CA shares Income Tax Form 10-IEA Filing Guide amid ITR Filing season

CA recently shared on X (previously known as Twitter) about the Form 10-IEA filing requirement and the applicability of switching restrictions on changing regimes.

FORM 10-IEA FILING REQUIREMENT AND SWITCHING RESTRICTIONS APPLICABILITY ON CHANGING REGIME#TaxationUpdates pic.twitter.com/F0bEFIWTJS

— Taxation Updates (CA Mayur J Sondagar) (@TaxationUpdates) August 6, 2025

What is Form 10-IEA?

Form 10-IEA is a declaration form introduced by the Indian Income Tax Department. Its main purpose is to opt for the Old Regime since the New Regime is now the default. The corresponding choice determines the rules and regulations that would be applicable to the assessee.

Rules of Switching:

ITR-1 and ITR-2 (For Salaried Individuals): Taxpayers can switch between regimes every year. No Form 1-IEA required. Choice can be made at ITR filing, even after you tell your employer differently.

ITR-3 and ITR-4 (For Business/Professional Income: Taxpayer can switch New- Old Regime only once in a lifetime through form 10-IEA. Once a taxpayer goes back to the New Regime, they cannot return to the Old Regime again.

Financial year 2023-24:

• If a taxpayer files ITR-1 and ITR-2 and have chosen New Regime, then there is no requirement to fill out Form 10-IEA and no switching restriction is applicable if the taxpayer changes the regime.
• If a taxpayer files ITR-1 and ITR-2 and have chosen Old Regime, then there is no requirement to fill out Form 10-IEA and no switching restriction is applicable if the taxpayer changes the regime.
• If taxpayers file ITR-3 and ITR-4 and have chosen New Regime, then there is no requirement to fill out Form 10-IEA But switching restriction is applicable if the taxpayer changes the regime.
• If a taxpayer files ITR-3 and ITR-4 and have chosen the Old Regime, then there is a requirement to fill out Form 10-IEA and there will be a switching restriction applicable if the taxpayer changes the regime.

Financial Year 2024-25:

ITR-1 and ITR-2

• If taxpayer is switching from New regime to new regime than there is no requirement to fill Form 10-IEA and no switching restriction is applicable.
• If taxpayer is switching from New regime to old regime than there is no requirement to fill Form 10-IEA and no switching restriction is applicable.
• If taxpayer is switching from Old regime to new regime than there is no requirement to fill Form 10-IEA and no switching restriction is applicable.
• If taxpayer is switching from Old regime to old regime than there is no requirement to fill Form 10-IEA and no switching restriction is applicable.
• If taxpayer file ITR-3 and ITR-4 under Old regime then there is requirement to fill Form 10-IEA.

Under ITR-3 and ITR-4

• If taxpayer is switching from New regime to new regime than there is no requirement to fill Form 10-IEA but switching restriction is applicable.
• If taxpayer is switching from Old regime to new regime than there is no requirement to fill Form 10-IEA but switching restriction is applicable.
• If taxpayer is switching from new regime to old regime, then there is requirement to fill Form 10-IEA and switching restriction is applicable.
• If taxpayer is switching from old regime to old regime, then there is requirement to fill Form 10-IEA and switching restriction is applicable.

Due Date of filing Form 10-IEA

The deadline for Form 10-IEA is September 15 for financial year 2024-25. after filing the Form 10-IEA taxpayers will get an acknowledgement number and this number is important as it helps in tracking the status of Form 10-IEA and it will also be beneficial for the future, as an individual is required to mention this number while filing an ITR.