The Income Tax Department has released updated Excel utilities for filing income tax returns (ITR) for various assessment years. These utilities are designed to assist specific categories of taxpayers in accurately and efficiently filing their returns. The utilities are available for download on the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal.

Updated Excel Utilities

The Income Tax Department has released Excel Utilities for updated returns in ITR-5, ITR-6, and ITR-7 forms for the Assessment Years 2021-22 and 2022-23. These utilities are aligned with the provisions of the Finance Act, 2025. The Excel utility for ITR Form 6 for the assessment year 2025-26 has also been released.

Who Can Use These ITR Forms?

• ITR-5: This form is for firms, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), Associations of Persons (AOPs), Bodies of Individuals (BOIs), Artificial Juridical Persons (AJPs), local authorities, cooperative societies, societies registered under the Societies Registration Act, trusts (other than those eligible for ITR-7), estates of deceased persons, estates of insolvents, business trusts, and investment funds. However, it is not for individuals, Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), companies, or those required to file ITR-7.
• ITR-6: This form is for companies that do not claim tax exemption under Section 11 of the Income Tax Act, which applies to income from property held for charitable or religious purposes. It is mandatory for private limited companies, public limited companies, and other registered corporate entities that generate taxable income.
• ITR-7: This form is for persons, including companies, required to furnish returns under sections 139(4A), 139(4B), 139(4C), or 139(4D) of the Income Tax Act. This includes charitable or religious trusts, political parties, scientific research institutions, colleges, and other institutions.

Key Dates

The due date for filing ITR-7 is September 15, 2025, for non-audit taxpayers and October 31, 2025, for audit taxpayers. For businesses requiring an audit, the deadline is October 31, 2025. For businesses with international transactions or specific domestic transactions, the deadline is November 30, 2025.

How to File

To file ITR-5 online, visit the Income Tax e-filing portal. Use the latest ITR-5 utility or authorized software, fill in required schedules, validate and generate XML, and upload it. The entire filing process is required to be done electronically, either with a digital signature or an Electronic Verification Code (EVC).

Benefits of Filing ITR

Filing an ITR has several benefits:

• Claiming income tax refunds
• Applying for a visa or loan
• Carrying forward losses from business/profession or under capital gains

The release of these updated Excel utilities and the offline utility for ITR-5 aims to streamline the return filing process and promote accurate and timely compliance with income tax regulations. Taxpayers are encouraged to download and utilize these tools to ensure accurate and efficient filing of their income tax returns.