Who Needs to File ITR by July 31? Check Eligibility, Due Dates, and Extension Update :

As the deadline to file an Income Tax Return (ITR) for the Assessment Year 2026-27 (Financial Year 2025-26) is approaching, taxpayers are in a hurry to file their tax return before the deadline, i.e., July 31, 2026, in order to avoid penalties, notices and litigation.

The ITR filing deadline of July 31 pertains to the taxpayers who are not required to get their accounts audited. These taxpayers include most salaried employees, pensioners and students, with income up to Rs 50 lakh from two house properties, interest, dividends, long-term capital gains up to Rs 1.25 lakh, or other sources.

What Is the Due Date to File ITR for AY 2026-27?

The due date to file the ITR for the Assessment Year 2026-27 is July 31, 2026. Tax returns can be furnished online at the income tax e-filing portal. Other than this, ITRs can also be filed on fintech platforms that render income tax services at a certain cost.

Note that not every taxpayer is required to file an ITR on or before this date. Taxpayers owning businesses or having professional income filing ITR-3, as well as those opting for the presumptive taxation scheme under ITR-4 (Sugam), are required to file their tax returns on or before either August 31, 2026, or October 31, 2026.

The due date to file an ITR is August 31, 2026, for those earning salary from freelance or business income and October 31, 2026, for those earning business or professional income requiring a tax audit.

Who Is Required to File an ITR?

The taxpayers falling under the following categories as per their tax regime are required to file an ITR:

Old Tax Regime

• Individuals aged below 60 years, earning income above Rs 2.5 lakh (income up to Rs 2.5 lakh is tax-free).

• Senior citizens aged above 60 years but less than 80 years, earning income above 3 lakh (income up to Rs 3 lakh is tax-free).

• Super senior citizen aged 80 years or above, earning income above 5 lakh (income up to 5 lakh is tax-free).

New Tax Regime

The basic exemption limit for all age groups is the same under the new tax regime, i.e., 4 lakh. Those earning income above this limit are required to file an ITR.

Has the July 31 ITR Deadline Been Extended?

The income tax department has not yet officially disclosed any information regarding the ITR deadline extension. As of now, the deadline is the same, i.e., July 31, 2026.

If we talk about last year, the Income Tax Department had extended the ITR filing due date, not once but twice. Once from July 31 to September 15 and then to September 16, as the taxpayers were facing technical glitches in the e-filing portal while submitting their tax returns. However, experts are consistently advising taxpayers not to wait till the last date, because the same relief may not be given this year.