The Income Tax Department has announced the availability of Excel utilities for ITR-1 and ITR-4 forms on the e-filing portal, allowing taxpayers to file their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for the financial year 2025-26 (assessment year 2026-27). Taxpayers can now access both the Excel utility and online filing options for these two forms.
The release of offline utilities marks the official commencement of the ITR filing process for AY 2026-27. Taxpayers can fill out the forms offline, generate a JSON file, and upload it to the Income Tax Department’s e-filing website after verification. Non-audit taxpayers are generally required to file their returns by July 31.
There are currently seven different ITR forms available, tailored to the nature of income and taxpayer category. ITR-1, also known as Sahaj, is designed for resident individuals with an annual income of up to Rs 50 lakh, excluding not ordinarily resident taxpayers. Meanwhile, ITR-4, known as Sugam, is applicable to resident individuals, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), and firms (other than LLPs) with an annual income up to Rs 50 lakh.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had earlier introduced revised disclosure norms for the ITR forms for AY 2026-27. These changes include additional reporting requirements concerning long-term capital gains, losses from share buybacks, and specific trading transactions. India’s net direct tax collections for the financial year 2025-26 showed a steady growth of 5.12% year-on-year, amounting to Rs 23,40,406 crore, as per data released by the CBDT.
