The Income Tax Department has extended the date for filing income tax returns for the financial year 2024-25 to 15 September 2025. However, there is no change in the last date for depositing self-assessment tax. If you make a late payment, interest will be charged under section 234A.

The Income Tax Department has extended the date for filing income tax returns (ITR) for the financial year 2024-25 (assessment year 2025-26) from 31 July 2025 to 15 September 2025. This relief is for those taxpayers for whom audit of accounts is not necessary, such as salaried, pensioners and NRIs.

Usually, July 31 is also the last date for taxpayers to deposit their self-assessment tax. This is the amount that taxpayers have to pay after TDS, TCS and advance tax payment. If a taxpayer submits return and self-assessment tax after the due date, then he also has to pay penal interest under section 234A.

Now the question arises that if the return date has been extended, then has the last date for self-assessment tax also been extended to 15 September 2025? The answer is - no. There is no change in the date of submission of self-assessment tax. If you make payment after this date, then you may have to pay penal interest.

Will interest be charged on depositing self-assessment tax after 31 July 2025?

If you file your income tax return (ITR) after 31 July 2025 and pay self-assessment tax, will you have to pay penal interest? The answer is - it depends on when you file your return and pay tax. Tarun Garg of Deloitte India says that if you file your income tax return by September 15, 2025 and also pay self-assessment tax by the same date, then you will not be charged interest under section 234A. Because the last date for filing income tax return has been extended from July 31 to September 15, 2025, interest will not be charged on paying tax by this date.

At the same time, Chartered Accountant Tarun Kumar Madan said that if you file your return and pay tax by September 15, 2025, then interest will not be charged. Earlier, whenever the date of income tax return was extended, the interest was also applicable from the same date, but this time there has been no clear notice that interest will be charged. Therefore, if you pay tax by September 15, then interest will not be charged. Whereas, Shubham Jain of Nangia Andersen India says that if you file the return after July 31, but before September 15, 2025, then interest will not be charged. He hopes that the Income Tax Department's tool will incorporate this date change in its system so that if you file the return before time, interest will not be charged automatically.

Interest on not paying advance tax: Will not be affected by extension of date

Penal interest will be charged for lack or non-payment of advance tax, whether the last date of tax return is extended or not. If you have not paid the advance tax on time or have made less payment, then you will have to pay interest. This interest is charged under section 234B and section 234C. Even if the date of filing ITR has been extended, this penal interest will continue to be applicable. That is, if you have not paid the advance tax or have made less payment, then you will have to pay 1% interest every month and this interest will not stop with the extension of the date of return.