ITR Forms Out for FY 2025-26: E-Filing to Start Soon — Why Taxpayers Must Wait Before Filing
The Income Tax Department has officially released all Income Tax Return (ITR) forms for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27, covering income earned during Financial Year (FY) 2025-26. This includes all individual and business forms such as ITR-1 to ITR-7, along with ITR-V and ITR-U.
Naturally, this announcement has led to one big question on everyone’s mind:
👉 “Can we start filing our ITR for FY 2025-26 right now?”
The short and clear answer is: No, not yet.
ITR Forms Out for FY 2025-26: E-Filing to Start Soon
While the forms are available, the actual process of filing on the Income Tax e-filing portal is still a few weeks away. Experts strongly recommend waiting until mid-June to avoid errors, mismatches, and unnecessary notices.
Forms Notified, But Filing Not Yet Allowed
Releasing forms is only Step 1 in the ITR filing cycle. Taxpayers can download the forms, but cannot file returns unless the filing utilities become available.
These utilities include:
- Excel utility
- JSON utility
- Pre-fill data systems
- Back-end validation tools
The Income Tax Department must release and test these utilities before enabling filing on the portal.
Until that process is complete, the “File Return” option remains disabled.
List of ITR Forms Released for AY 2026-27
Below is a quick overview of all notified forms and who should use them:
ITR Forms & Eligibility Table
| Form | Who Should Use It? | Key Income Sources Covered |
|---|---|---|
| ITR-1 (Sahaj) | Salaried individuals | Salary, pension, interest (income ≤ ₹50 lakh) |
| ITR-2 | Individuals/HUFs | Capital gains, multiple house properties, foreign income |
| ITR-3 | Individuals with business/profession | Business income, freelancing, consultancy |
| ITR-4 (Sugam) | Small businesses/professionals under presumptive tax | Sections 44AD/44ADA/44AE |
| ITR-5 | Partnership firms, AOPs, LLPs | Business or professional income |
| ITR-6 | Companies | Income of companies (except charitable institutions) |
| ITR-7 | Trusts & NGOs | Sections 139(4A), 4B, 4C, 4D |
| ITR-V | Verification form | Filed after submitting ITR |
| ITR-U | Updated returns | For corrections in past two years |
When Will ITR Filing Actually Start?
While the e-filing portal “opens” on April 1st, it is not fully functional until several back-end checks are completed.
According to CA Parag Jain (Tax Head, 1 Finance):
“New ITR forms are out, but don’t rush yet. The e-filing portal will open for submissions only after testing, typically by mid-May.”
This means:
Expected Timeline (Based on Past Years)
| Process | Expected Timeline |
|---|---|
| Forms notified | April first week |
| Utilities released | Mid-May |
| Portal fully ready for filing | Mid-May to end-May |
| Safe and accurate filing window | Mid-June onwards |
Why You Should NOT File Early Even If Utilities Arrive
Even after utilities are live, professionals strongly recommend patience.
That’s because many important tax documents are NOT fully updated in April.
These include:
- Form 26AS → TDS/TCS details
- AIS (Annual Information Statement) → Bank, stock market, interest, purchases
- Form 16 / Form 130 → Salary details
These documents receive updates until mid-June.
Why Financial Data Takes Time to Reflect
Reasons Behind Delays in Tax Data Update
| Reason | Details |
|---|---|
| Companies file last-quarter TDS returns by May 31 | Employers take time to finalize TDS filings |
| Banks & institutions update AIS data | Interest, dividends, securities transactions |
| Form 16 (now Form 130) finalization | Payroll processing + TDS reconciliation |
| Stock market data reflection | Demat, trading, and capital gains transactions |
Because of all this, filing too early increases mismatch risks, which may lead to:
❌ Notices
❌ Defective returns
❌ Refund delays
❌ Need to file a revised return
Expert Advice: Prepare Now, File Later
Expert CAs adds:
“It is advisable for taxpayers to wait until all relevant documents are fully updated, which generally happens by mid-June.”
Instead of rushing, this is a good time to:
- Collect investment proofs
- Check last year’s ITR
- Review interest incomes
- Plan deductions under sections 80C, 80D, 80G etc.
- Reconcile AIS vs broker statements
Summary — What Taxpayers Should Do Now
✔ ITR forms are released
✔ Filing utilities are NOT yet available
✔ Filing expected to start around mid-May
✔ Safer filing with correct data: mid-June
✔ Early filing may cause mismatches and notices
Bottom Line:
👉 Don’t rush. Prepare now. File later.
Accurate filing is better than early filing.
