Income Tax Returns 2025: Don’t Miss the September 15 Filing Deadline
8 Sep, 2025 15:37 IST|Sakshi Post
With the September 15 deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for individuals fast approaching, more than 4.56 crore taxpayers have already filed their returns, according to the Income Tax Department. Officials have urged taxpayers not to wait until the last minute to avoid technical glitches and inconvenience.
Easy Online Filing Process
The department has simplified the ITR filing process, enabling individuals to complete their returns online without professional assistance. Taxpayers can follow these steps:
- Log in at incometax.gov.in using PAN/Aadhaar and password
- Go to e-File > Income Tax Return > File Income Tax Return
- Select Assessment Year (AY) 2025–26
- Choose the applicable ITR form
- Review pre-filled details (salary, TDS, bank interest)
- Add any missing income/deductions and select tax regime (Old/New)
- Submit the return
Applicable ITR Forms for FY 2024–25 (AY 2025–26)
The CBDT has notified different forms for various taxpayer categories. For non-audit taxpayers, the following are applicable:
- ITR-1 (Sahaj): For salaried individuals with income from salary, wages, allowances, perquisites, or pension.
- ITR-2: For individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) without business or profession income but with earnings from salary, pension, house property, capital gains, or other sources.
Filing in an incorrect form may render the return defective, leading to compliance issues.
Penalties for Late Filing
Taxpayers missing the September 15 deadline will face penalties:
- ₹5,000 late fee for returns filed after the due date
- ₹1,000 late fee if total income does not exceed ₹5 lakh
- 1% monthly interest on pending tax liability in addition to the fee
Growing Tax Compliance
ITR filings have seen consistent growth in recent years, reflecting better compliance and a widening tax base. For AY 2024–25, a record 7.28 crore returns were filed by July 31, 2024, compared to 6.77 crore in AY 2023–24, marking a 7.5% year-on-year growth. Between AY 2022–23 and AY 2024–25, overall filings have surged by more than 25%.
