ITR Filing Services AY 2026-27
File your income tax return online with a CA-led review of salary, business, freelance, creator, investment or F&O income. We reconcile AIS and Form 26AS, compare tax regimes, select the correct ITR form and track the return after filing.
What is ITR filing for AY 2026-27?
ITR filing for AY 2026-27 means reporting income earned between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. The correct return depends on what you earned: many straightforward salary cases use ITR-1; capital gains without business income often move to ITR-2; business, professional and F&O income commonly require ITR-3; and eligible presumptive taxpayers may use ITR-4. Before filing, match every income source and tax credit with your own records, AIS and Form 26AS.
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AY 2026-27: the changes that affect your return
The return is for FY 2025-26 income. The biggest practical questions this year are the revised new-regime slabs, the higher section 87A rebate, correct ITR selection and clean reconciliation of tax information before submission.
New regime: key numbers
- Nil slab up to Rs.4 lakh
- Section 87A rebate up to Rs.60,000 for an eligible resident individual with normal-rate taxable income up to Rs.12 lakh
- Standard deduction up to Rs.75,000 for eligible salary income
Do not stop at Form 16
- Add savings, FD and bond interest
- Check dividends, capital gains and property income
- Match TDS, TCS and challans
- Disclose freelance, creator and side-business receipts
“No tax up to Rs.12 lakh” is not a blanket exemption for every type of receipt. The rebate is subject to residence, taxable-income and rate conditions. Capital gains or other income taxed at special rates can change the computation, so the complete income mix must be reviewed.
New tax regime slabs for AY 2026-27
| Taxable income slab | Rate under new regime |
|---|---|
| Up to Rs.4,00,000 | Nil |
| Rs.4,00,001 to Rs.8,00,000 | 5% |
| Rs.8,00,001 to Rs.12,00,000 | 10% |
| Rs.12,00,001 to Rs.16,00,000 | 15% |
| Rs.16,00,001 to Rs.20,00,000 | 20% |
| Rs.20,00,001 to Rs.24,00,000 | 25% |
| Above Rs.24,00,000 | 30% |
Health and Education Cess and surcharge, where applicable, are calculated separately. Marginal relief and special-rate income need case-specific review.
Who should file an income tax return for AY 2026-27?
Return-filing duty is not decided only by whether tax is payable. Income level, entity status and specified transactions can independently create a filing requirement.
- Your gross total income crosses the applicable basic exemption limit before eligible deductions.
- You want to claim an income tax refund for excess TDS, TCS or advance tax.
- You have eligible losses, such as certain business, F&O or capital losses, that should be carried forward.
- You have foreign assets, foreign income, signing authority or other specified disclosures.
- You meet a prescribed transaction-based filing condition, even if taxable income is below the normal threshold.
- You run a company, LLP, partnership or other entity with a return-filing obligation under the applicable provisions.
Know your due date before you rely on it
For AY 2026-27, the Income Tax Department states 31 August 2026 as the due date for ITR-4. Audit cases generally follow later statutory dates, with the tax audit report ordinarily due before the return. Your actual deadline depends on the form, taxpayer category and audit or transfer-pricing applicability.
It leaves time to correct PAN or TDS details with an employer, client, bank or broker, pay self-assessment tax and resolve bank-account validation before the deadline.
Documents required to file ITR online
The portal does not require every document to be uploaded with the return, but the return must be prepared from complete and supportable records.
Identity & portal
PAN, Aadhaar, registered mobile and email, e-Filing access, bank account and IFSC.
Tax records
AIS, TIS, Form 26AS, tax challans, TDS certificates and previous return.
Income records
Form 16, bank interest, rent, dividends, capital gains, business books, invoices and broker statements.
Deduction records
Investment, insurance, medical, donation, education-loan and home-loan evidence where relevant.
Also keep proof for high-value or unusual items: sale and purchase documents for property or securities, foreign asset statements, unlisted share details, ESOP records, crypto transaction reports, partnership income, carried-forward losses and notices or demands from earlier years.
Which ITR form should you file for AY 2026-27?
