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Belated ITR for AY 2026-27: Dec. 31 Deadline, Late Fee Up to ₹5,000
Miss the July 31 ITR deadline? File belatedly by Dec. 31 under Section 139(4). Late fee up to ₹5,000, interest on unpaid tax, and loss of carryforward losses.
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Taxpayers who missed the July 31 deadline for filing their income tax return for Assessment Year 2026-27 can still file a belated return under Section 139(4) of the Income Tax Act. The window closes Dec. 31, 2026.
Filing late carries costs. A late fee under Section 234F applies: ₹1,000 for taxpayers with total income up to ₹5 lakh, ₹5,000 for those above that threshold. Interest under Section 234A may also accrue on unpaid tax.
"The biggest losses are usually late fee, interest and loss of certain tax advantages," said CA Chandni Anandan, Tax Expert at ClearTax. "Taxpayers may also lose the ability to carry forward certain losses, while refunds could take longer because the return is processed later."
CA Parag Jain, Tax Head at 1 Finance, said the filing process mirrors a regular return. Taxpayers log in to the e-filing portal, select the appropriate ITR form, choose Section 139(4), report income, pay outstanding tax plus interest and late fees, and e-verify within 30 days.