ITR: Should people earning less than Rs 3 lakh per annum also file ITR? Most people do not know this..

The last date for filing the income tax return for the financial year 2024-25 (Income Tax Return Filing Deadline 2025) is very close. If you have not filed your ITR yet (ITR Filing 2025), then do this work quickly because you have only 10 days left. The last date for filing ITR (ITR Filing Last Date 2025) is 15 September 2025. Taxpayers are being alerted by the tax department before this deadline.

E-file and e-verify your ITR before 15 September
The Income Tax Department has started sending reminder messages to people regarding ITR filing. It is written in the message that more than 3 crore ITRs have been filed so far. Along with this, people have been asked to e-file and e-verify their ITR before 15 September 2025. This reminder is for those taxpayers on whom audit is not applicable and who are required to file returns by the due date.

Now the question in the minds of many people is whether their annual salary income is less than 3 lakhs, then will ITR have to be filed? Let us clear all your confusion regarding tax filing. Here we will tell you for whom it is necessary to pay tax.

Who is required to file ITR?

According to the Finance Act 2024, if your income is above the basic exemption limit, then you must file an ITR. This limit is Rs 3 lakh in the new tax regime and Rs 2.5 lakh in the old tax regime. If someone's total income is more than this limit, then they will have to file an ITR. On the other hand, if the income is below the limit, but some special transactions have taken place or a TDS refund has to be claimed, then it is also necessary to file the return.

Exemption for those earning less than 2.5 lakh in the old tax regime

Suppose a 35-year-old person earns a salary of Rs 2.5 lakh in FY 2024-25. He also has a long-term capital gain (LTCG) of Rs 70,000. He has taken a deduction of Rs 1 lakh under 80C. So the calculation in the old tax regime will be like this:

Salary 2.5 lakh + LTCG 70 thousand – 80C deduction 1 lakh = Total 2.2 lakh rupees. Since this is less than the limit of 2.5 lakh, he will not need to file an ITR.

ITR filing is mandatory if...

Income is above the basic exemption limit (look at income before deductions).

A company or firm (including LLP), whether the income is zero or in loss.

Holding foreign accounts, property, or income while living in India.
You have made high-value transactions (like big bank deposits, expensive travel, electricity bills, etc.)

TDS has been deducted from your income, and you want to get the refund.

You have incurred a loss and want to set it off later.

For example, if someone's salary is 8 lakhs and LTCG is 1 lakh, then the total income will be 9 lakhs, and it will be necessary to file ITR. In some cases, even after a deduction of 7 lakhs on a salary of 20 lakhs, the total income will still be 13 lakhs, so ITR will have to be filed. On the other hand, if the salary is 10 lakhs and there is a deduction of 1 lakh, then the net income will be 9 lakhs, and ITR filing will have to be done.

In such a situation, it is clear that even if the salary is less than 3 lakhs, everyone is not out of ITR. If you have made high-value transactions, want to claim a refund, or have foreign assets, then ITR filing cannot be avoided.

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