Advance tax refers to the payment of income tax in instalments during the financial year based on estimated income rather than at the time of filing returns. It applies to every person whose tax liability for a year exceeds ₹10,000 after accounting for TDS. Individuals earning income from sources other than salary, such as business, profession, rent, or capital gains, are generally required to pay advance tax. However, resident senior citizens not having business or professional income are exempt. Taxpayers under presumptive taxation schemes (Sections 44AD and 44ADA) must pay 100% of their estimated tax by 15th March. Advance tax payments are due in instalments — 15% by June 15, 45% by September 15, 75% by December 15, and the full amount by March 15. The tax can be paid through authorized banks or online portals, using the correct Permanent Account Number (PAN), assessment year, and payment head to avoid errors.
Assessees can revise their income estimates during the year and adjust remaining instalments accordingly without filing any separate statement with the tax department. When the Assessing Officer (AO) issues a demand order, the taxpayer must pay the determined advance tax in remaining instalments. If the AO’s estimated income differs from the taxpayer’s, the assessee must file Form 28A under Rule 39, indicating their own estimate and tax computation. Failure to comply with such orders or to file Form 28A may result in being treated as an assessee-in-default. Advance tax is not an expense but an asset shown under “Loans and Advances” in the balance sheet and is adjusted against total tax liability at year-end. The tax computation includes income from all heads—salaries, business, capital gains, house property, and other sources—after deductions, rebates, and applicable cess. Taxpayers must also factor in TDS credits while calculating their advance tax liability.
Advance tax also applies to capital gains and casual income such as winnings from lotteries or puzzles. Since such income cannot be predicted in advance, tax thereon must be paid in the remaining instalments falling due after the gain arises. If the total tax is paid before the specified due date, no interest is levied for delay. Payments made up to March 31 are treated as advance tax, even if banks are closed on the due date; online payments remain an available alternative. In case of missed bifurcation of tax, surcharge, and cess, taxpayers may report the total amount as income tax during return filing, which will be reconciled by the Central Processing Centre. The rates applicable for advance tax are those in force for the relevant financial year. If a taxpayer defaults or underpays, the AO may issue an order before February 28 directing payment in specified instalments. In all cases, maintaining accuracy in estimates, timely payments, and correct challan details ensures compliance and prevents penal consequences under the Income Tax Act.
Q.1 Is there any compliance if an assessee revises its estimate of income for advance tax?
Ans An assessee can revise the estimation of income and pay advance tax on before the specified due dates without any requirement of filing the estimation of income with the department.
Q.2 Can estimate of income be revised for the purpose of advance tax?
Ans In case the assesee wants to revise the estimate of income after making payment of first/ second instalment of advance tax, the assesse can revise the remaining instalment of advance tax in accordance with his revised estimate of current income and pay the advance tax accordingly.
Q.3 What will be the due date for the payment of advance tax if the same is payable by virtue of an order from the Assessing Officer/ Income Tax Officer?
Ans Where advance tax is payable due to the notice of demand issued by Assessing Officer then whole or part of the advance tax is payable in the remaining instalments, i.e., instalments due during the financial year after the date of notice.
Q.4 Who is not required to pay Advance tax?
Ans A resident senior citizen(i.e., an individual of the age of 60 years or above during the financial year) not having any income from business or profession is not liable to pay advance tax.
- Taxpayer who opted for presumptive taxation scheme of section 44ADor section 44ADA is liable to pay 100% of advance tax by 15th March.
Q.5 Can I claim the deduction of Advance tax payments against my profits?
Ans Advance Tax is not an expense.
- It is considered as an asset and adjusted against one’s tax liabilities at the time of finalization of the Balance Sheet.
- It is a charge on income and not considered as an expenditure.
- It is shown under Loans and Advances in the Balance Sheet.
Q.6 What to do if I forgot to bifurcate the amount of tax, surcharge and Cess while making the online payment?
Ans Showing the total tax liability as Income tax, Education cess, Surcharge, etc., is advisable.
- However, in the event the bifurcation of tax payment like, income-tax, surcharge, Cess, etc., is not done due to any reason, there is no need to panic.
- While filing the income-tax return just mention the total amount. in income-tax column and that would be sufficient. However, at the time of filing income-tax return, you should fill up the correct bifurcation details and then CPC will check it properly at the time of processing.
