The Income Tax Department has notified the income tax return (ITR) forms for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27. Taxpayers will use these forms to report income earned during Financial Year (FY) 2025-26, which includes transactions between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.
With the introduction of the new Income Tax Act, some people may feel confused, but taxpayers must note that their FY26 or AY27 ITR will be governed by the Income Tax Act, 1961. The new act will apply to the next season's filings.
Kind Attention Taxpayers!
— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) July 10, 2026
The Excel Utility for ITR-7 for Assessment Year 2026–27 is now available on the Income Tax e-Filing portal.
Visit: https://t.co/uv6KQUbXGv pic.twitter.com/GqkCHi6tYZ
For AY 2026 -27, the ITR forms (ITR -1, ITR -2, ITR -3, ITR -4, ITR -5, ITR -6, ITR -7) are applicable under the Income Tax Act, 1961. For those uninitiated, ITR7 is the form that mainly applies to trusts, political parties, research institutions, universities, colleges, and other specified entities claiming exemption.
Who Can Use ITR-7?
ITR-7 Form can be used by persons, including companies, who are required to furnish returns under section 139(4A) or section 139(4B) or section 139(4C) or section 139(4D). With the release of the ITR-7 Excel Utility, trusts, NGOs, educational institutions and other eligible entities can finally start filing their income tax returns.
- 139(4A): Income derived from Property held under Trust wholly / in part for charitable or religious purposes
- 139(4B): Chief Executive Officer of every political party
- 139(4C): Various entities like research association, news agency, etc., mentioned in Section 10 of the Income Tax Act,1961
- 139(4D): University, college or other Institution referred to in Section 35 of the Income Tax Act,1961
How to Download the ITR-7 Excel Utility
- Visit the Downloads section on the Income Tax e-filing portal here: https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/downloads
- Select the forms for the relevant assessment year.
- From the ITR Form dropdown menu, choose ITR-7.
- Three sections will appear: Excel Utility, Schema, and Validations.
- Click on Excel Utility to download the ITR-7 Excel file to your computer.
- Open the downloaded Excel utility on your local system.
How To File ITR 7?
ITR-7 can be filed with the Income Tax Department electronically on the e-filing web portal of the Income Tax Department: www.incometax.gov.in
To verify your ITR, you can pick one of the following methods:
- Digitally signing the verification part, or
- Authenticating by way of electronic verification code (EVC), or
- Aadhaar OTP
- By sending a duly signed paper Form ITR‐V – Income Tax Return Verification Form by post to CPC at the following address: Centralised Processing Centre, Income Tax Department, Bengaluru, 560500, Karnataka
Explaining the fourth method, the tax department has noted: “The Form ITR‐V‐Income Tax Return Verification Form should reach within 120/30 days from the date of e‐filing the return. The confirmation of the receipt of ITR‐V at the Centralised Processing Centre will be sent to the assessee on the e‐mail ID registered in the e‐Filing account."
However, a political party shall compulsorily furnish the return by the first method of digital signing.
Entities not required to undergo an audit must file ITR-7 by Sept.15 of the relevant assessment year. Entities whose accounts are required to be audited, including companies, must file ITR-7 by Oct. 31 of the relevant assessment year.
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