[FAQs] ITR Forms & Filing Due Date for AY 2026-27 – Key Changes

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Income-tax Return filing for Assessment Year 2026-27, covering the applicable due dates and the selection of the correct ITR form. The filing deadline varies according to the taxpayer’s category, audit requirements and applicability of transfer pricing provisions. The prescribed forms—ITR-1 to ITR-7—apply to different taxpayers, including salaried individuals, professionals, business owners, firms, LLPs, companies and trusts, depending on their residential status and sources of income.
The AY 2026-27 ITR forms also introduce additional reporting requirements relating to F&O trading, MSME interest disallowance, partnership income, Section 80G deductions, presumptive taxation and revised-return fees. The guide further clarifies the transition from the Income-tax Act, 1961 to the Income-tax Act, 2025 and explains the revised timelines for correcting errors in a filed return.

FAQ 1. What are the due dates for filing of Income-tax Returns for the Assessment Year 2026-27?

The due dates for filing of ITRs for various types of assessees are as follows:

Situations	Original due date
If assessee is required to furnish a report of transfer pricing (TP) Audit in Form No. 3CEB	30-11-2026
If the assessee is a partner in a firm, who is required to furnish a report of Transfer Pricing (TP) Audit in Form No. 3CEB	30-11-2026
If an Individual is a spouse of a person, being a partner in a firm required to furnish a report of Transfer Pricing (TP) Audit in Form No. 3CEB and the provisions of section 5A apply to such spouse.	30-11-2026
Company assessee not required to furnish transfer pricing audit report in Form No. 3CEB	31-10-2026
If the assessee is required to get its accounts audited under Income-tax Act or any other law	31-10-2026
If the assessee is a partner in a firm whose accounts are required to be audited	31-10-2026
If an Individual is a spouse of a person, being a partner in a firm whose accounts are required to be audited, and the provisions of section 5A apply to such spouse	31-10-2026
If partner in a firm whose accounts are not required to be audited and spouse of such partner if provisions of Section 5A applies	31-08-2026
If assessee has income from business or profession and tax audit is not required	31-08-2026
In any other case	31-07-2026

FAQ 2. Which form should a taxpayer use to file his income tax return for the assessment year 2026-27?

