Missed filing ITR by July 31? Here's how you can still file your income tax return

The July 31 deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for most individual taxpayers has passed, with more than 5 crore returns filed before the due date. If you missed the deadline, you can still submit a belated ITR by December 31.Missing the July 31 deadline comes at a cost. (Representative)However, filing after the due date could cost you more than just a late fee. Depending on your case, you may have to pay penalties, interest on unpaid taxes, face delays in refunds, and lose certain tax benefits.Here's what happens if you missed the July 31 deadline.Late filing could cost you up to ₹5,000-Even if you file your return after July 31, you'll have to pay a late filing fee.-Taxpayers with annual income above ₹5 lakh may have to pay a penalty of up to ₹5,000.-Those earning up to ₹5 lakh can be charged a maximum penalty of ₹1,000.-Filing on time helps avoid these charges and also speeds up refund processing.Interest on unpaid tax duesIf you still have outstanding tax dues and miss the deadline, you may also have to pay interest under Section 234A of the Income-tax Act.The law imposes simple interest at 1% per month or part of a month on the unpaid tax amount. The interest is calculated from the original due date until the return is finally filed.This interest applies only if there is pending tax liability. Taxpayers who have already cleared their taxes won't be charged interest under this provision.READ ALSO | Last day to file ITR today: Eligibility, step-by-step guide, and ₹5,000 late fee explainedYou may lose the benefit of carrying forward lossesTaxpayers who file a belated return cannot carry forward certain losses to future financial years. This means they lose the option to offset those losses against future income and reduce their tax liability.The restriction applies to losses such as:Capital losses from the sale of shares, mutual funds or property.Business losses that would otherwise be eligible for carry forward.Refunds could take longerIf you're expecting an income tax refund, filing after the deadline may delay the process.A belated return is still eligible for a refund, but returns filed within the due date are generally processed faster.READ ALSO | Your Money: Afraid you’ll miss the tax deadline? Don’t be.Who needs to file ITR by July 31?The July 31 deadline applies mainly to salaried individuals, pensioners, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) and other taxpayers whose accounts do not require an audit.Those who should file by today include:-Salaried employees and pensioners filing ITR-1 or ITR-2 with income above the basic exemption limit.-Individuals with capital gains or income from multiple house properties where a tax audit is not required.-People whose income is below the exemption limit but who carried out specified high-value transactions during FY 2025-26, such as:-Spending over ₹2 lakh on foreign travel.-Depositing more than ₹50 lakh in a savings account.-Paying electricity bills exceeding ₹1 lakh.Business owners and professionals filing ITR-3 or ITR-4 have more time. Their deadline has been extended to August 31 or October 31 in cases where a tax audit is required.