The Income Tax Department has enabled online filing and Excel utilities for ITR-1 and ITR-4 forms for assessment year 2026-27 on the e-filing portal. According to the I-T department's announcement on X, these forms are now available for small and medium taxpayers who can begin filing their tax returns. The forms cover income earned in the fiscal year 2025-26, which were notified on March 30. The move represents the official commencement of ITR filing season for many salaried individuals, pensioners, freelancers and small business taxpayers. As per recent announcements, the filing process is now live and taxpayers are encouraged to file early to avoid penalties and last-minute portal rush.
The department has set specific deadlines for filing these simplified forms. ITR-1 (Sahaj) filers have until July 31 to submit their returns, while ITR-4 (Sugam) filers have until August 31. ITR Form 1 (Sahaj) and ITR Form 4 (Sugam) are designed as simpler forms that cater to a large number of small and medium taxpayers, making the filing process more accessible for these categories. Taxpayers can file returns directly online through the portal or download the Excel utility, fill in details offline and upload the JSON file later. The latest announcements emphasize the importance of filing before the deadlines to stay stress-free and avoid penalties.
ITR-1 (Sahaj) can be filed by a resident individual having annual income up to ₹50 lakh, who receives income from salary, one house property, other sources (interest) and agricultural income up to ₹5,000 a year. The form also allows reporting of long-term capital gains (LTCG) of ₹1.25 lakh a year under Section 112A from listed equity shares or equity mutual funds, subject to conditions. This comprehensive coverage ensures most small taxpayers can use this simplified filing option. However, taxpayers with income from more than one house property, business or professional income, foreign assets, unlisted shares, or taxable capital gains above the specified limit cannot file ITR-1.
ITR-4 (Sugam) can be filed by individuals, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) and firms (other than Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs)) having a total annual income up to ₹50 lakh and income from business and profession. The form specifically caters to taxpayers who have business income under the presumptive taxation scheme under Sections 44AD, 44ADA and 44AE, professional income under Section 44ADA, income from goods carriage business under Section 44AE, and income from one house property. ITR-4 cannot be used by taxpayers who have total income exceeding ₹50 lakh, have short-term capital gains, have long-term capital gains under Section 112A exceeding ₹1.25 lakh, own more than one house property, have agricultural income above ₹5,000, have foreign assets or foreign income, or have lottery income or racehorse income.
Taxpayers can file returns directly online through the portal or use the offline utility in Excel. Before starting the filing process, taxpayers should keep key documents ready, including Form 16 issued by the employer, AIS (Annual Information Statement), bank statements and interest certificates, investment proofs for deductions, and house rent receipts if applicable. The portal automatically computes tax liability, and taxpayers can use the 'Pay Now' option directly through the portal if tax is payable. Returns must generally be verified within 30 days of filing, with e-Verification recommended as it is faster and paperless. The new tax regime continues to remain the default regime, with taxpayers needing to explicitly select the old tax regime option while filing.
