For income earned in FY 2025-26, choose the appropriate ITR form for AY 2026-27 under the Income-tax Act, 1961. Notification 45/2026 expanded ITR-1 and ITR-4 to two house properties; the other forms have their own notifications. Our tested AI prompts for tax show why a generated answer can still carry an outdated ITR condition, so check the form eligibility against the current notification. Start with your legal status, residential status and income heads. The new Income-tax Act, 2025 applies to income from 1 April 2026, a different tax year.
This is the master index. It tells you which of the seven ITR forms AY 2026-27 matches your specific income profile, what exactly changed this year, and where the deep-dive for each form lives. You will find yourself using this page every July.
Quick Answer: The 30-Second ITR Form Finder
Match your profile to your form. When two rows fit, the more complex one wins.
Interactive ITR form finder (AY 2026-27)
Answer the questions and we point you to the right form. This follows the AY 2026-27 rules, including the new two-property relief and the Rs 1.25 lakh LTCG allowance that began in AY 2025-26.
1. Who is filing the return?
2. Do you have income from a business or profession?
3. Do any of these apply to you? Tick all that fit.
Based on the AY 2026-27 rules. When more than one form could fit, the more detailed form applies. Confirm your case on the official e-filing portal before filing.
| Your situation | File this form |
|---|---|
| Salary or pension only, ≤ ₹50L income, ≤ 2 house properties, no business | ITR-1 Sahaj |
| Capital gains, foreign income, multiple properties, or > ₹50L income | ITR-2 |
| You run a business or profession (not under presumptive scheme) | ITR-3 |
| Presumptive scheme (44AD / 44ADA / 44AE), ≤ ₹50L total income | ITR-4 Sugam |
| Partnership firm, LLP, AOP, or BOI | ITR-5 |
| Private limited or public limited company (not Section 11 exempt) | ITR-6 |
| Charitable trust, NGO, political party, university, research institute | ITR-7 |
Below are the detailed rules behind each form, including the four big ITR forms AY 2026-27 changes the offline utility will silently enforce.
What Changed in ITR Forms AY 2026-27 (Notification 45/2026)
The AY 2026-27 forms were notified through a series of CBDT notifications. Notification 45/2026 dated 30 March 2026 specifically updates ITR-1 and ITR-4. Use the official download page for the notification and current validation rules for each form.
1. ITR-1 Now Accepts Two House Properties (Not One)
ITR-1 previously allowed income from one house property; AY 2026-27 increases that limit to two. Check the number of house properties contributing to the income computation and all other exclusions. A vacant plot of land is not automatically a house property.
2. Small LTCG (₹1.25 Lakh) Stays Allowed in ITR-1 and ITR-4
Retail equity investors with long-term capital gains under Section 112A up to ₹1.25 lakh can stay on ITR-1 or ITR-4 instead of being pushed up to ITR-2. This relief first arrived in AY 2025-26 through CBDT Notification 40/2025 and simply continues this year. The conditions are strict: no short-term capital gains, no brought-forward or carry-forward losses, and no other capital asset transactions in the year.
3. ITR-4 Bank Balance Disclosure Is Now Mandatory (Field E21)
Field E21 (balance with banks) is one of the mandatory financial particulars in ITR-4. Report the actual business balance at 31 March 2026 and retain its reconciliation. A closing balance alone does not establish turnover, taxable profit or a scrutiny outcome.
4. ITR-3 and ITR-4 Non-Audit Deadline Extended to August 31, 2026
This one is genuinely new. From AY 2026-27 onwards, non-audit business filers (ITR-3 and ITR-4) get an extra month. Their deadline was August 31, 2026, not July 31, while salaried filers on ITR-1 and ITR-2 had the standard July 31 deadline. Both dates have passed without a CBDT extension, so a return filed now is belated and due by 31 December 2026.
ITR Filing Deadlines for AY 2026-27
| Category | Forms | Due date |
|---|---|---|
| Individuals (salaried, no business) | ITR-1, ITR-2 | 31 July 2026 |
| Non-audit business/profession cases and qualifying partners | May include ITR-3, ITR-4 and ITR-5 | 31 August 2026 |
| Companies and other cases requiring audit under tax law or another law, including qualifying partners; no section 92E | Applicable form | 21 November 2026 (extended from 31 October by CBDT Circular 07/2026; audit report by 21 October) |
| Transfer pricing cases | ITR-3, ITR-5, ITR-6, ITR-7 | 30 Nov 2026 |
| Belated / late return | All forms | 31 Dec 2026 |
| Revised return | All forms | 31 Mar 2027 |
| Updated return (ITR-U) | All forms | Within 48 months |
Late-filing fee under section 234F is generally Rs 5,000, reduced to Rs 1,000 where total income does not exceed Rs 5 lakh, for a person required to file. Section 234A interest is 1% per month or part on the statutory unpaid-tax base. A delayed refund by itself does not create section 234A interest.
