What is the last date to file a belated return for AY 2026-27?

A belated return under Section 139(4) can generally be filed up to 31 December 2026, unless extended. It attracts a late fee under Section 234F and interest under Section 234A on unpaid tax.

Is there a penalty for filing a revised return?

No. Revising under Section 139(5) to correct a genuine mistake carries no penalty, provided your original return was filed on time. You can revise multiple times within the window.

Can I carry forward losses if I file late?

Generally no. Most losses — business and capital — cannot be carried forward if you file after the due date. This is one of the most expensive consequences of a belated return.

How many times can I revise my return?

As many times as needed within the revision window. The last validly filed and e-verified return stands. Always quote the original acknowledgement details when revising.

What if both the belated and revised windows have closed?

You may be able to file an updated return (ITR-U) under Section 139(8A) on payment of additional tax. It cannot be used to claim a refund or increase a loss, and the extra tax rises the later you file.

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Income Tax· Updated Aug 2026· 8 min read· By CA Sumit Chandwani· §10(13A)

Paying Rent to Your Parents for HRA: What Makes It Genuine

It is legal, common, and regularly rejected when done lazily. Real transfers, real receipts, a parent who owns the house and declares the income — that is the whole game.

Missed 31 July? Belated & Revised Returns Under Section 139(4) & 139(5) AY 2026-27

TL;DR

Legal? Yes — parent owns the house, you pay real rent.

Proof: agreement + bank transfers + receipts; PAN above ₹1L/yr.

Parent side: declares rent, gets 30% standard deduction.

Regime: old regime only.

Yes, it works — if the rent is real

Paying rent to your parents and claiming HRA exemption is legal. The exemption tests are the same as any tenancy: you actually live in their house, you actually pay rent (bank transfer, not a year-end journal entry), and the arrangement is genuine — the house should be owned by the parent you pay, not by you.

The paper trail that survives scrutiny

A simple rent agreement, and monthly bank transfers matching it.
Rent receipts; your parent’s PAN if rent exceeds ₹1 lakh a year (employer requirement).
Your parent declares the rent as income from house property — with the 30% standard deduction, a retired parent in a low slab often pays little or nothing on it.

Where claims get rejected

Paying rent for a house you co-own — you cannot be your own tenant.
Cash payments with no trail, or rent wildly above market for the area.
Paying a spouse instead — courts have gone both ways; parents are the clean route.
Claiming HRA while also claiming that same house as self-occupied for a home-loan deduction in the parent’s hands inconsistently — keep the stories aligned.

Old regime only

HRA exemption exists under the old regime. Under the new regime it does nothing — run the regime comparison before building the arrangement, and remember the family’s combined tax matters: your saving minus the tax your parent pays on the rent is the true benefit.