New Delhi, July 31 -- The final countdown has begun for the 31 July 2026 income tax return (ITR) filing deadline, with no extension announced yet unlike last year. So far, more than 5.4 returns have been filed as taxpayers across the country are rushing to complete the filing process and verify their returns.

Although taxpayers who miss the original deadline can still file a belated return by December 31, 2026, doing so comes with a late filing fee and, in cases where an individual has outstanding tax dues, additional interest is charged. These charges apply even if the return is filed just one day after the due date.

In this article, we will discuss different scenarios to understand how much extra a taxpayer may have to pay if they hav...