Income Tax Return Deadline Extended to September 15, 2025
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has officially extended the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for the financial year 2024–25 (assessment year 2025–26). The new deadline has been moved from July 31, 2025, to September 15, 2025.
This extension applies to individual taxpayers, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), and other entities that are not required to get their accounts audited under the Income Tax Act. The announcement comes as a significant relief to millions of taxpayers preparing to comply with the annual return filing requirement.
Reasons Behind the Extension
According to the CBDT, the key reason for the extension is the delay in the finalization and release of updated ITR forms and their associated filing utilities. The forms underwent structural changes and revisions aimed at improving simplicity and ensuring greater transparency in tax compliance.
Additionally, the delay in the reflection of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) credits further shortened the effective window available for return preparation. As TDS statements are due to be filed by May 31, 2025, the corresponding credits typically begin appearing by early to mid-June. This timeline leaves limited room for accurate return filing by the original July 31 deadline.
To accommodate these systemic delays and provide sufficient preparation time to both taxpayers and tax consultants, the government opted to push the deadline back by six weeks.
What This Means for Taxpayers
With the deadline now set to September 15, 2025, taxpayers are advised to use the extended period wisely. The additional time should be used not for procrastination, but to ensure meticulous return preparation, accurate disclosure, and error-free filing.
Tax experts have noted that the extension will be particularly beneficial this year due to the introduction of revised reporting standards and enhanced compliance requirements in the ITR forms. Many tax practitioners had raised concerns earlier this year about the short turnaround time between TDS data availability and the return filing deadline.
While the extension helps ease pressure, taxpayers are still encouraged to file early to avoid last-minute system slowdowns and to allow time for error correction, if needed.
The government has reiterated that this extension is aimed at ensuring better compliance, not at encouraging delays. Those who fail to file returns even by the new deadline may still face penalties and interest as per existing rules.
