Income Tax Return 2025: When Is the Last Date to File ITR? Check Income Tax Deadlines Here

Tax season is here, and the clock is ticking for both salaried individuals and business taxpayers. If you haven’t filed your Income Tax Return (ITR) yet, now is the time to act before penalties come into play.

Extended Deadline for AY 2025–26In a recent update, the Income Tax Department has extended the ITR filing deadline for Assessment Year 2025–26 (FY 2024–25) to September 15, 2025. This gives taxpayers extra breathing space compared to the original deadline of July 31.

Bigger Relief Than Usual

Typically, the government only pushes the date to August 31 when extensions are granted. This year’s decision to allow filings until mid-September provides an unusually generous buffer for taxpayers to sort out their paperwork.

Why You Shouldn’t Wait

While the extension offers relief, delaying until the last moment could mean rushing through calculations, risking errors, or facing system slowdowns. Filing early ensures peace of mind and avoids last-minute stress.

Why CBDT Extended the ITR Filing Deadline

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced on May 27 that the ITR filing deadline for AY 2025–26 has been extended to September 15, 2025. “extensive changes introduced in the notified ITRs and considering the time required for system readiness and rollout of ITR utilities for AY25-26”.

According to the CBDT, “The notified ITRs for AY25-26 have undergone structural and content revisions aimed at simplifying compliance, enhancing transparency, and enabling accurate reporting. These changes have necessitated additional time for system development, integration, and testing of the corresponding utilities,”

“This extension is expected to mitigate the concerns raised by stakeholders and provide adequate time for compliance, thereby ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the return filing process,” it added.

Could the ITR Deadline Be Extended Again? Experts Weigh In

Even with the September 15 extension, many taxpayers and professionals say filing ITR for FY 2024–25 is proving tougher than usual.

Mumbai-based CA Chirag Chauhan explained that “It is taking double the time from the taxpayer's side to fetch necessary details, especially to be able to claim deductions. For instance, to claim HRA, taxpayers now need to provide all necessary details such as PAN, property address, and place of property. These details were earlier meant to be provided to the employer, but now the ITR form also requires these inputs. Additionally, to claim a deduction against insurance, one needs to write the policy number as well,” Mumbai-based CA Chirag Chauhan said.

Adding to the concerns, CA Sagar Joshi pointed out on X that the tax portal is showing errors with digital signature certificates (DSC), making filing even more cumbersome.

With these challenges piling up, experts believe another extension can’t be ruled out-though no official word has come yet from the tax department.

Delayed Returns: What You Should Know

Missed the September 15 ITR deadline? Don’t panic-you can still file a belated return for FY 2024–25 (AY 2025–26) until December 31, 2025.

But late filing comes with penalties:

• Income above ₹5 lakh: Penalty of up to ₹5,000

• Income ₹5 lakh or below: Penalty capped at ₹1,000

Keep in mind, delayed returns aren’t just costlier. They may also mean losing out on certain deductions and facing tighter scrutiny from the Income Tax Department.

In short-file on time to save money and avoid unnecessary hassles.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or tax advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional or refer to official Income Tax Department notifications before making any filing decisions.