Nature of income	ITR 1*	ITR 2	ITR 3	ITR 4*
Salary Income
Income from salary/pension (for ordinarily resident person)	✓	✓	✓	✓
Income from salary/pension (for not ordinarily resident and non-resident person)		✓	✓
Any individual who is a director in any company		✓	✓
If payment of tax in respect of ESOPs allotted by an eligible start-up has been deferred		✓	✓
Income from House Property
Income or loss from two house properties (excluding brought forward losses and losses to be carried forward)	✓	✓	✓	✓
Individual has brought forward loss or losses to be carried forward under the head House Property		✓	✓
Income or loss from more than two house properties		✓	✓
Income from Business or Profession
Income from business or profession			✓
Income from presumptive business or profession covered under section 44AD, 44ADA and 44AE (for person resident in India)				✓
Income from presumptive business or profession covered under section 44AD, 44ADA and 44AE (for not ordinarily resident and non-resident person)			✓
Interest, salary, bonus, commission or share of profit received by a partner from a partnership firm			✓
Capital Gains
Long-term capital gains taxable under Section 112A and not exceeding Rs. 1.25 lakhs	✓	✓	✓	✓
Long-term capital gains taxable under the following provisions: ·       Section 112A and it exceeds Rs.       1.25 lakhs ·       Section		✓	✓
Short-term capital gains taxable under any provision		✓	✓
Taxpayer has held unlisted equity shares at any time during the previous year		✓	✓
Capital gains/loss on sale of investments/property		✓	✓
Income from Other Sources
Family Pension (for ordinarily resident person)	✓	✓	✓	✓
Family Pension (for not ordinarily resident and non-resident person)		✓	✓
Income from other sources (other than income chargeable to tax at special rates including winnings from lottery and race horses or losses under this head)	✓	✓	✓	✓
Income from other sources (including income chargeable to tax at special rates including winnings from lottery and race horses or losses under this head)		✓	✓
Dividend income exceeding Rs. 10 lakhs taxable under Section 115BBDA		✓	✓
Unexplained income (i.e., cash credit, unexplained investment, etc.) taxable at 60% under Section 115BBE		✓	✓
Person claiming deduction under Section 57 from income taxable under the head’ Other Sources’ (other than deduction allowed from family pension)		✓	✓
Deductions
Person claiming deduction under Section 80QQB or 80RRB in respect of royalty from patent or books		✓	✓
Person claiming deduction under section 10AA or Part-C of Chapter VI-A			✓
Total Income
Agricultural income exceeding Rs. 5,000		✓	✓
Total income exceeding Rs. 50 lakhs		✓	✓
Assessee has any brought forward losses or losses to be carried forward under any head of income		✓	✓
Computation of Tax liability
If an individual is taxable in respect of an income but TDS in respect of such income has been deducted in hands of any other person (i.e., clubbing of income, Portuguese Civil Code, etc.)		✓	✓
Claiming relief of tax under sections 90, 90A or 91		✓	✓
Others
Assessee has: ·       Income from foreign sources ·       Foreign Assets including financial interest in any foreign entity ·       Signing authority in any account outside India		✓	✓
Income has to be apportioned in accordance with Section 5A		✓	✓
If the tax has been deducted on cash withdrawal under Section 194N		✓	✓	✓
Person has deposited more than Rs. 1 crore in one or more current account		✓	✓	✓
Person has incurred more than Rs. 2 lakhs on foreign travelling	✓	✓	✓	✓
Person has incurred more than Rs. 1 lakh towards payment of the electricity bill	✓	✓	✓	✓
Person has turnover from business exceeding Rs. 60 lakhs			✓	✓
Person has gross receipts from profession exceeding Rs. 10 lakhs			✓	✓
Aggregate amount of TDS and TDS is Rs. 25,000 (Rs. 50,000 in case of senior citizen) or more	✓	✓	✓	✓
Aggregate deposit in the saving bank account is Rs. 50 lakh or more	✓	✓	✓	✓
* ITR-1 can be filed by an individual who is ordinarily resident in India. ITR-4 can be filed only by an Individual or HUF who is ordinarily resident in India and by a firm (other than LLP) resident in India.
Other Assessees
Status of Assessee	ITR 4	ITR 5	ITR 6	ITR 7
Firm (excluding LLPs) opting for presumptive taxation scheme of section 44AD, 44ADA or 44AE	✓
Firm (including LLPs)		✓
Association of Persons (AOPs)		✓
Body of Individuals (BOI)		✓
Local Authority		✓
Artificial Juridical Person		✓
Companies other than companies claiming exemption under Section 11			✓
Persons including companies required to furnish return under: ·       Section 139(4A); ·       Section 139(4B); ·       Section 139(4C); ·       Section 139(4D);				✓
Business Trust		✓
Investment Fund, as referred to in Section 115UB		✓

FAQ 3. What changes have been introduced in the ITR forms notified for the Assessment Year 2026-27 compared to last year’s ITR forms?

The CBDT usually changes the ITR forms annually to incorporate amendments made to the Income-tax Act by the previous Finance Act. However, the ITR forms notified for the Assessment Year 2026-27 include some additional reporting requirements in addition to the changes resulting from the Finance Act 2025 amendments. Some of the key changes introduced in the new ITR forms are as follows:

(a) The ITR forms require the reporting of turnover and income from futures and options (F&O) trading. Specific columns have been introduced to report turnover from F&O trading and the income from such trading credited to the profit and loss account.

(b) A new reporting column has been introduced in Part A – OI (Other Information) in the ITR forms, requiring taxpayers to disclose the amount for the disallowance of MSME interest under Section 43B(h).

(c) The ITR forms require reporting by individuals and entities who are partners in one or more partnership firms during the relevant financial year. It now requires additional details of the amount of interest due or received from the partnership firm and the amount of remuneration due or received from the partnership firm.

(d) The ITR forms include a column for reporting fees paid under Section 234-I for furnishing a revised return of income.

(e) The assessee claiming a deduction under Section 80G is required to report the IFSC and Transaction Reference Number.

(f) The assessees opting for the presumptive taxation scheme are required to disclose their investments.

(g) The charitable trusts are required to report the total value of investments, rather than the nominal value, in Schedule J. Further, reporting is required for the validity period of registration obtained under other laws.

