ITR filing deadline nears: How to file income tax return online - quick 15-step guide

Published 29 July 2026 · india

Filing your ITR needs to be a careful process to avoid triggering any unwanted scrutiny. ITR filing: Complete these steps first Before you log in

Filing your ITR needs to be a careful process to avoid triggering any unwanted scrutiny. ITR filing: Complete these steps first Before you log in to the income tax portal confirm that your PAN and Aadhaar are linked, since the portal will not let you proceed without it. Know the right income tax return form - ITR-1 to ITR-7 - which is the right one depends on the source of your income - salary, freelance, business, profession, HUF etc. to ITR-7 - which is the right one depends on the source of your income - salary, freelance, business, profession, HUF etc. Keep your Form 16, Form 26AS, Annual Information Statement (AIS), and the proofs for the deductions you intend to claim within reach. Most importantly, decide your income tax regime - new or old - before you begin rather than during filing. Before You File ITR: Check This ITR filing: Step-by-step guide CA Chandni Anandan, Tax Expert at ClearTax shares a quick 15-step guide to filing your income tax return online accurately noting that while the process below is not complicated, each step requires a little attention 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Don't Trust Pre-Filled Returns 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 10-Point ITR Filing Checklist 15. What happens if you miss the July 31, 2026 deadline? When filing after July 31, 2026 you can only file your return under the new tax regime. So if you plan to opt for the old regime, the deadline assumes more significance for you. The earlier you file the faster your refund, if any will be processed. Filing after the due date may invite unwanted scrutiny which could delay the process and your refund. One major drawback of late filing is that taxpayers cannot carry forward losses, except losses from house property, to future years. A belated income tax return can be filed within nine months from the end of the relevant tax year.

So it is by December 31, 2026, for FY 2025-26. But you have to pay a late filing fee of up to Rs 5,000. For taxpayers whose income is below Rs 5 lakh, the fee is capped at Rs 1,000. However, any unpaid tax at your end will attract penal interest at 1% per month from the original due date until the return is filed. Interest on any default in the payment of advance tax will also continue to accrue. Missed ITR deadline? Here's what happens It’s the last week of July and like every year the income tax return filing deadline is nearing. For salaried taxpayers July 31, 2026 is the last date on which they can file their ITR within the due date.Taxpayers who earn income from business or profession have a longer window to file their returns. The due date is August 31, 2026, for non-audit cases and October 31, 2026, for cases that require an audit.The process to file the income tax return has evolved over the last few years and the income tax portal now pre-fills a lot of your tax related information drawing from information in documents such as Form 16, Form 26AS, Annual Information Statement (AIS), bank records etc.Yet the onus of the accuracy rests with you, and hence filing your ITR needs to be a careful process to avoid triggering any unwanted scrutiny or queries from the Income Tax department.Before you sit down to file your income tax return, gather all the concerned documents.“The old and new regimes reward very different profiles, and the only reliable way to choose is to compute your liability under both and file under whichever leaves you paying less.Treat this as a calculation, not an instinct,” says CA Chandni Anandan, Tax Expert at ClearTax.When claiming deductions and exemptions it is always wise to keep your records complete and handy. This documentation should stay with you at least till your tax return is processed so that in case of any queries from the department, you have all the information and proofs ready.Log in to the income tax portal (incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/) using your PAN as the user ID.On the "File your return for the year ended 31-Mar-2026" card, select File Now.