More than 6.5 crore income tax returns have been filed for assessment year 2026-27, with the Income Tax Department reminding taxpayers who are covered by the non-audit deadline to complete their filings by August 31.
The department said more than 2 crore of the returns filed up to August 20 were ITR-3 and ITR-4. With the deadline approaching, taxpayers yet to file their returns have been advised not to wait until the final days.
Who has to file by August 31?
The August 31 deadline applies to taxpayers who are not required to get their accounts audited. This includes several categories of individuals and businesses.
Freelancers, independent professionals, consultants and small business owners who fall under the applicable non-audit category are among those covered. The deadline can also apply to taxpayers involved in intraday trading or futures and options trading.
Salaried individuals with additional income from freelancing, consulting, F&O or intraday trading may also need to file their returns by the same date.
Taxpayers opting for presumptive taxation under Sections 44AD, 44ADA and 44AE are also covered by the August 31 deadline, subject to the conditions applicable to them.
"Over 6.5 Crore ITRs have already been filed for AY 2026-27, including more than 2 Crore ITRs 3 & 4 as on August 20, 2026. Avoid the last-minute rush. File your ITR-3, 4, 5 & 7 (non-audit) before 31st August 2026," the Income Tax department said in a post on X on Friday.
Don't forget ITR verification
Filing the return is not the final step. Taxpayers must also complete e-verification within 30 days of submitting the ITR.
If the return is not verified within the prescribed period, it may be treated as invalid or as though it was not filed.
Which ITR form should you choose?
Taxpayers unsure about which ITR form applies to them can use the "Help me decide" facility available on the income tax e-filing portal.
The tool provides eligibility conditions for different ITR forms based on a taxpayer's circumstances and can help identify the appropriate form.
With August 31 approaching, eligible taxpayers should check their applicable ITR form and complete both filing and verification within the prescribed timelines.