Q.7 What should be kept in mind while making payment of tax ?
Ans While making payment of tax, apart from other things, one should clearly mention following details :
- Head of payment, e., Corporation Tax/Income-tax (other than companies)
- Amount and mode of payment of tax
- Type of payment [e.,Advance tax/Self-assessment tax/Tax on regular assessment/Tax on Dividend/Tax on distributed Income to Unit holders/Surtax]
- Assessment year – this is a general error that assessees commit as AY is different from Financial year
- The unique identification number called as PAN [Permanent Account Number] allotted by the IT Department.
- The details are displayed on screen and should be confirmed before proceeding with payments.
Q.8 How to compute advance tax on capital gains income?
Ans Advance tax is payable on total income which includes capital gains and casual income (i.e., income from lotteries, crossword puzzles, etc.).
However, it is practically not possible to estimate the income from capital gain and casual income in advance. Therefore, in such cases it is provided that if any such income arises after the due date of any instalment, then the tax calculated on capital gain and casual income shall be paid in remaining instalments of advance tax which are due.
If the entire amount of advance tax is paid on or before specified due date then no interest for late payment of advance tax is levied.
Q.9 In case of advance tax, when is assessee considered as assesse-in-default?
Ans For the purpose of advance tax, an assessee will be considered as assesse-in-default if he:-
1. does not pay the advance tax on receiving the order from Income-tax officer as per the due dates, or
2. does not file an intimation in Form 28Abefore the instalment due date.
Q.10 What should we do if the bank is closed on the last day for payment of advance tax?
Ans Any taxes paid till 31stMarch will be treated as advance tax.
- If the last day for the payment of advance tax is the day on which the banks are closed, then one should pay the advance tax on the immediately following working day and no interest shall be charged on such payments of advance tax.However tax can be pay through online mode, through internet banking, debit card etc
Q.11 Does credit of TDS allowed while calculating advance tax?
Ans As per section 208 of the income-tax Act, 1961, every person whose estimated tax liability for the year is INR 10,000 or more, after TDS (taxes deducted at source), shall pay advance tax.
Therefore, credit of TDS is to be taken while calculating the advance tax liability.
However, if the amount is given or credited by payer without deduction of tax then the benefit of TDS cannot be considered while calculating the advance tax liability.
Q.12 Who is responsible to file Form 28A?
Ans In case the Assessing Officer’s estimation of current income is more than the assesse’s estimate then the assessee is required to file an intimation in Form no. 28A giving estimate of income and advance tax.
The estimation is required to be filled and signed by a person who is authorized to sign a return of income.
- In case of a registered firm, the firm has to submit the estimate of advance tax payable, if any.
- The individual partnershave also to submit an estimate of the advance tax payable by eachpartner including therein the share of income from the registered partnership firm.
- In case of an HUF, which has no member and whose total income of the previous year is likely to exceed the maximum amount not chargeable to income-tax then a declaration is required to be filed from all members.
Q.13 What is Form 28A?
Ans In case the Assessing Officer’s estimation of current income is more than the assesse’s estimate then he is required to send an intimation in Form no. 28A giving estimate of such reduced income and advance tax.
The form is prescribed under Rule 39 of the Income-tax Rules (Form No. 28A).
Q.14 What should I do on receiving the notice from income-tax department for the payment of advance tax, if my actual income is more than what is determined by the tax officer?
Ans Assessing Officer can serve an order requiring the assesse to pay advance tax, if he is of the opinion that such person is liable to pay advance tax.
– However, if you feel that year advance tax liability is lower than the liability calculated by the income-tax officer; you may file an estimation of the income and amount of tax payable thereon
– Such information should be submitted in Form No. 28A to the Assessing Officer
– Alternatively, In case the tax demand calculated by the Income-tax officer is lower than the tax liability computed by you, you should pay the advance tax as per your own computation.
– No intimation to Income-tax officer is required to be made in such cases.
Q.15 Which tax rates are to be used for computing advance tax liability?
Ans For computing the advance tax liability of the prevailing tax rates or the rates in force of the previous year for which the advance tax is to be computed are to be used.
Click here to calculate Advance Tax Liability
Q.16 When Assessing Officer is liable to determine the Advance tax liability?
