The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has extended the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline for the financial year 2024-25 (assessment year 2025-26). Earlier set for July 31, 2025, the new deadline is September 15, 2025.
Why the Extension?
CBDT announced that the extension was necessary due to:
- Significant changes in ITR forms.
- Pending system development and integration.
- Delay in TDS credit updates, expected by early June.
Who benefits?
The extension mainly helps salaried employees and small taxpayers, who now get 46 extra days to file their returns.
For most individuals, especially those with Form 16, this means extra time to gather documents, claim deductions, and avoid last-minute filing stress.
Penalty still applies
If taxpayers fail to file their ITR by September 15, they may face a late fee of up to ₹5,000 under Section 234F of the Income Tax Act.
Key reminders:
- The new ITR utility will be released shortly.
- Use this time to check Form 26AS and AIS for TDS details.
Avoid waiting till the last day to file. Portal rush may lead to errors.