The Seven ITR Forms AY 2026-27: Quick Eligibility Map
Each form below links to its dedicated deep-dive page on Reconscribe, with the schedules, common mistakes, and offline-utility quirks that trip up most filers looking at the ITR forms AY 2026-27.
ITR-1 (Sahaj): The Salaried Default
For resident individuals with total income up to ₹50 lakh from salary or pension, up to two house properties, other sources (interest, dividends, family pension), agricultural income up to ₹5,000, and LTCG under Section 112A up to ₹1.25 lakh. Not available to directors, anyone holding unlisted shares, anyone with foreign assets or income, or anyone with business or professional income.
→ Read the full ITR-1 Sahaj guide for AY 2026-27
ITR-2: When ITR-1 Doesn't Fit
For individuals and HUFs with no business or professional income, but whose profile is too complex for ITR-1. There is no income ceiling. Use ITR-2 if you have capital gains beyond ₹1.25 lakh, more than two properties, foreign income or assets, agricultural income above ₹5,000, or you are a company director.
→ Read the full ITR-2 guide for AY 2026-27
ITR-3: For Business and Professional Income
For individuals and HUFs with income from a proprietary business or profession who maintain books of accounts and do not opt for presumptive taxation. Covers freelancers above 44ADA limits, F&O and intraday traders (business income head), e-commerce sellers, agency businesses, and professionals declaring actual profit.
→ Read the full ITR-3 guide for AY 2026-27
ITR-4 (Sugam): Presumptive Taxation, Simplified
For resident individuals, HUFs, and partnership firms (excluding LLPs) opting for the presumptive scheme under Sections 44AD, 44ADA, or 44AE, with total income up to ₹50 lakh. New for the ITR forms AY 2026-27: mandatory bank balance disclosure, two-property eligibility, and small LTCG allowed.
→ Read the full ITR-4 Sugam guide for AY 2026-27
ITR-5: For Firms, LLPs, AOPs, and BOIs
For all non-individual business entities except companies and trusts. Includes partnership firms, LLPs, Associations of Persons (AOP), Bodies of Individuals (BOI), local authorities, cooperative societies, and artificial juridical persons.
→ Read the full ITR-5 guide for AY 2026-27
ITR-6: For Companies
For all companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013 (or the 1956 Act), except those claiming exemption under Section 11 (charitable or religious). Must be filed electronically with digital signature. The most complex of the corporate ITR forms.
→ Read the full ITR-6 guide for AY 2026-27
ITR-7: For Trusts, NGOs, and Specialized Bodies
For persons required to file under Sections 139(4A), 139(4B), 139(4C), or 139(4D). This covers charitable and religious trusts, political parties, scientific research associations, news agencies, universities, colleges, and other institutions claiming exemption.
→ Read the full ITR-7 guide for AY 2026-27
Why Choosing the Wrong ITR Form Costs You
The Income Tax Department treats a return filed in the wrong form as a defective return under Section 139(9). The consequences cascade fast.
- 15-day correction window: You get a notice with 15 days to refile in the correct form. Miss it and your return is treated as never filed.
- Correct the defect using the notice workflow: A timely response to section 139(9) is not automatically a fresh late return. Check the notice, original filing date and any extension of the response period.
- Loss carry-forward: Timely filing is required for specified losses, including business and capital losses. House-property loss and unabsorbed depreciation have different rules.
- Refund delay: A defect can delay processing. There is no fixed six-to-nine-month delay for every defective return.
- Reconcile the facts: Explain differences between your return, AIS and source records; no universal automatic-scrutiny threshold is established here.
Three Things You Cannot Ignore Before Filing AY 2026-27
Reconcile AIS with your own records
AIS contains information available to the Department and can be incomplete, duplicated or incorrect. Reconcile it with bank, broker, employer and business records; report the correct taxable figures and submit feedback for incorrect AIS entries. A mismatch does not automatically establish taxable income or scrutiny.
Pull your AIS from the official e-filing portal before you open any utility, and reconcile line by line. That single habit prevents most post-filing notices.
2. The Offline Utility Is Where Errors Are Born
Use the current utility, schema and validation rules for AY 2026-27. Reconcile the figures before importing or typing them, and resolve validation errors before submission. Keep the uploaded JSON and acknowledgement with the supporting working.
3. The New Regime Is Default. Verify Your Choice.
The new tax regime under Section 115BAC is now the default for individuals. If you want to file under the old regime to claim Chapter VI-A deductions (80C, 80D, 80E, HRA, LTA), you must explicitly opt out. Business and professional income taxpayers also need to file Form 10-IEA before the due date. Miss this and you are stuck on the new regime for the year, with deductions disallowed.
