How to File Your ITR for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27)
Updated 10 June 2026 · For income earned April 2025 – March 2026
Filing season is here. Your income tax return for FY 2025-26 (Assessment Year 2026-27) is due by 31 July 2026 for most individuals. This guide walks you through it in plain English — which form, what documents, the Old-vs-New regime choice, and the actual filing steps on the income tax portal.
1. The due date
For individual taxpayers who do not require a tax audit (most salaried people and small professionals), the due date is 31 July 2026. File late and you may pay a fee under section 234F (up to ₹5,000, or ₹1,000 if income is under ₹5 lakh) plus interest on any tax due. Don't wait for the last week — the portal gets slow.
2. Choose your regime before you file
The New regime is the default. You only benefit from the Old regime if your deductions (80C, 80D, HRA, home-loan interest) are large enough to beat the New regime's lower rates. Decide this before filing — switching later is restricted, especially if you have business income.
Not sure which regime saves you more? Compare both in 10 seconds with your actual numbers.
Compare Old vs New regime →You can also see the tax on your exact salary in our income tax by salary tables, or read Old vs New — which is better.
3. Documents you'll need
- PAN and Aadhaar (linked).
- Form 16 from your employer (salary and TDS details).
- Form 26AS and the AIS/TIS (Annual Information Statement) — download from the income tax portal; they show the tax already deducted and reported against your PAN.
- Bank account details and interest certificates (savings/FD interest is taxable).
- Capital gains statements from your broker / mutual fund (if you sold shares, funds or property).
- Deduction proofs — only if you choose the Old regime: 80C investments, 80D health insurance, rent receipts for HRA, home-loan interest certificate, NPS, etc.
4. Which ITR form?
| Form | Use it if… |
|---|---|
| ITR-1 (Sahaj) | Resident, total income ≤ ₹50 lakh, from salary, one house property and other sources (interest). |
| ITR-2 | You have capital gains, more than one house property, foreign income, or income above ₹50 lakh (no business income). |
| ITR-3 | You have income from a business or profession (with books of accounts). |
| ITR-4 (Sugam) | Presumptive income under 44AD / 44ADA / 44AE, total income ≤ ₹50 lakh. |
Picked the wrong form and the return is treated as defective — so choose carefully. If you sold shares or property, you cannot use ITR-1.
5. How to file — step by step
- Log in to the income tax e-filing portal with your PAN/Aadhaar.
- Go to e-File → Income Tax Returns → File Income Tax Return. Select AY 2026-27 and "Online".
- Choose your ITR form and your regime (New is pre-selected; opt for Old if it's cheaper for you).
- Review the pre-filled data — salary, TDS, interest and other income are auto-populated from Form 16 / AIS. Cross-check against your own records and correct anything that's off.
- Enter deductions (Old regime only) and any income the portal didn't pre-fill.
- The portal computes your tax. Pay any balance tax due, then submit.
- E-verify within 30 days — Aadhaar OTP, net banking or bank EVC. Until you verify, the return is not filed.
6. Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting to report savings/FD interest — it's in your AIS, and a mismatch invites a notice.
- Not reporting capital gains from shares/funds (your broker statement and AIS have them).
- Picking the wrong regime — run the numbers first.
- Filing but forgetting to e-verify within 30 days.
A note on accuracy
This is a general guide, not personalised tax advice. Rules and forms can change; always confirm against the official income tax portal, and consider a Chartered Accountant for anything complex (capital gains, business income, foreign assets).