The financial year 2024-25 has ended, and 2025-26 has begun. With this, people are now focusing on filing their income tax returns (ITR). Taxpayers must file their ITR by 31st July 2025.
The Income Tax Department is expected to soon release the online ITR forms for Assessment Year 2025-26 (for income earned in Financial Year 2024-25), which will start the process of return filing.
When Will ITR Filing Begin?
Usually, the Income Tax Department announces the ITR forms in April. Around the same time, the e-filing portal also becomes active.
Last year, the forms were released in February, and the filing started in April. This year too, a similar timeline is likely.
When Can Salaried People File ITR?
Most salaried employees wait until June to file their ITR. This is because they get Form 16 from their employers around that time.
Form 16 contains details of the salary received and the tax (TDS) deducted.
The last date for companies to issue Form 16 is 15th June. That’s why most salaried individuals start filing their returns after mid-June.
Filing ITR Early Means Getting Refund Early
If you have paid more tax than needed—like through TDS or advance tax—you can claim a refund.
The good news is that the Income Tax Department is now processing refunds faster. If everything is correct, you may receive your refund within 7 to 20 days of filing.
These Things Help You Get a Faster Refund:
File your ITR on time
Verify your return using Aadhaar OTP or netbanking
Make sure your bank account is linked to PAN and pre-validated
Don’t make any mistakes in your return
If all these steps are followed properly, your refund process will be smooth and quick.
