ITR filing 2025: Which ITR form is for you?

The deadline to file ITR for FY25 (and AY26) is July 31, 2025. Let’s learn about the various different ITR forms catering to different taxpayer categories.

ITR-1

This form is for resident individuals (not HUFs) with an income of up to ₹50 lakh per annum from salary, one house property (excluding cases where loss is brought forward), other income sources like interest, and agricultural income of up to ₹5,000.

• Are a director in a company
• Have invested in unlisted equity shares during the previous year
• Have income from business or any other profession
• Are a resident with foreign assets or foreign income
• Have capital gains more than the permitted threshold: LTCG under section 112A more than ₹1.25 lakh or having carried forward/ brought forward losses

ITR-2

This can be filed by individuals or Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) who are not eligible to file ITR-1, like the ones with capital gains, multiple house properties, or foreign income. It can also be filed by individuals who want the income of another person (like their spouse or minor child) to be combined with their income—and such income is from salary, house rent, interest, etc.

ITR-3

This form is for individuals and HUFs who are engaged in business or professions that require maintaining elaborate accounting records. Simply put, ITR-3 is used by individuals and HUFs having income from a proprietary business or profession. This includes working professionals like accountants, doctors, consultants, lawyers, etc—those who earn income based on actual profits.

ITR-4

This can be filed by a resident individual, a HUF, or a firm (other than LLP) with income less than ₹50 lakh in a year, who opt for presumptive taxation under sections 44AD (small businesses), 44ADA (professionals), and 44AE (transporters). It can also be filed if you have other sources of income like salary/pension, one house property, agricultural income (up to ₹5,000), and other sources—as long as the total income is within ₹50 lakh. If you have income sources like capital gains, foreign income, or more than one house, you can’t use ITR-4.

ITR-5

This form is used by firms, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), Associations of Persons (AOPs), Bodies of Individuals (BOIs), and Artificial Juridical Persons (AJPs) to file their income tax returns.