(h) The non-residents opting for the presumptive taxation scheme for businesses covered under Sections 44B, 44BB, 44BBA, 44BBC, or 44BBD are now required to disclose the gross receipts/turnover and net profit from such businesses in the new column.

(i) The ITR forms clarify that interest earned from companies, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) shall be reported under the ‘Other’ column of Schedule OS.

(j) The ITR forms have been updated by amending the declaration in Part A–GEN to capture whether income is being offered under Section 44BBD and by incorporating specific reporting in Schedule BP to disclose such deemed profits, in line with the other presumptive taxation provisions.

You can read all the changes notified in the new ITR forms from the link given below:

Analysis of 20+ changes in the new ITR forms applicable for assessment year 2026-27[2026] 184 taxmann.com 703 (Article)

FAQ 4. I am filing my ITR for AY 2026-27 in July 2026. Since the Income-tax Act, 2025 came into force on 1st April 2026, should I file my Income-tax Return for Assessment Year 2026-27 under the Income-tax Act, 2025?

No, the ITR for Assessment Year 2026-27 must be furnished in accordance with the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (‘ITA 1961’). Although the Income-tax Act, 2025 (‘ITA 2025’) has come into force with effect from 1st April 2026, it applies only to Tax Year 2026-27 and subsequent tax years. The return for Assessment Year 2026-27 relates to the Previous Year 2025-26, which ended on 31st March 2026, when the ITA 1961 was in force.

Therefore, the computation of income, determination of tax liability and filing of the return for Assessment Year 2026-27 shall continue to be governed by the provisions of the ITA 1961, even if the return is furnished after 1st April 2026.

FAQ 5. Will taxpayers be required to file two ITRs during the transition year because the ITA 2025 has replaced the ITA 1961?

No, the taxpayers are not required to furnish two ITRs merely because the ITA 2025 has replaced the ITA 1961. For the financial year 2025-26, the return of income shall be furnished for Assessment Year 2026-27 under the provisions of the ITA 1961. Similarly, the return for Tax Year 2026-27 will become due only after the end of that tax year, in accordance with the due dates prescribed under the ITA 2025.

Thus, there is no overlap that would require taxpayers to file two returns during the transition year. The return under the ITA 1961 and the return under the ITA 2025 relate to two different income periods and will be furnished in their respective due courses.

FAQ 6. I am a proprietor carrying on business. My turnover is below the tax audit limit, and my accounts are not required to be audited. What is the due date for filing my Income-tax Return?

The Finance Act, 2026 has extended the due date for filing the return of income from 31st July to 31st August for assessees having income from business or profession whose accounts are not required to be audited. Earlier, such taxpayers were required to furnish their return by 31st July. The amendment provides you with an additional month to finalise your books of account and complete the return filing process.

For example, Mr. A is engaged in a trading business as a sole proprietor. His turnover for the previous year 2025-26 is Rs. 80 lakhs, and he is not liable to have his accounts audited under the Income-tax Act or any other law. Since Mr. A is carrying on business and his accounts are not required to be audited, the due date for furnishing his return for the Assessment Year 2026-27 shall be 31st August 2026.

FAQ 7. I am only a partner in a partnership firm. I do not carry on any separate business. What is my due date for filing the ITR if the firm’s accounts are not required to be audited?

The Finance Act, 2026 has extended the due date for filing the return of income for a partner of a firm whose accounts are not required to be audited. This benefit is available even if the partner has no separate business or professional income. The due date depends upon the status of the partnership firm, not merely on the nature of the partner’s own income.

For example, Mr. B is a partner in a partnership firm. The firm is not liable to a tax audit, and Mr. B has no separate business or professional income. Apart from his share of profit and interest from the firm, he also has salary income and bank interest. Since the firm’s accounts are not required to be audited, the due date for furnishing the ITR for the Assessment Year 2026-27 shall be 31st August 2026.

FAQ 8. I have only salary income and capital gains. Has my due date for filing the Income-tax Return also been extended to 31st August?

No, the extension of the due date from 31st July to 31st August is available only to specified taxpayers having income from business or profession whose accounts are not required to be audited, and to partners of non-audit firms. The amendment does not apply to taxpayers who do not have business or professional income. Accordingly, salaried individuals, pensioners, investors, and other taxpayers filing returns without business or professional income shall continue to be governed by the due date of 31st July, unless they fall under any other category for which a different due date has been prescribed.