Ans If a taxpayer who has a legal obligation to pay advance tax fails to make payment for advance tax or advance tax is lower than the correct amount AO may pass an order asking the taxpayer to pay tax on assessee’s current year income
- Such order shall clearly specify the amount payable and in number of instalments the same needs to be paid
- Such order should be passed anytime during the previous year but before 1stMarch, i.e., by 28th February
Computation by the Assessing Officer
- Assessing Officer can serve an order requiring the assesse to pay advance tax if he is of the opinion that such person is liable to pay advance tax or the tax paid is lower
- In such cases, the Officer will take the higher of following incomes and calculate the tax as per prevailing rate of income-tax:-
(a) The total income of the latest previous year in respect of which Officer has assessed income, i.e., the year for which an assessment has been completed by the Income-tax Officer,
or
(b) The total income declared by the assesse in any return after the year of assessment by officer., i.e., Any income furnished by the assessee in Income-tax return for any previous year after
Click here to calculate Advance Tax Liability
Q.17 What is the procedure for computing advance tax?
Ans Advance tax is liable to be paid in every case where the advance tax payable is Rs. 10,000 or more. A Resident Senior citizen not having any income from business/profession, is not liable to pay advance tax.
An assessee who opts for the presumptive taxation scheme under section 44AD and section 44ADA is required to pay advance tax related to such business. However, advance tax can be paid during the financial year (immediately preceding to the assessment year) on or before March 15.
The computation of advance tax can be done in the following manner:
| Income from salaries | xxx |
| Income from house property | xxx |
| Income from Capital Gains | xxx |
| Income from Business or Profession | xxx |
| Income from other sources | xxx |
| Gross Total Income | xxx |
| Less: Deductions under sections 80C to 80U | xxx |
| Net Income | xxx |
| Income Tax on Net Income | xxx |
| Less: Rebate under section 87A | xxx |
| Balance | xxx |
| Add: Surcharge, if any | xxx |
| Total | xxx |
| Add: Health and Education Cess @4% | xxx |
| Total | xxx |
| Less: Relief under section 89, 90, 90A or 91 | xxx |
| Less: Pre-paid taxes (i.e. advance tax, self -assessment tax, TDS, TCS, MAT/AMT credit) | xxx |
| Advance Tax Liability | xxx |
(The Advance tax calculator is available on www.incometaxindia.gov.in)
Click here to calculate Advance Tax Liability
Q.18 What is the due date for payment of Advance tax and Self Assessment tax?
Ans (A) Click here to view the step by step guide for payment of taxes.
(B) LAST DATE FOR PAYMENT OF SELF ASSESSMENT TAX
As per section 140(1) , Payment of income-tax on self-assessment should be done by the assessee before the date of filing of return of income. The payment made after the due date of filing return of income attracts interest under section 234A.
(C) LAST DATE FOR PAYMENT OF ADVANCE TAX
(b) The due dates for payment of different instalments of advance tax are as follows :-
(i) For assessees (other than those covered under section 44ADA of the Income-tax Act, 1961)
| On or before 15th June | 15% of advance tax |
| On or before 15th Sept | 45% of advance tax |
| On or before 15th Dec | 75% of advance tax |
| On or before 15th March | 100% of the advance tax |
(ii) For assessees covered under section 44AD and section 44ADA (under presumptive taxation scheme) of the income-tax Act, 1961, are required to pay advance tax on or before 15th Mar
Q.19 Who is liable to pay Advance tax?
Ans As per Section 208 of the Income Tax Act,
- Every person (individual, firm, company, etc.)
- whose estimated tax liability for the year (i.e., for the year in progress such as FY 2021-22, FY 2022-23, etc.)
- after TDS (i.e., TDS which is deducted for the person by its payers/clients/banks, etc.)
- Is Rs. 10,000 or more
- shall pay its tax for the year in advance during the same financial year
- Such tax shall be paid in instalments
- Individuals, having only salary income are not required to pay advance tax as the liability to deduct and deposit tax is on the employer making such payment in the form of TDS
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Q.20 Can payment of advance tax be made through any bank account?
- It is not necessary to make the payment of taxes from assessee’s own account in an authorized bank.
- An assessee can make the payment from account of any person.
- However, the challan for making such payment must clearly indicate the Permanent Account Number of assesse on whose behalf the payment is made.
(Republished with amendments)