Choose the form after mapping every income source. Filing a simpler but ineligible form can make the return defective or leave important schedules unreported.
| Form | Common use | Typical reasons it may not apply |
|---|---|---|
| ITR-1 | Eligible resident individual with salary or pension and permitted house-property, interest and limited specified capital-gain income within the form conditions. | Business income, short-term capital gains, total income above Rs.50 lakh, company directorship, unlisted shares, foreign assets or other exclusions. |
| ITR-2 | Individual or HUF without business or professional income, including many cases with capital gains, multiple income heads or foreign-asset disclosures. | Any income chargeable under profits and gains of business or profession. |
| ITR-3 | Individual or HUF with business or professional income, including many proprietor, freelancer and F&O cases. | A simpler form may apply only when all its eligibility conditions are met. |
| ITR-4 | Eligible resident individual, HUF or firm other than LLP with total income up to Rs.50 lakh and eligible presumptive income under sections 44AD, 44ADA or 44AE, plus permitted other income. | Short-term capital gains, disqualifying foreign or company interests, total income above Rs.50 lakh, non-presumptive books or other exclusions. |
Using ITR-1 because most income is salary
An employee with salary plus intraday or F&O activity, freelance consulting, significant capital gains or a foreign asset may need a different form even when salary is the largest source.
ITR filing for salaried employees
A clean salary return starts with Form 16, but it should end only after bank interest, investments, rent, capital gains and tax credits have been checked independently.
What a salary ITR review should cover
- Salary and perquisite values in Form 16 and AIS.
- Standard deduction and employer NPS contribution where eligible.
- HRA, LTA and other exemptions where the old regime and conditions allow them.
- Home-loan interest, rental income and municipal taxes for each property.
- Savings account, fixed deposit, recurring deposit and bond interest.
- Equity, mutual fund, property, gold, ESOP or crypto transactions.
- 80C, 80D, NPS, education-loan and donation records where the chosen regime permits them.
- Relief for salary arrears and disclosure of earlier-employer income, where applicable.
Two employers and one missing Form 16
Ria changed jobs in December. Her new employer calculated TDS using only the second salary, while AIS reflected both employers. The correct return combines both salaries, claims only supported deductions and pays any remaining self-assessment tax before filing.
Changed jobs or sold investments?
A CA can check whether ITR-1 still applies and reconcile both employers, TDS and capital-gain statements before submission.
ITR filing for business owners
For a proprietor, the return is built from business records, not only bank credits. Turnover, receivables, stock, expenses, assets, taxes and personal income must be brought into one consistent computation.
Regular books
ITR-3 commonly applies when business profit is computed from books. Prepare the profit and loss account, balance sheet, depreciation schedule, GST reconciliation and details of debtors, creditors, stock and loans.
Presumptive scheme
Eligible small businesses may consider section 44AD and eligible professionals may consider section 44ADA. ITR-4 can apply only when all form and presumptive conditions are satisfied.
Presumptive limits commonly checked
The department’s AY 2026-27 ITR-4 guidance states a section 44AD turnover limit of Rs.3 crore where cash receipts stay within the prescribed 5% condition, otherwise Rs.2 crore. For section 44ADA, the gross-receipts limit is Rs.75 lakh under the corresponding 5% cash condition, otherwise Rs.50 lakh.
- Do not assume every consultant is an eligible specified professional under section 44ADA.
- Do not use bank deposits as turnover without separating loans, transfers, refunds and capital introduced.
- Do not claim personal expenses as business deductions.
- Do not ignore tax-audit applicability where turnover, cash conditions, declared profit or earlier presumptive choices trigger a review.
UPI receipts are not automatically taxable profit
A small retailer received Rs.42 lakh across UPI and bank accounts. Transfers between own accounts, loan receipts and customer refunds must be separated before turnover and profit are finalised. GST figures, sales records and AIS should tell the same story.
ITR filing for freelancers and influencers
Freelance, consulting, creator and influencer receipts are usually more varied than a salary slip. Cash fees, platform payouts, affiliate commission, retainers, foreign receipts and taxable benefits all need a documented treatment.
Income to collect before filing
Freelancers
Client invoices, retainers, project fees, TDS certificates, foreign remittances, platform commissions and reimbursed costs.
Influencers
Brand fees, affiliate earnings, subscriptions, ad revenue, event appearances and retained products or benefits requiring review.
Expenses that may need evidence
Business-use software, internet, equipment depreciation, coworking rent, professional fees, travel linked to work, platform charges and business-use phone costs may be relevant under regular books. The purpose, invoice, payment trail and personal-use allocation matter.
