Who is mandatory to file an ITR?

Asked by: Kristoffer Towne II  |  Last update: July 7, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (36 votes)

In India, filing an Income Tax Return (ITR) is mandatory if your total income exceeds the basic exemption limit ( ₹ 3 3 lakh for the new regime, ₹ 2.5 2 . 5 lakh for the old), or if you are a company/firm. Mandatory filing also applies if you deposited over ₹ 50 5 0 lakh in savings, ₹ 1 1 crore in current accounts, spent > ₹ 2 > 2 lakh on foreign travel, or have high TDS/TCS.

Who is not required to file ITR?

Who is Exempted from ITR Filing in India? Senior citizens should be more than 75 years of age. Senior citizens should be 'Resident' in India in the previous years. He earns income from interest and pension only.

Who is required to submit an ITR?

If you're a freelancer, self-employed professional, or consultant earning income in the Philippines, you're required to file an ITR. These individuals also need to apply for an ITR: Working Filipino citizens living in the Philippines, regardless of income.

What is the minimum income to file an ITR?

The minimum income to file an Income Tax Return (ITR) in the U.S. for the 2025 tax year depends on your filing status and age, with thresholds like $15,750 for Single filers (under 65) and $31,500 for Married Filing Jointly (both under 65). You might still need to file if you're self-employed (>$400 net earnings), had taxes withheld, or want to claim refundable credits, while in India, it's generally above ₹2.5 Lakhs (or ₹4 Lakhs under the new regime), but exceptions exist for high electricity bills or foreign assets. 

Is it compulsory to file ITR if income is below 2.5 lakhs?

As per the Income Tax Act, 1961, individuals with an annual income below ₹2.5 lakh are not required to file an ITR. However, there are exceptions where filing is still necessary or beneficial, such as: If you want to claim a tax refund. If you had TDS deducted from salary, bank interest, or investments.

Who Should File ITR | Who Should File Income Tax Return | is itr filing is mandatory

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What is the minimum salary to file a tax return?

You must file a federal tax return if your gross income meets certain thresholds, generally around $15,750 for single filers under 65, but this varies by filing status, age, and if you're a dependent, with lower amounts for married filing separately ($5) or self-employed individuals with $400+ net earnings. For the 2025 tax year, thresholds increase for older individuals (e.g., $17,750 for single, 65+) and higher for head of household ($23,625) or married filing jointly ($31,500), according to IRS guidance and tax prep sites.

Does an NRI need to file ITR in India?

As an NRI, PIO, or OCI, you may be required to file tax returns in India if your Indian income surpasses the specified threshold or if you seek to claim refunds for excess tax deductions. While filing an ITR is mandatory only under certain circumstances, voluntary filing can be beneficial in many ways.

What is the income limit for not filing ITR?

Section 234F (Penalty for late filing of ITR)

As per this rule, if you file your ITR between the due date and December 31, 2025, you must pay a late fee as follows: If your total income is more than Rs. 5 lakh, the penalty is Rs. 5,000.

Who is liable to file an ITR?

Every person having taxable income and whose accounts are not liable to audit must file an Income Tax Return. If total income exceeds Rs. 5 lakh, it is mandatory to file the return online. Self-assessment tax liability should be paid before filing Income Tax Return; otherwise return will be treated as defective.

How do I know if I am eligible to file an ITR?

As per the Income Tax Act of 1961, any individual under 60 years of age and earns a total income of Rs. 2.5 lakh or more in a financial year must file ITR.

What is the minimum salary before paying taxes?

Minimum wage before tax refers to the gross hourly rate set by federal, state, or local laws, with the U.S. federal minimum at $7.25/hour, but many states and cities mandate higher rates, like Washington ($16.66) or D.C. ($17.50) in early 2025, with variations for tipped workers ($2.13) and youth; these are your starting wages, before deductions like federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare (FICA), and state taxes are taken out. 

Who is not required to file income tax?

The following individuals are not required to file income tax returns: An Individual earning purely compensation income whose taxable income does not exceed Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php250,000);

Is it compulsory to do ITR?

All individuals and entities with a taxable income are required to file ITR. It is mandatory for all taxpayers whose income exceeds the exemption limit – ₹2.5 lakhs (under 60 years) for the old regime and ₹7 lakhs for the new regime. Can I file the ITR after the due date?

What is the minimum salary to file taxes?

You must file a federal tax return if your gross income meets certain thresholds, generally around $15,750 for single filers under 65, but this varies by filing status, age, and if you're a dependent, with lower amounts for married filing separately ($5) or self-employed individuals with $400+ net earnings. For the 2025 tax year, thresholds increase for older individuals (e.g., $17,750 for single, 65+) and higher for head of household ($23,625) or married filing jointly ($31,500), according to IRS guidance and tax prep sites.

How to file ITR with no income?

Step-by-step guide on how to file Nil ITR return

  1. Step 1: Register on the Income Tax Portal. ...
  2. Step 2: Navigate to e-File section. ...
  3. Step 3: Select the appropriate ITR form. ...
  4. Step 4: Fill in the required details. ...
  5. Step 5: Validate and generate XML. ...
  6. Step 6: Upload XML and submit. ...
  7. Step 7: Verify your return.

How much is the penalty for not filing returns?

Penalty - 20% of tax involved is charged. Offence - Failure to file annual returns by the due date. Penalty - Additional tax equal to 5% of the normal tax, or Ksh. 10,000 in for Non-Individual Taxpayers.

What if I forgot to file ITR?

(1) You can still file a belated return for the relevant previous year. The deadline for filing a belated return is December 31 of the assessment year concerned. For example, let's say you did not file your Income Tax Returns for the financial year 2022-23. The due date for filing the original ITR is July 31, 2023.

Can a person with no income file a tax return?

It's perfectly legal to file a tax return even if your income falls below the IRS minimum requirement to file. If you qualify for certain tax credits but owe no tax, you might be able to claim the excess tax credit as a refund when you file your return.

Do I need to file taxes in India if I live abroad?

Resident individual recently moved abroad

He just received Form 16 from his Indian employer. Should he file his returns this year in India? NRI or not, every individual must file a tax return if their income exceeds basic exemption limit. But note that NRIs are only taxed for income earned/collected in India.

What is the new rule for NRI in India?

New rules for NRIs in India focus on stricter tax residency criteria from April 2026, increasing the stay threshold to 120 days for high-income NRIs (over ₹15 lakh Indian income) to become Resident but Not Ordinarily Resident (RNOR) and introducing "deemed residency" for high-income Indians in tax havens; also, higher TCS thresholds for LRS remittances (to ₹10L) and removal of TCS for education loans are recent changes from Budget 2025-26, alongside increased reporting of foreign assets.
 

Do non-residents need to file a tax return?

Non-residents may need to file a Canadian non-resident tax return if they earn taxable Canadian income. While withholding taxes often fulfill tax obligations, filing a tax return may be necessary to claim refunds, deductions, or treaty benefits.

Does everyone need to file a tax return?

Key Takeaways. If you earn less than the Standard Deduction for your filing status, you likely don't need to file a tax return. Even if you don't meet the filing threshold, you may still have to file taxes if you have other types of income.

What is the minimum income to pay ITR?

What is the minimum income for ITR? If the individual gross income is over ₹2,50,000, then he needs to file an ITR. However, this may be subject to change under few circumstances.