Missed the ITR filing deadline of July 31? You can still file your tax return – Here’s how

financialexpress.com:

Filing income tax returns is the primary responsibility of every eligible taxpayer. The due date for filing income tax returns is typically 31st July of each year. However, life can get busy, and you may find yourself missing this deadline. But don’t worry! Even if you have missed the deadline, you can still file your income tax return (ITR). Here’s how you can do it:

Now, if you are someone who is supposed to be paying taxes, but were not able to by the due date i.e. 31st July, it is still possible for you to pay taxes by 31st December. You can just file a late return. This late return is also called Belated Return. The belated return can be filed anytime after 31st July but before 31st December, but it also entails a late fee.

The Late Fee is as following:

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You have the opportunity to file your belated IT return within a specific time-frame. The deadline for filing the belated return is on or before three months before the end of the relevant Assessment Year (AY). Considering AY 2023-24, the last date for filing the belated return is on or before 31 December 2023, if the income tax authorities do not complete the assessment on their own.

The amendment introduced by the Finance Act 2021 has reduced the filing timeline for belated returns. Starting from AY 2021-22, you can submit the belated return either three months before the end of the relevant assessment year or before the completion of the assessment, whichever comes earlier.

The option to file a belated return u/s 139(4) is available in two ways:

1. Online: You can file it on the Income Tax e-Filing Portal.

2. Offline: You can use the Offline ITR Preparation Utility, which needs to be uploaded on