Keep invoices, remittance records, bank advice and foreign tax evidence. Foreign receipts, overseas assets or signing authority can affect both form selection and disclosure schedules.
A product received for a campaign
Dev received Rs.1.8 lakh in cash and a phone from a brand, then kept the phone after the campaign. The agreement, invoice, TDS entry, product value and whether it was returned or retained should be checked together. Creator income cannot be prepared reliably from bank statements alone.
ITR-3 commonly applies to business or professional income. ITR-4 may be considered only for an eligible resident taxpayer choosing a permitted presumptive scheme and meeting every form condition.
ITR filing for F&O traders
Futures and options activity is generally reported as business income. The return should be prepared from broker-wise tax P&L, turnover workings, expense records and a clear split between delivery investment, intraday activity and derivatives.
Records an F&O trader should provide
- Tax P&L and trade-wise statements from every broker.
- Turnover computation, including the applicable treatment of profits, losses and option premiums.
- Brokerage, exchange charges, STT, stamp duty and other transaction costs.
- Bank ledger and margin-funding interest, where relevant.
- Delivery capital gains, intraday speculative results and F&O non-speculative business results shown separately.
- Opening and closing positions, carried-forward losses and earlier return acknowledgements.
Profit year
Check advance-tax interest, business expenses, regime selection, books and audit conditions. Broker P&L is an input, not the complete ITR.
Loss year
File within the applicable due date when loss carry-forward is intended. Complete the correct business-loss schedules and preserve the turnover calculation.
A Rs.3 lakh F&O loss with a Rs.16 lakh salary
Arjun cannot treat the broker’s net bank withdrawal as the tax result. His F&O turnover and loss need a separate computation, ITR-3 commonly applies, and audit applicability must be checked. Timely filing matters if an eligible loss is to be carried forward.
Have trades across multiple brokers?
Get a consolidated review of turnover, P&L, expenses, form selection and loss schedules before filing.
Old vs new tax regime for AY 2026-27
The new regime is the default, but “default” does not always mean “best.” Compare both using your real salary, house property, eligible deductions, special-rate income and business status.
New tax regime
Lower and wider slab progression, Rs.75,000 salary standard deduction and limited deductions. The section 87A rebate can reach Rs.60,000 for an eligible resident individual with taxable income up to Rs.12 lakh, subject to conditions.
- Often attractive when deductions are modest
- Most common 80C, 80D and HRA claims are not available
- Employer NPS contribution may remain relevant
Old tax regime
Older slabs with access to eligible exemptions and deductions such as HRA, home-loan treatment, 80C, 80D and NPS, subject to their conditions and evidence.
- May suit a strong deduction profile
- Section 87A rebate up to Rs.12,500 where taxable income does not exceed Rs.5 lakh
- Documentation and eligibility matter
| Question | New regime | Old regime |
|---|---|---|
| Default for eligible individuals? | Yes | No, must be chosen correctly |
| Salary standard deduction | Up to Rs.75,000 | Up to Rs.50,000 |
| HRA exemption | Generally not available | Available when conditions are met |
| 80C and 80D | Generally not available | Available when conditions are met |
| Home-loan interest | Restricted treatment under applicable rules | Eligible treatment subject to property and section conditions |
| Business-income switch | Default position | Form 10-IEA and due-date rules need review |
Non-business taxpayers can generally compare and choose in the return each year. A taxpayer with business or professional income must follow the applicable Form 10-IEA rules, timing and restrictions on switching between regimes.
AIS and Form 26AS mismatch help
AIS is a broad information statement; Form 26AS is the core tax-credit record for TDS, TCS and tax payments. Neither replaces your books, bank statements, contracts or investment records.
AIS can show
Salary, interest, dividends, securities, specified financial transactions, tax payments, refunds and other information received by the department. It also allows feedback on reported items.
Form 26AS can show
TDS, TCS, advance tax, self-assessment tax and other tax-credit information. A credit claimed in the ITR may be restricted during processing when it does not appear correctly in Form 26AS.
How to handle a mismatch before filing
- Identify the source. Match the entry to Form 16, Form 16A, bank certificates, invoices, broker records or challans.
- Decide what is wrong. The amount may be duplicated, linked to the wrong PAN, reported in the wrong year or missing entirely.
