Filed Wrong ITR in 2025? Here’s How to Correct Mistakes Without Paying Penalty Before December 31
The deadline to file Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the financial year 2024–25 (assessment year 2025–26) has been extended to 15 September 2025. While the extension gives taxpayers more breathing room, experts advise against waiting until the last moment. ITR filing can be complex — involving paperwork, technical glitches, and a frequently overloaded income tax portal.
This complexity can often lead to errors, especially for salaried individuals and freelancers who use ITR-1 or ITR-4 forms. These forms are already available in Excel utilities for quick online filing, but mistakes in haste are common — from incorrect income disclosures to wrong bank details.
The good news? If you’ve made an error in your ITR, you can revise it and avoid penalties — but only if you act before December 31, 2025.
The Income Tax Department allows individuals to file a revised return under Section 139(5) of the Income Tax Act. Whether it’s a minor typo or a significant omission like leaving out a source of income, revising your return can help you avoid scrutiny, notices, or penalties.
You can revise your ITR multiple times, and there's no additional fee or penalty for doing so — as long as it's done within the permitted timeline.
Many people make errors while filing their returns, especially if done in a hurry or without expert help. Some of the most common mistakes include:
Choosing the wrong ITR form
Entering incorrect personal details like PAN or Aadhaar
Mistakes in bank account information
Failing to report all sources of income
Not claiming eligible deductions under 80C, 80D, etc.
Claiming ineligible deductions without supporting documents
Even minor slip-ups, if left uncorrected, can attract IT notices or delay in refund processing.
If you’ve discovered an error in your already filed return, here’s how to fix it:
Visit the official Income Tax e-Filing Portal.
Log in using your PAN, password, and captcha code.
Go to the ‘E-File’ tab and click on ‘Income Tax Return’.
Choose the assessment year 2025–26.
Select ‘Revised Return under Section 139(5)’.
Enter the acknowledgement number of your originally filed ITR.
Make the necessary corrections and submit.
Important:
You must verify the revised return within 30 days of submission. Failing to verify will render the revision invalid. Verification can be done electronically (via Aadhaar OTP, net banking, etc.) or physically (by sending a signed ITR-V to CPC, Bengaluru).
If you’re a senior citizen above 80 years who filed your return offline (paper mode), you must also submit your revised return in paper format.
You can revise your return up to 31 December 2025, provided the original ITR was filed before the due date. This timeline gives taxpayers ample opportunity to cross-check and correct any errors in their submissions.
Even if your refund has already been processed, you're allowed to revise your return to rectify errors — though it may result in a reassessment of the refund or additional dues, depending on the correction.
Filing your ITR is not just a legal requirement — it’s a financial responsibility. Mistakes can lead to complications, from delayed refunds to scrutiny by tax authorities. But the Income Tax Department’s provision for revised returns offers relief — letting you fix honest errors without facing penalties.
Just make sure to correct them well before December 31, and always verify the revised return in time.
If you’re unsure how to proceed or the mistake is complex, consider consulting a certified tax consultant or CA to avoid unnecessary stress.
