ITR-1 (Sahaj) for AY 2026-27: Who Can File, What Is New, How to File

Step by step

1. 1

   Log in

   incometax.gov.in → e-File → Income Tax Returns → File Income Tax Return → AY 2026-27 → Online.

2. 2

   Choose ITR-1

   Select status ‘Individual’ and ITR-1; the portal tells you if your data needs another form.

3. 3

   Check pre-filled data

   Compare salary, interest and TDS with Form 16, AIS and bank statements; add anything missing.

4. 4

   Choose regime and deductions

   Keep the new regime, or opt for the old one (on-time returns only) and enter deductions.

5. 5

   Pay any balance

   Pay through e-Pay Tax (self-assessment) and the challan auto-fills in the return.

6. 6

   Submit and e-verify

   Preview, submit and e-verify with Aadhaar OTP within 30 days — an unverified return is treated as not filed.

Who can use ITR-1

• Salary or pension income (including family pension)
• Income from up to two house properties (raised from one, from AY 2026-27), with no loss brought forward
• Other sources — savings and FD interest, dividends, family pension
• Long-term capital gains on listed shares and equity mutual funds under section 112A of up to ₹1.25 lakh (no loss carried forward)
• Agricultural income up to ₹5,000
• Clubbed income of spouse or minor child that falls in these heads

Who cannot use ITR-1

• Non-residents and resident-but-not-ordinarily-residents
• Total income above ₹50 lakh
• Directors of a company, or anyone who held unlisted equity shares during the year
• Any business or professional income (use ITR-3 or ITR-4)
• Capital gains other than small 112A gains — property, short-term share gains, debt funds, crypto
• Foreign assets or foreign income, or signing authority in a foreign account
• Lottery, betting or race-horse winnings; TDS deducted under section 194N; deferred tax on start-up ESOPs

Old or new regime in ITR-1

The new regime is the default for AY 2026-27: slabs of 0–4 lakh nil, 4–8 lakh 5%, 8–12 lakh 10%, 12–16 lakh 15%, 16–20 lakh 20%, 20–24 lakh 25% and above 24 lakh 30%, with a rebate that makes income up to ₹12 lakh tax-free (₹12.75 lakh for salaried people after the ₹75,000 standard deduction). The rebate does not cover special-rate income such as capital gains.

Salaried and pension taxpayers without business income can choose the old regime in the return itself — but only in a return filed by the due date. A belated return is taxed under the new regime.

Keep these ready

• Form 16 from each employer (renamed Form 130 from Tax Year 2026-27)
• AIS, TIS and Form 26AS — download from the portal
• Interest certificates from banks and post office
• Home-loan interest certificate and rent details for let-out property
• Old regime only: proofs of 80C, 80D, HRA and other claims

Filing after the due date

Where things stand on 11 November 2026: the original due dates of 31 July (ITR-1, ITR-2) and 31 August 2026 (non-audit business and professional cases) have passed. You can still file a belated return till 31 December 2026 (late fee under section 234F up to ₹5,000, or ₹1,000 if income is up to ₹5 lakh), and revise a filed return till 31 March 2027 (a fee applies to revisions after 31 December).

Worked example

Common mistakes

• Ignoring interest income that appears in AIS
• Claiming old-regime deductions in a belated return
• Using ITR-1 after selling property or short-term shares
• Not e-verifying within 30 days

Frequently asked questions

Last reviewed on 11 November 2026 by Vinay Jaglan, VJ & Associates. Law and portal screens change — verify before acting, or ask the office.