- Ask the reporting source to correct it. Missing or incorrect TDS normally needs action from the employer, client, bank or other deductor.
- Submit AIS feedback where appropriate. Select the accurate feedback reason and preserve the acknowledgement.
- Prepare the return from complete records. AIS is not guaranteed to contain every taxable transaction, so missing information must still be reported correctly.
A client deducted TDS using the wrong PAN
The invoice and bank credit exist, but the TDS is absent from Form 26AS. Claiming the credit without correction can lead to a mismatch. The client should revise its TDS return using the correct PAN; the income itself still needs proper reporting.
How CA-assisted ITR filing works
The filing process should be traceable from source documents to the final acknowledgement. CompanyJi uses a review sequence that makes missing information visible before the return reaches the portal.
Share records
Provide income, tax, investment, business and bank documents for FY 2025-26.
Reconcile data
Match Form 16, AIS, TIS, Form 26AS, challans and source statements.
Select form
Confirm ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3 or ITR-4 and required schedules.
Compare regimes
Calculate old and new regime positions using supported deductions.
Approve & file
Review the computation, disclosures, tax payable and bank details.
E-verify & track
Complete verification and monitor processing, refund or communication.
What happens after filing?
- Download and preserve the acknowledgement and computation.
- E-verify within the permitted time; submission alone does not complete the process.
- Track the return under “View Filed Returns” on the e-Filing portal.
- Read the section 143(1) intimation when processing is complete.
- Respond promptly if a defective-return notice, demand or clarification appears.
Income tax refund delayed or failed?
First identify whether the return is awaiting verification, awaiting processing, adjusted against a demand, processed with a mismatch or marked as a refund failure. Each status has a different next step.
| Status or problem | What to check | Likely next action |
|---|---|---|
| Return not verified | E-verification status and time limit | Complete valid e-verification immediately if still permitted |
| Return under processing | Filed-return lifecycle and portal communication | Monitor status; avoid filing duplicate requests without reason |
| Refund adjusted | Outstanding demand and adjustment notice | Agree, disagree with evidence or use the appropriate response route |
| Refund failed | Bank pre-validation, PAN linkage, name, IFSC and account status | Correct and validate the bank account, then raise refund reissue |
| Refund lower than claimed | Section 143(1) intimation, tax-credit mismatch and computation | Use revised return or rectification only when the facts and timing support it |
The department lists non-validated accounts, PAN-name mismatch, invalid IFSC and closed accounts among common refund-failure causes. A refund reissue request requires a valid bank account and successful verification.
Refund pending after processing?
Share the acknowledgement, intimation, refund status and bank-validation screen for a focused review.
ITR mistakes that create avoidable notices or delay
- Choosing the form before checking all income sources.
- Reporting only Form 16 and forgetting bank interest, dividends or old employer income.
- Claiming TDS that is not reflected correctly in Form 26AS without pursuing correction.
- Treating AIS as a final tax computation instead of an information statement.
- Using capital-gain statements without checking purchase cost, corporate actions and classification.
- Combining delivery, intraday and F&O results into one trading number.
- Choosing the old regime after the applicable Form 10-IEA or due-date condition has been missed.
- Entering an unvalidated or closed bank account for refund.
- Filing but not e-verifying the return.
- Ignoring the section 143(1) intimation after processing.
ITR filing AY 2026-27 FAQs
Short answers to the questions that usually decide the form, tax regime, filing deadline, mismatch response and refund path.
What is AY 2026-27?+
AY 2026-27 is the assessment year for income earned during FY 2025-26, from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
What is the due date for ITR filing for AY 2026-27?+
The due date depends on taxpayer and return category. The Income Tax Department states 31 August 2026 for ITR-4 for AY 2026-27. Audit and transfer-pricing cases generally follow later statutory dates. Confirm the date applicable to your form and circumstances.
Can I file ITR online without visiting an office?+
Yes. Preparation, tax payment, filing and e-verification can generally be completed online. You still need complete records and valid e-Filing access.
Which ITR form is used by salaried employees?+
Many eligible resident salary cases use ITR-1. ITR-2 may apply where there are capital gains, foreign assets, company directorship, unlisted shares, total income above Rs.50 lakh or another ITR-1 exclusion.
Can a salaried person file ITR-1 after selling shares?+
ITR-1 permits only limited specified capital-gain circumstances under its current conditions. Short-term capital gains and many other investment situations require ITR-2. Review the transaction type before choosing.
