Revised ITR Deadline Approaching: File Today and Avoid These Common Mistakes

The deadline to file a revised Income Tax Return (ITR) is fast approaching, with only a few days left. Learn about the mistakes you should avoid.

If you are among those worried about delays in AY 2025-26 (FY 2024-25) income tax refunds, you have only a few days left to file a revised Income Tax Return (ITR). The deadline for filing a revised return is December 31, 2025. The Income Tax Department is sending notices to individuals whose returns show discrepancies.

If you miss this deadline, your case could be subjected to detailed scrutiny, which may lead to refund delays and an increased tax liability. Therefore, remember that –

• December 31, 2025, is the last date to file belated and revised ITRs for the relevant assessment year. After this deadline passes, taxpayers will permanently lose the option to revise their returns, even if the Centralised Processing Centre (CPC) later identifies an error.
• The second issue is that if the CPC processes the return after December 31 and then identifies an error, the taxpayer will not be able to revise the return to correct it. This could cause refund delays and may lead to demands, adjustments, or further notices.

Who will be most affected?

The Income Tax Department is informing those whose returns have issues via email. Salaried employees form the largest group affected by this. Let's understand why this is happening – in most cases, individuals claim deductions like 80C, 80D, or HRA in their ITR but do not get their TDS reduced by informing their employer during their employment. The result is a mismatch between salary data, Form 26AS, and the return.

Mistakes in choosing tax regime can be costly

Many taxpayers also make the mistake of choosing the wrong tax regime, which has become a common problem. For instance, an employer deducts TDS under the new tax regime, but the taxpayer files the ITR under the old regime and claims deductions. Salaried individuals are more prone to this error, often not taking this minor mistake seriously, perhaps because they are unaware of its potential consequences.

Do not make these mistakes

If you want to avoid refund delays and prevent receiving notices from the Income Tax Department, you should pay attention to a few things. The department sends notices and holds refunds for any of these discrepancies.

• Claiming deductions that are incorrect, lack proof, or are excessive.
• A mismatch between the information provided in your ITR and that in AIS/TIS or Form 26AS.
• Incorrect claims for HRA or Leave Travel Allowance (LTA).
• Claiming deductions for insurance premiums, medical expenses, or donations without supporting documents.
• Not disclosing details of income other than salary, such as capital gains from mutual funds or shares.
• Not reporting income from crypto, or interest income from bank deposits or other sources.