ITR Form 2025-26: The Income Tax Department has released all seven ITR forms for the financial year 2025-26, ranging from ITR-1 to ITR-7, along with the ITR-V form. Additionally, a new form, ITR-U, was introduced on May 19, allowing taxpayers to correct past returns from the last 48 months. However, a significant concern arises: can you file your ITR? The answer is no! Although the forms are available for download, the e-filing utilities on the Income Tax Department's website are currently non-functional.

The Income Tax Department provides three methods for filing ITR:

1. Online utility (primarily for general taxpayers)

2. Offline utility (in JSON format)

3. Excel utility

The online utility pre-fills some of your information, which you can review and correct before submitting your return. Last year, approximately 43.82% of taxpayers used this method to file their ITR.

For offline or Excel tools, you must first download the utility, fill out the form on your computer, and then upload it to the website for submission.

While the Income Tax Department has not provided an official explanation, it is believed that significant changes have been made to the ITR forms this year, particularly with the introduction of the ITR-U form, which has delayed the update of the utilities.

Many are wondering if the filing deadline might be extended. However, this seems unlikely. Typically, taxpayers file their returns in June or July, and the department still has time to prepare.

For those not subject to audit, the last date to file is July 31, 2025. Filing after this date may incur late fees.

Therefore, ensure you have selected the correct form and verified all other information. As soon as the utilities are operational, you can file your return promptly.