Advance Tax Due Dates —
15 Jun, Sep, Dec & Mar
The four advance-tax installment dates for FY 2025-26, who must pay once tax crosses Rs 10,000, the Section 234B and 234C interest for missing them, and how to pay online.
Advance tax for FY 2025-26 is paid in four installments: 15 June 2025 (15%), 15 September 2025 (45%), 15 December 2025 (75%) and 15 March 2026 (100%) of your estimated annual tax. You must pay it if your net tax liability after TDS is Rs 10,000 or more in the year. Miss an installment and interest runs under Section 234C; pay less than 90% overall and Section 234B applies — both at 1% a month.
The four due dates — 15 June, 15 September, 15 December and 15 March — are fixed by Section 211 and do not change year to year. If a due date falls on a bank holiday or Sunday, payment on the next working day is treated as paid on time. The percentages (15/45/75/100) are cumulative, not per-quarter additions.
Advance Tax Installment Schedule FY 2025-26
Each date requires a cumulative percentage of your total estimated tax. The example column shows the amounts on a flat Rs 1,00,000 annual liability. Use our advance tax calculator to work out your own figures.
| Installment | Due date | Cumulative % | Pay now | On Rs 1L tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 15 June 2025 | 15% | 15% of estimated tax | Rs 15,000 |
| 2nd | 15 September 2025 | 45% | 30% more (to 45%) | Rs 30,000 |
| 3rd | 15 December 2025 | 75% | 30% more (to 75%) | Rs 30,000 |
| 4th | 15 March 2026 | 100% | Remaining 25% | Rs 25,000 |
Presumptive taxpayers under Section 44AD / 44ADA pay 100% in a single installment by 15 March 2026. Amounts assume a flat Rs 1L liability; yours will differ with slabs, deductions and TDS.
Who Must Pay Advance Tax?
Under Section 208, any taxpayer whose estimated tax liability for the year is Rs 10,000 or more after TDS/TCS credit must pay advance tax — individuals, HUFs, firms and companies alike.
Must pay advance tax
- Self-employed professionals — doctors, lawyers, consultants
- Business owners, proprietors, freelancers and gig workers
- Investors with capital gains on shares, property or mutual funds
- Salaried with rental, FD interest or other income where TDS is short
- Presumptive taxpayers (44AD / 44ADA) — 100% by 15 March
Not required to pay
- Resident senior citizens (60+) with no business/profession income — exempt u/s 207
- Salaried whose only income is salary and TDS covers the tax
- Anyone whose total tax after TDS is below Rs 10,000
If your employer deducts the full TDS on salary you generally need not pay advance tax. But capital gains, rent, interest or freelance income where TDS is insufficient can push your net liability past Rs 10,000 — then advance tax is due on that extra income. Capital gains are hard to forecast, so pay the tax in the installment falling after the gain arises to limit 234C interest.
Have capital gains or side income and unsure if advance tax applies?
Ask a TaxClue expert →Interest for Late Payment — Section 234B & 234C
There is no flat penalty for late advance tax — instead simple interest at 1% per month runs under two separate sections. Both are additional to any tax due.
| Section | When it applies | Rate | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 234B | Advance tax paid is less than 90% of assessed tax | 1% / month | From 1 April of the assessment year to the date tax is paid |
| Section 234C | Shortfall in any single installment | 1% / month | 3 months each for the 1st, 2nd & 3rd installments; 1 month for the 4th |
234C is not charged on the shortfall for the 1st and 2nd installments if you have paid at least 12% and 36% respectively by those dates.
Here is the 234C interest on a Rs 1,00,000 liability where nothing is paid until the year-end.
234C — 1st installment missed
234B — under 90% paid
Skipping advance tax entirely triggers both 234C (installment-wise, during the year) and 234B (from 1 April of the assessment year until you pay). On large liabilities the combined interest runs into thousands, so it is almost always cheaper to estimate and pay on schedule than to settle everything at ITR time.
How to Pay Advance Tax Online
Pay directly on the income-tax portal — no login is needed for the payment itself. Select Advance Tax (100) and the correct assessment year (AY 2026-27 for FY 2025-26).
- Estimate total income from all sources
- Compute tax at applicable slab rates
- Subtract TDS / TCS already deducted
- Confirm net tax is Rs 10,000 or more
- Select Advance Tax (100) on e-Pay Tax
- Choose Assessment Year 2026-27
- Pay the cumulative % due for the date
- Save the challan (BSR code + serial no.)
- Report the challan in Schedule IT of your ITR
For FY 2025-26 advance tax, always select Assessment Year 2026-27 on the challan — picking the wrong AY mis-tags your payment and it may not appear against the correct year in your Form 26AS / AIS. The credit usually reflects within a few working days.
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Get Advance Tax Help →Advance Tax — Frequently Asked Questions
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