New Income Tax Law: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed in her budget that the new Income Tax Bill is set to take effect on April 1, 2026. She also mentioned that a new Income Tax Return Form will be made available for taxpayers. For instance, when you submit your ITR for the upcoming financial year, you will be provided with a completely updated form. What modifications will this new form introduce, and what advantages will it offer to taxpayers? We will address these inquiries step by step.
To begin with, it’s important to note that the government has not yet shared any specific details regarding the new ITR form. Nevertheless, experts suggest that the new legislation will place a significant emphasis on making the ITR form easier to understand. The government aims for the return filing process to be so clear and straightforward that any taxpayer can handle it independently. Additionally, it will feature a wealth of pre-filled information, which will boost transparency.
Encouraging the New Regime
The Finance Minister has confirmed that the new Income Tax Act will be implemented on April 1, 2026. The government will also announce new ITR forms. It is anticipated that this change will focus on making the new tax regime the default option. The new forms will be more user-friendly, incorporating existing taxpayer data. The new legislation will also streamline compliance. Filing tax returns will become more manageable, particularly for salaried individuals, and the overall filing process will be quicker and simpler.
The focus will be on simplifying and digitizing the new ITR forms. The new ITR forms will also include a nil deduction certificate, making the online process even easier. Taxpayers will now be able to file their returns using an automated system. The new forms will also simplify the process for filing updated returns. This will allow taxpayers to file updated returns even in cases where the loss shown in a previously filed ITR needs to be reduced.
The rules will be made easier for small taxpayers, enabling them to get a nil deduction certificate through an automated system. This system will automatically compute the tax using pre-filled information like salary, interest, and more, which will cut down the time needed to fill out the form and lower the risk of mistakes.
Taxpayers who invest in the stock market will have the ability to submit Forms 15G and 15H directly to the depository for any dividends they receive. Additionally, there is speculation that the deadline for filing returns might be pushed back along with the introduction of the new ITR form. For individual taxpayers, the deadline will still be July 31st, but for those who do not require an audit, it could be extended to August 31st.