For example, Ms. C is a salaried employee. She also earned interest income and capital gains from the sale of mutual funds in the previous year 2025-26. She has no business or professional income. In this case, she will be required to file her return for the Assessment Year 2026-27 on or before 31st July 2026.

FAQ 9. I am a professional (i.e., a Chartered Accountant, Doctor, or Advocate), and my gross receipts are below the threshold for a tax audit. Will the ITR filing due date be 31st August?

Yes, the Finance Act, 2026 has extended the due date for furnishing the return of income from 31st July to 31st August for assessees having income from business or profession whose accounts are not required to be audited under the Income-tax Act or any other law. The benefit of the extended due date is available not only to persons carrying on business but also to professionals such as Chartered Accountants, doctors, advocates, architects, engineers, consultants, and other professionals, provided they are not required to have their accounts audited.

For example, Mr. A is a Chartered Accountant carrying on practice as a sole proprietor. His gross professional receipts for the previous year 2025-26 are below the prescribed threshold for a tax audit. Therefore, he is not required to have his accounts audited under the Income-tax Act. Accordingly, the due date for furnishing his return of income for the Assessment Year 2026-27 shall be 31st August 2026. However, if his accounts are required to be audited under the Income-tax Act or any other law, the due date for furnishing the return shall remain 31st October 2026.

FAQ 10. I filed my ITR for Assessment Year 2026-27 in July 2026. In January 2027, I discovered that I had omitted to report certain income. Should I file a revised return or an updated return?

Where an assessee has already furnished the original return of income but subsequently discovers any omission, wrong statement or error therein, the appropriate course of action is to file a revised return under Section 139(5). An updated return under Section 139(8A) is intended for cases where the time limit for filing a revised return has expired.

The Finance Act, 2026 has extended the time limit for furnishing a revised return. An assessee can now furnish a revised return within 12 months from the end of the relevant previous year or before the completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier.

Earlier, a revised return could be furnished only within 9 months of the end of the relevant previous year. The Finance Act, 2026 has extended the time limit by three months, thereby providing taxpayers with additional time to rectify any genuine omission or mistake. Accordingly, if you filed the original return for Assessment Year 2026-27 in July 2026 and discovered in January 2027 that certain income had been omitted, you should furnish a revised return, provided the assessment has not been completed. For Assessment Year 2026-27, the revised return can ordinarily be furnished up to 31st March 2027.

However, such additional 3 months will be available upon payment of a fee under Section 234-I, introduced by the Finance Act, 2026. It provides that where the revised return is furnished after the expiry of 9 months but within 12 months from the end of the relevant financial year, the assessee is required to pay the following fee prescribed under Section 234-I:

(a) 1,000, where the total income does not exceed Rs. 5 lakhs; and
(b) 5,000, in any other case.

For example, in the case of Assessment Year 2026-27, if an assessee furnishes a revised return after 31st December 2026 but on or before 31st March 2027, the revised return will be valid only after payment of the applicable fee under section 234-I.

FAQ 11. I filed my belated return on 31st December 2026. Can I still revise it if I discover any mistake later?

A return furnished under section 139(4) (belated return) can also be revised under section 139(5), provided the prescribed time limit has not expired. Prior to the amendment made by the Finance Act, 2026, a revised return could be furnished only up to 31st December of the relevant assessment year. Consequently, where a taxpayer furnished a belated return towards the end of the permissible period, there was practically no opportunity to revise it. To remove this hardship, the Finance Act, 2026 has extended the time limit for furnishing a revised return until the end of the relevant assessment year, or until completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier. However, if the revised return is furnished more than 9 months after the end of the relevant previous year, the prescribed fee under section 234-I is payable.

For example, Mr. A could not file his original return for the Assessment Year 2026-27 within the due date. He furnished a belated return on 31st December 2026. In February 2027, he realised that he had omitted to report interest income. Since he furnished the belated return on 31st December 2026 and discovered the omission in February 2027, he can furnish a revised return up to 31st March 2027, subject to payment of the applicable fee under Section 234-I.