New Delhi, May 27, 2025 – The government has extended the last date to file Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the financial year 2024–25. The new ITR filing deadline is now 15 September 2025, instead of the earlier 31 July 2025. However, there’s one critical deadline that remains unchanged: the deadline for paying any tax due is still 31 July 2025.

This important distinction could cost taxpayers if ignored.

📅 Filing Deadline Extended, But Tax Payment Still Due by 31 July

Although the Income Tax Department has granted more time for filing returns, it has not extended the deadline to pay taxes. Taxpayers must clear their dues by 31 July 2025 to avoid penalties and interest under Section 234A of the Income Tax Act.

Let’s break this down:

• Say your tax due is ₹10,000.

• You file your return on 10 September 2025.

• But you pay tax on 1 August 2025.

You’ll still have to pay interest for the delay from 1 August, even though the return was filed before the new deadline.

❓ Why Didn’t the Government Extend the Tax Payment Date?

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) gave four major reasons for only extending the return filing date:

Also Read: Choose the Correct ITR Form – Click Here

🔄 1. Major Changes in ITR Forms

• New disclosures were added, especially around capital gains, including special rules for property sold after 23 July 2024.

• These updates required significant changes in the forms.

🖥️ 2. Technical Updates Needed on the e-Filing Portal

• The government is still updating the ITR portal to reflect all changes.

• The updated utilities (Excel, JSON) were delayed, which impacted early filing.

📑 3. TDS Return Deadlines and Data Sync Issues

• Q4 TDS returns are due by 31 May 2025.

• Many salaried taxpayers depend on Form 16 and Form 26AS, which take time to reflect final data.

👨‍💼 4. Support for Taxpayers and CAs

• The extension gives extra time to Chartered Accountants who handle a large number of cases.

• It also reduces the chances of errors by giving taxpayers time to check pre-filled data.

⚠️ Why You Should Still File Early

• Filing close to the deadline often leads to portal slowdowns.

• The Income Tax Department is also working on a new system to auto-calculate interest, making it essential to ensure accuracy.

✅ Key Takeaways

• ✅ ITR Filing Deadline: 15 September 2025

• ❌ Tax Payment Deadline: Still 31 July 2025

• ⛔ Late payment = Interest under Section 234A + Penalty

• 📢 File and pay on time to avoid notices, interest, and refund delays.