Turn your documents into a reviewable filing pack
Choose the form from your income, residential status and other eligibility conditions, then create a checklist of the records that support its entries. Keep the source file, period, proposed return figure and reviewer note together. Separate unresolved differences from figures that have been checked.
Use our AIS, Form 26AS and TIS comparison guide for statement reconciliation, and follow the individual ITR guide for the form you are considering. This directory does not upload documents, convert them into a validated return or guarantee a filing time. Final entry, validation and submission take place through the appropriate filing workflow.
Deep-Dive ITR Forms AY 2026-27 Filing Guides
Now that you know which of the ITR forms AY 2026-27 is yours, go deep on the rules, schedules, and traps for your specific form:
- ITR-1 Sahaj: The Complete Salaried Filer's Guide for AY 2026-27 with the new two-property and ₹1.25L LTCG rules.
- ITR-2: When You Outgrow Sahaj. Capital Gains and Foreign Income
- ITR-3: Business Income, F&O Traders, and Freelancer Audits
- ITR-4 Sugam: Presumptive Scheme, Bank Balance Disclosure, and the New Field E21
- ITR-5: Partnership Firms, LLPs, and AOPs Filing Guide
- ITR-6: Corporate Tax Return Filing for Companies
- ITR-7: Charitable Trusts, NGOs, and Political Parties
See all our free tax calculators and tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ITR form should I file if I have salary plus equity LTCG of ₹80,000?
For the ITR forms AY 2026-27, ITR-1 now accepts long-term capital gains under Section 112A up to ₹1.25 lakh, so an ₹80,000 LTCG sits well within the limit. You can file ITR-1, provided you have no short-term capital gains and no brought-forward losses to carry forward.
Can I file ITR-1 if I own two flats?
Yes, and this is new for AY 2026-27. The expanded ITR-1 accepts income from up to two house properties. Earlier, a second property would have forced you to ITR-2.
What is the new ITR-4 bank balance rule?
CBDT Notification 45/2026 made it mandatory for ITR-4 filers to disclose the closing balance of all business bank accounts as on March 31, 2026, in the new Field E21 of Schedule BP. The disclosure was optional in earlier years.
What if I file ITR-1 but later find I had foreign income?
If ITR-1 was ineligible, correct the filing through the applicable revised-return or notice-response process. AY 2026-27 revisions generally close on 31 March 2027 or assessment completion, whichever is earlier. A section 139(9) notice, if issued, has its own response deadline; do not wait for one before reviewing an error.
When is the ITR-3 due date for AY 2026-27?
For non-audit cases it was August 31, 2026, a one-month extension from the earlier July 31 deadline, effective AY 2026-27 onwards. That date has passed, so a non-audit ITR-3 filed now is a belated return, due by 31 December 2026. For audit cases, the due date is November 21, 2026, extended from October 31 by CBDT Circular 07/2026, with the audit report due by October 21, 2026.
Do I need a CA to file ITR-3 or ITR-4?
Not legally. You can self-file using the offline utility or e-filing portal. But the schedules (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Schedule BP, Schedule TDS) are complex enough that most non-audit filers benefit from a CA review even on a self-filed return.
Original publication review: May 26, 2026. The current article byline identifies the contributor.
Official reference: Income Tax Department ITR utilities, schemas and validation documents. Select AY 2026-27 and the relevant form.
Before you file: reconcile your statements with our AIS vs 26AS vs TIS guide, and note that from Tax Year 2026-27 both merge into Form 168. After filing, track your money with the refund status guide, and if you spot missed income in an old year, the ITR-U guide shows the fix.
For the exact slab rates behind these forms, see our income tax slab rates FY 2026-27 guide.
Not sure which rule applies to your situation? Try our free finance question solver for an instant answer.
This guide covers FY 2025-26 / AY 2026-27 under the 1961 Act. Filing dates depend on the taxpayer and audit/transfer-pricing conditions, not only the ITR number. Belated returns are generally due by 31 December 2026 and revised returns by 31 March 2027, or completion of assessment if earlier. Revision is subject to section 234-I; check the current utility for any fee. A later CBDT extension applies only to the cases it covers.
The finder asks for residential or legal status, checks flags for presumptive cases too, and points to a form guide for complete eligibility. HUFs, NRIs and RNORs are not directed into ITR-1.
Sources: Finance Act 2026, section 5; AY-specific forms and validations; Notified ITR-1/ITR-4 exclusions.
The information and tools on this page are for general information only and are not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. For advice on your own situation, use the Professional help form on this page.