Which ITR is used for business owners?+
ITR-3 commonly applies to an individual or HUF with business income. Eligible resident presumptive taxpayers may use ITR-4 when all income, total-income and form conditions are met.
Which ITR is used for freelancers and consultants?+
ITR-3 commonly applies. ITR-4 may be available to an eligible resident taxpayer using a permitted presumptive scheme, but not every consulting activity qualifies as a specified profession under section 44ADA.
Do influencers need to report free products?+
Creator income can include cash fees, affiliate payouts and taxable benefits. Review the campaign agreement, invoice, TDS, market value and whether the product was returned or retained.
Which ITR form is used for F&O trading?+
F&O activity is generally reported as business income, so ITR-3 commonly applies. Turnover, expenses, profit or loss, books and tax-audit applicability must be worked out from broker statements.
Can F&O losses be carried forward?+
Eligible business losses may generally be carried forward when the return is filed within the applicable due date and the correct schedules are completed. The nature and set-off conditions of each loss should be checked.
Is tax audit compulsory for every F&O trader?+
No. Tax audit depends on turnover, cash conditions, profit declaration, books and the applicable provisions. A loss by itself does not answer the audit question.
Is the new tax regime compulsory?+
It is the default regime, not compulsory for every eligible taxpayer. Non-business taxpayers can generally compare both regimes each year in the return. Business-income taxpayers must follow the applicable Form 10-IEA and switching rules.
Is income up to Rs.12 lakh always tax-free?+
No. An eligible resident individual under the new regime may receive section 87A rebate up to Rs.60,000 where normal-rate taxable income does not exceed Rs.12 lakh. Special-rate income and other conditions can change the result.
Can a salaried person have no tax up to Rs.12.75 lakh?+
An eligible salaried resident with only normal-rate income may reach taxable income of Rs.12 lakh after the Rs.75,000 standard deduction, allowing the rebate conditions to be tested. Other income, special rates and eligibility must still be checked.
What if AIS shows the wrong income?+
Compare the entry with source records, submit the appropriate AIS feedback and keep the acknowledgement. The return should still report complete and accurate income based on facts.
What if TDS is missing from Form 26AS?+
Ask the employer, client, bank or other deductor to verify your PAN and revise its TDS statement where needed. Tax credit during processing may be restricted to the amount reflected in Form 26AS.
Do I need to report bank interest without TDS?+
Yes. Taxable interest should be reported even where the bank did not deduct TDS. Check savings, fixed-deposit and recurring-deposit records across all banks.
Why is my refund delayed?+
Check whether the return is e-verified and processed, whether a mismatch or demand exists, and whether the selected bank account is valid and pre-validated. The portal’s filed-return lifecycle shows the current stage.
How do I request refund reissue?+
After correcting and validating the bank account, log in to the e-Filing portal, open Services, choose Refund Reissue, select the failed refund record and complete verification.
Can I revise an ITR after filing?+
Yes, where an omission or wrong statement is discovered and the statutory window remains open. From AY 2026-27, the revised-return window extends to the end of the assessment year, subject to conditions and additional fee rules for specified late revisions.
What happens if I file after the due date?+
A belated return can attract late filing fee and interest, restrict some loss carry-forward claims and affect regime options or other time-sensitive benefits. File within the applicable due date whenever possible.
Is e-verification compulsory after filing?+
Yes. The return must be verified through a permitted method within the applicable time. An unverified return is not treated as a completed filing.
What does CA assistance include?+
It can include document review, AIS and Form 26AS reconciliation, ITR form selection, tax-regime comparison, income and deduction computation, schedule preparation, filing guidance, e-verification support and review of refund or processing issues.
Can CompanyJi help with a notice or defective return?+
CompanyJi can review the notice, filed return, computation and supporting records, explain the issue and assist with the appropriate response or correction based on the notice and available time.
Where the key filing rules were checked
Tax outcomes depend on your facts. These official Income Tax Department pages cover AY 2026-27 slabs and forms, AIS feedback, tax-credit mismatch and refund-reissue steps.
Income Tax Department references
Book a CA consultation for AY 2026-27
Tell us what you earned during FY 2025-26 and what needs attention. A CompanyJi expert can review your return category, documents, tax regime, mismatch or refund issue and explain the next step.