Budget 2025 amendment.
- Deadline: 31 July 2026 (individuals, HUF, non-audit); 31 October 2026 for audit cases.
Regime Choice Reminder
Salaried filers can switch regimes each year via ITR itself (no Form 10-IEA needed). Business/professional income filers need Form 10-IEA once. Run the calculator under both regimes before submitting.
Pro Tip: File by 15 July to leave buffer for portal load, refund processing (usually 21 days for verified pre-filled returns), and correction if AIS mismatches. Late filing after 31 July attracts ₹1,000 (income ≤ ₹5L) or ₹5,000 penalty under Section 234F. Calculate before filing →