ITR Filing 2026: New Staggered Deadlines Announced for FY 2025–26, Check Category-Wise Due Dates and Rules

The government has rolled out a revised, staggered schedule for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for FY 2025-26, aiming to ease last-minute pressure and improve compliance. Announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2026, the new system introduces separate deadlines based on taxpayer categories, offering more flexibility while ensuring smoother processing.

This year also marks a transition phase, as filings for FY 2025-26 will still fall under the Income Tax Act, 1961, while the new Income Tax Act, 2025 will apply from April 1, 2026 onward. ITR Filing 2026: Can You File Income Tax Return Now? Check Dates, Deadlines, Penalties and Key Benefits.

Under the revised structure, salaried individuals and pensioners must file their ITR by July 31, 2026. Freelancers, professionals, and small businesses in non-audit cases get an extended deadline of August 31, 2026. Meanwhile, taxpayers requiring audits have time until October 31, 2026.

For those who miss deadlines, belated returns can be filed by December 31, 2026, though penalties and interest may apply. Revised returns can also be submitted within the same timeline, with possible extension up to March 31, 2027.

Additionally, the ITR-U option allows corrections or disclosure of missed income up to four years later, offering taxpayers a longer compliance window.

With these changes, taxpayers are advised to identify their filing category early and prepare documents in advance to avoid penalties and ensure hassle-free filing.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 30, 2026 05:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).