Only Two Days Left to File ITR: Avoid These Costly Mistakes:

Taxpayers are rushing to complete the process as only two days are left for the July 31 deadline to file Income Tax Returns (ITR) for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27. There are speculations that the government may extend the deadline, but there is no official announcement from the Income Tax Department. Until a notification is issued, the due date for filing returns for most individual taxpayers including salaried employees and those who do not need to get their accounts audited is July 31.

Over 5 Crore ITRs have already been filed for A.Y. 2026–27.

Don't wait for the last-minute rush. Reconcile and file your ITR-1 or ITR-2 for AY 2026-27 today!

File Smart. File Now.
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— July 29, 2026

Most of the taxpayers are required to file their income tax returns for AY 2026-27 by the due date. Before filing, taxpayers should keep a few important things in mind to avoid mistakes and delays.

No extension has been announced yet

Many taxpayers are hoping the government will extend the July 31 deadline. But till July 29, 2026, no announcement has been made by the Income Tax Department or the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) about the extension. Taxpayers should consider July 31 as the last date to file their returns unless notified otherwise.

Choose the correct ITR form

It is important to use the correct ITR form. If the wrong form is filed the return may be deemed to be defective or invalid. Form Applicable for FY 2026-27. The forms applicable for FY 2026-27 are ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-4, ITR-5, ITR-6 and ITR-7 depending upon the type of income and category of the taxpayer.

Review your information and complete e-verification

Taxpayers are required to carefully verify all the pre-filled information with reference to Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement (AIS) before filing the return. This helps to avoid errors that could delay processing.

Common mistakes are wrong ITR form filing, non-disclosure of interest income, omission of capital gains, wrong deductions claimed, wrong bank account details and non-e-verification of return. If an ITR is not e-verified after filing, it will be considered incomplete.

The penalty for missing the deadline could be Rs 5,000

Taxpayers who do not file their returns by July 31 can still file a belated return but could be subject to a penalty. A late filing fee of up to Rs 5,000 under section 234F may be levied. Section 234A Section 234A is an interest charge on tax not paid. In some cases taxpayers may also have to pay interest on tax not paid .

"Late filing also can delay processing of refunds and may also prevent taxpayers from carrying forward certain losses depending upon the provisions of the Income Tax Act." The actual late fee will depend on the taxpayer’s income and other conditions as per the law.

How can I see my refund?

Taxpayers who have already filed and e-verified their returns can check the status of their refund by logging on to the e-filing portal of the Income Tax Department. They need to check status for AY 2026-27 in “View Filed Returns” section.

If the refund is processed, the portal will show the refund amount, reference number and payment status. Refunds will be made only to a pre-validated bank account linked to the PAN of the taxpayer.