Income Tax update: 7 major changes coming into effect from 1 April that could impact your finances — explained The Union Budget 2026 introduced significant amendments to the Income Tax Act aimed at simplifying compliance and reducing procedural burdens for taxpayers. These changes, effective from 1 April 2026, apply to the financial year 2026-27 and include adjustments to tax collection mechanisms, filing deadlines, and specific tax categories. A key update involves the implementation of the new Income Tax Act, 2025, which replaces the existing Income Tax Act, 1961, starting from 1 April 2026. While the income tax slabs for the 2026-27 financial year remain unchanged, the new act reflects modernization efforts to align with evolving economic and technological landscapes. The filing deadlines for income tax returns have been adjusted. For non-audit taxpayers, the due date for filing ITR-3 and ITR-4 has been extended to 31 August, up from the end of the relevant tax year. This change also applies to the 2025-26 financial year. However, the deadlines for ITR-1 and ITR-2 remain at 31 July, and the tax audit deadline stays at 31 October. The revised due date for filing belated returns has been moved from 31 December to 31 March of the relevant financial year. Taxpayers filing revised returns after 31 December will now be required to pay an additional fee. Tax Collected at Source (TCS) rates have been rationalized to streamline compliance and reduce refund delays. Effective from April 2026, the following adjustments apply: The TCS rate on alcoholic beverages for human consumption increases from 1% to 2%. The TCS rate on tendu leaves is reduced from 5% to 2%. The TCS rate on scrap sales rises from 1% to 2%.#union_budget_2026 #income_tax_act_1961 #income_tax_act_2025 #liberalised_remittance_scheme #securities_transaction_tax
