Belated Return Filing: Deadlines, Fines, and What Taxpayers Should Know:

Belated Return Filing: Deadlines, Fines, and What Taxpayers Should Know Due to ongoing technical problems with the e-filing portal, the government has moved the deadline beyond September 15. Income tax return (ITR) deadline was further extended to September 16. However, if any taxpayers missed the deadline, they can still file their return, as they have the option to submit a belated return.

What do you mean by Belated Returns?

A belated return is basically an ITR filed after the due date. For Assessment year 2025-26 the belated return date is December 31, 2025. Taxpayers must submit their return before December 31. However, belated returns come with penalties and other consequences.

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September 16: CBDT Extends ITR Deadline by One Day Amid Portal Glitches

Penalties and Consequences of Late Filing

Under Section 234F filing a belated return invites a fee:

• If an individual's income exceeds Rs 5 lakh, the penalty amounts to Rs 5,000.
• If an individual's income is up to Rs 5 lakh, the penalty amounts to Rs 1,000.

Other than penalties, there are some consequences as well. Taxpayers may attract a late fee interest charge under Sections 234A, 234B and 234C. Also, most losses cannot be carried forward, with exceptions for house property loss and unabsorbed depreciation. Moreover, delayed submissions could lead to longer wait times for refunds and more investigations by the tax department.