Taxpayers tin now taxable their taxation returns for nan precocious ended financial twelvemonth utilizing recently released forms by nan Central Board of Direct Taxes. The Income Tax Department precocious made disposable ITR Forms 1 to 5, pinch much forms expected to beryllium released soon. This year, location person been important changes to nan eligibility criteria and requirements successful definite cases.
Income Tax Return (ITR) is simply a archive that individuals usage to study their income and taxation obligations to nan taxation authorities. Different forms are designated based connected nan taxpayer's income, nan root of income, and different factors specified arsenic their residential status. The section has notified 7 forms - ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-4, ITR-5, ITR-6 & ITR-7 truthful far. It is important for each payer to taxable their ITR connected aliases earlier nan specified deadline.The applicability of ITR forms varies depending connected nan sources of income of nan taxpayer, nan magnitude of nan income earned and nan class of nan payer for illustration individuals, HUF, company, etc.
How to take nan correct ITR form
Case 1: ITR-1 vs ITR-3 – Which shape should you file, particularly pinch superior gains?
With nan CBDT notifying ITR forms for AY 2025–26, nan favoritism betwixt ITR-1 and ITR-3 has go sharper —especially for those reporting superior gains.
Who should usage ITR-1 (Sahaj)?
ITR-1 is designed for resident individuals whose full income does not transcend ₹50 lakh and includes:
Salary/pension income
One location property
Income from different sources (like interest)
Agricultural income up to Rs 5,000
Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) nether Section 112A up to Rs 1.25 lakh, provided location is nary transportation guardant of superior loss
New summation for FY 2024–25: The ITR-1 shape now allows mini investors to study LTCG (such arsenic from equity communal costs aliases listed shares) up to ₹1.25 lakh without requiring a displacement to a much analyzable form—a cardinal use for unit investors.
However, ITR-1 cannot beryllium utilized if you:
Are a institution director
Have unlisted equity shares
Own overseas assets
Received ESOPs from a overseas employer
Need to transportation guardant superior losses
Who should usage ITR-3?
ITR-3 is for individuals and HUFs (resident aliases non-resident) earning:
Income from business/profession
Income arsenic a partner successful a firm
Any different income including salary, location property, superior gains, aliases different sources
Any superior gains income, including transportation guardant aliases set-off of losses
So, if your superior gains transcend Rs 1.25 lakh aliases you want to transportation guardant losses, you must usage ITR-3.
"Small investors reporting semipermanent superior gains up to Rs 1.25 lakh without immoderate carry-forward losses tin record ITR-1, while individuals pinch analyzable superior gains aliases business income are required to usage ITR-3," said CA. Akshay Jain, Direct Tax Partner, NPV& Associates LLP.
Case 2: When is ITR-5 applicable?
With nan merchandise of nan updated ITR-5 for AY 2025–26 (via CBDT Notification No. 42/2025), nan filing responsibilities for non-individual entities are now clearer.
Who should record ITR-5?
ITR-5 is applicable to:
Firms (excluding sole proprietorships)
LLPs (Limited Liability Partnerships)
Association of Persons (AOPs)
Body of Individuals (BOIs)
Certain cooperative societies and trusts not required to record ITR-7
ITR-5 is not applicable to:
Individual taxpayers
Companies
Trusts that are mandated to record ITR-7
Key changes successful ITR forms for AY2025-26
Easing of Regulations for Small Taxpayers pinch Capital Gains
Individuals earning a net aliases owning a mini business pinch semipermanent superior gains (LTCG) nether Section 112A, up to Rs 1.25 lakh, are now allowed to record ITR-1 aliases ITR-4, moreover if they state specified gains.
Revised Capital Gains Tax Rates
Effective for transfers made connected aliases aft July 23, 2024:
Short-term superior gains (STCG) nether Section 111A will beryllium taxed astatine 20% (previously 15%)
Long-term superior gains (LTCG) nether Sections 112 and 112A will beryllium taxed astatine 12.5% without indexation
Transfers made earlier this day will proceed to beryllium taxed nether nan erstwhile regime.
Taxation of Buyback Proceeds arsenic Dividend
Starting October 1 of nan erstwhile year, buyback income will now beryllium taxed arsenic deemed dividend successful nan hands of shareholders. The buy-back taxation paid by companies nether Section 115QA has been eliminated.
Introduction of Section 115BAC
Forms ITR-3, 4, and 5 now require confirmation regarding opting retired of nan caller taxation authorities and whether Form 10-IEA was revenge successful erstwhile years.
Going forward, only valid Aadhaar numbers will beryllium accepted successful Income Tax Returns (ITRs) 1, 2, 3, and 5, to comply pinch caller changes successful Section 139AA.