Income-tax returns: Forms notified, excel utility enabled — All you need to know about ITR-4 Sugam online; see top FAQs

Income-tax return (ITR) forms for financial year 2025-26 (FY26) aka assessment year 2026-27 (AY27) have been notified by the tax department. Further, it has also enabled Excel Utility for the ITR-1 (Sahaj) and ITR-4 (Sugam) forms online so that taxpayers can prepare their returns offline before digitally uploading the same.

You can do so by logging into the official e-filing portal (https://www.incometax.gov.in/) with your User ID and password. Notably, all first-time users have to register using Aadhaar, PAN and other details.

Using the correct ITR form is important so that your returns are processed in a timely manner. In fact, using the wrong form could trigger an income-tax notice from the department seeking a correction in your filings.

What are the different ITR forms?

• ITR-1 form: Salaried individual with one house property, and other sources.
• ITR-2 form: Individual or Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) without business income.
• ITR-3 form: Individual or HUF with income from business or profession.
• ITR-4 form: Taxpayers with presumptive income from business or profession.
• ITR-5 form: For use by a firm, Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Association of Persons (AOP), Body of Individuals (BOI), or Artificial Juridical Person (AJP).

ITR-4 form online (Sugam) — Top FAQs answered

Here's a detailed look at the ITR-4 form aka Sugam and the most frequently asked questions about its use:

What is ITR-4 form? Who should use it? Also known as Sugam, ITR-4 is applicable for an Individual or Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), who is resident other than not ordinarily Resident or a Resident Firm (other than LLP) having total income up to ₹50 lakh and having income from business or profession which is computed on a presumptive basis (under sections 44AD / 44ADA / 44AE of Income Tax Act,1961) and income from any of the following sources:

• Salary or pension
• Other sources (Interest, Family Pension, Dividend etc.)
• Agricultural Income up to ₹ 5,000
• Capital Gain Income u/s 112A of Income Tax Act,1961 up to up to ₹1,25,000

Other sources which include interest from savings account, interest from deposit (bank/ post office / cooperative society), interest from income tax refund, family pension, interest received on enhanced compensation and any other interest income (such as interest income from unsecured loan).

Who cannot use ITR-4? ITR-4 cannot be filed by someone who is a resident but not ordinarily resident (RNOR), or non-resident Indian, has total income exceeding ₹50 lakh, has agricultural income in excess of ₹5,000, is a director in a company, and has income from more than one House Property. Here's the full list:

• A person who is a Director in a Company, or
• A person who has short term Capital gains
• A person who has Long-term capital gain u/s 112A (Income Tax Act,1961) exceeding Rs.1.25 lakhs
• A person who has held any unlisted equity shares at any time during the previous year
• A person who has any asset (including financial interest in any entity) located outside India, or
• A person who has signing authority in any account located outside India, or
• A person who has income from any source outside India,
• A person who is a person in whose case payment or deduction of tax has been deferred on ESOP
• A person who who has brought any loss or loss to be carried forward under any head of income; or
• A person who has total income exceeding Rs. 50 lakhs.
• A person who have income from retirement benefit account maintained in a notified country u/s 89A.
• A person who have income from retirement benefit account maintained in a country other than notified country u/s 89A.
• A person who have any income chargeable at special rate.

Is the ITR-4 form mandatory? According to the tax department website, the ITR-4 form is not mandatory. “It is a simplified return form to be used by an assessee, at his / her option, if he / she is eligible to declare Profits and Gains from Business or Profession on presumptive basis under Section 44AD, 44ADA or 44AE of Income Tax Act,1961,” it states.

What is the deadline for filing I-T returns?

For the current tax year, i.e. financial year 2025-2026 or assessment year 2026-2027, the deadline for individual taxpayers filing ITR is 31 July 2026; while for those using ITR forms 3 and 4, is 31 August 2026.

Notably, taxpayers who miss the July deadline can still file a delayed return by 31 December, for FY25-26 / AY26-27.

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