Mundle Venkatraman & Associates

Consequences of not filing your individual income tax return in time

By: Mr. Prasanna Ravikant Bhat - 25th June, 2019

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The due date for filing individual income tax return for FY2018-19 (AY2019-20) is 31^st July, 2019.

If you fall in the below conditions then you have to mandatorily file your income tax return:

If the gross total income (before allowing any deductions under section 80C to 80U) exceeds

Age of individual	Basic exemption limit
For individuals below 60 years of age	Rs.2,50,000
For individuals above 60 years of age and below 80 years of age	Rs.3,00,000
For individuals above 80 years of age	Rs.5,00,000

If the individual holds any asset including financial interest in any entity located outside India OR has signing authority in any account located outside India as a beneficial owner or otherwis
If the individual is a beneficiary of any asset located outside Indi

Merely paying all taxes is not sufficient compliance, you also need to file your income tax return in a timely manner.

If you delay filing your return you attract a late filing fee u/s 234F of the Income Tax Act which has been made applicable for and from the FY2017-18.

The late filing fee varies with the delay. The table below gives an idea of the fee payable in a nutshell:

Date of filing	Late filing fee applicable
Returned income <= Rs.5,00,000
If return filed on/after 1^st August 2019 and on/before 31^stDecember 2019	Rs.1,000
If return filed on/after 1^stJanuary 2020 and on/before 31^st March 2020	Rs.1,000
Returned income > Rs.5,00,000
If return filed on/after 1^st August 2019 and on/before 31^st December 2019	Rs.5,000
If return filed on/after 1^st January 2020 and on/before 31^st March 2020	Rs.10,000

Apart from the late filing fee a taxpayer is subjected to, his refund (if any) also gets delayed if the return is filed late.

The Income Tax Act does not permit carry forward of any losses that the taxpayer has for AY2019-20 which he intends to carry forward and set off against income of subsequent years.

The taxpayer is also subject to interest on delayed filing @ 1% per month for each month of delay or part thereof. The interest is charged from 1^st August of 2019 till the month in which the return is actually filed on the balance amount of tax payable.

In view of the adverse consequences taxpayers are well advised to file their returns for AY2019-20 well in time and in any case on/before 31^st July 2019.

Disclaimer:

This note is meant to give an overall view to the reader and should not be construed as an alternative to expert advice. If you have any specific queries regarding section 234F you should seek advice from an appropriately qualified professional.

Disclaimer

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