Advance Tax Calculator FY 2026-27 — Instalments & Due Dates

Quick answer

You must pay advance tax if your estimated tax for the year, after TDS and TCS, is ₹10,000 or more. It is paid in four instalments: at least 15% by 15 June, 45% by 15 September, 75% by 15 December and 100% by 15 March of the financial year. If you declare presumptive income under Section 44AD or 44ADA, you can pay the whole amount in one go by 15 March. Short or late payment attracts 1% monthly interest.

What advance tax is

Advance tax is income tax paid during the year in which you earn the income, instead of in one lump sum when you file your return. The idea is "pay as you earn". For salaried people, the employer does this through TDS every month. Advance tax is how everyone else — freelancers, consultants, business owners, investors and landlords — does the same.

It is the same tax, not an extra one. Whatever you pay as advance tax is credited against your final tax when you file your return. If you pay more than needed, the excess is refunded. If you pay less, you pay the balance with interest.

The rule is simple: if your tax for the year, minus TDS and TCS, is likely to be ₹10,000 or more, you must pay advance tax. The only broad exception is resident senior citizens without business or professional income.

Advance tax, TDS and self-assessment tax compared

All three are credits against the same final tax. The difference is timing. Advance tax is what keeps you clear of interest; self-assessment tax only settles what is left.

A note on the new law: the Income-tax Act, 2025 applies from 1 April 2026 and uses the term "tax year" for the financial year. From tax year 2026-27 it renumbers sections like 44AD, 44ADA, 234B and 234C. This calculator keeps the familiar section numbers and follows the instalment percentages and dates shown here.

How to use this advance tax calculator

The calculator needs only four inputs. The hard part is the estimate of your total tax, so read the next section if you are not sure.

1. Financial year — choose the year you are paying for. The instalment dates in the result follow this choice: for FY 2026-27, the dates are 15 June 2026, 15 September 2026, 15 December 2026 and 15 March 2027.
2. Estimated total tax for the year — your full tax liability for the year on all income, after the 87A rebate and including surcharge and 4% cess. Include tax on capital gains and other special-rate income. If you are not sure, work it out in our income tax calculator first.
3. TDS / TCS expected — the TDS and TCS you expect for the full year: from your employer, banks on FD interest, clients on professional fees, tenants on rent, and so on. Check your AIS and Form 26AS for what has already been deducted.
4. Presumptive income only (44AD/44ADA)? — choose "Yes" only if all your business or professional income is declared on a presumptive basis under these sections. This changes the schedule to a single instalment by 15 March.

The result shows your net advance tax (tax minus TDS), a table of instalment dates with the cumulative amount due and the amount to pay in each instalment, and marks the next upcoming date. If the net amount is below ₹10,000, it tells you no advance tax is needed and you can pay any balance as self-assessment tax before filing.

Instalment schedule and due dates

The percentages are cumulative. By each date, the total advance tax paid so far should reach the percentage shown.

Regular taxpayers

Presumptive taxpayers (44AD / 44ADA)

Presumptive taxpayers can also pay earlier if they want to; the single instalment is only the latest date. Any tax paid by 31 March of the financial year is also treated as advance tax for that year, which matters for interest under Section 234B.

How to estimate your tax for the year

The calculator is only as good as the tax figure you enter. A sensible estimate needs four steps.

1. List every income for the full year

Include salary, business or professional profit, rent received (after the 30% standard deduction), interest on savings and FDs, dividends, and any capital gains you have made or expect to make. For income still to come, use a realistic figure based on last year and contracts in hand.

2. Choose your regime

Under the new regime, slabs are: up to ₹4 lakh nil, ₹4–8 lakh 5%, ₹8–12 lakh 10%, ₹12–16 lakh 15%, ₹16–20 lakh 20%, ₹20–24 lakh 25% and above ₹24 lakh 30%. The 87A rebate makes tax nil if taxable income is up to ₹12 lakh. Under the old regime, deductions like 80C (₹1.5 lakh) and 80D are allowed but slabs are steeper. Use the regime you will actually file under.

3. Add special-rate income separately

Capital gains are taxed at their own rates: listed shares and equity funds at 20% short-term and 12.5% long-term above ₹1.25 lakh a year; other long-term assets mostly at 12.5%; crypto at 30%. The 87A rebate does not apply to this income. Our capital gains calculator gives the tax on each sale.

4. Add surcharge and cess

Add 4% health and education cess to the total. If your income is above ₹50 lakh, add surcharge too. The income tax calculator does all of this for you.

Then subtract TDS and TCS for the full year. The result is the net figure on which advance tax works.

A full estimate, step by step

Karan is a consultant who keeps regular books (not presumptive). For FY 2026-27 he expects net professional profit of ₹18,00,000 and FD interest of ₹60,000. He will use the new regime. He has no salary, so no standard deduction applies.

• Taxable income: ₹18,00,000 + ₹60,000 = ₹18,60,000.
• Slab tax: ₹4–8 lakh at 5% = ₹20,000; ₹8–12 lakh at 10% = ₹40,000; ₹12–16 lakh at 15% = ₹60,000; ₹16–18.6 lakh at 20% = ₹52,000. Total ₹1,72,000.
• No 87A rebate (income above ₹12 lakh), no surcharge (below ₹50 lakh).
• Cess at 4%: ₹6,880. Total tax ₹1,78,880.
• Expected TDS: ₹1,20,000 from clients and ₹6,000 from the bank = ₹1,26,000.
• Net advance tax: ₹1,78,880 − ₹1,26,000 = ₹52,880.

Entering ₹1,78,880 and ₹1,26,000 in the calculator gives these instalments: ₹7,932 by 15 June, ₹15,864 by 15 September, ₹15,864 by 15 December and ₹13,220 by 15 March, adding up to ₹52,880.

Worked examples with real numbers

Example 1: Freelance developer

Meera is a freelance software developer. For FY 2026-27 she estimates her total tax at ₹2,40,000. Her clients will deduct TDS of about ₹40,000 on her fees.

• Net advance tax: ₹2,40,000 − ₹40,000 = ₹2,00,000, well above ₹10,000.
• By 15 June 2026: 15% = ₹30,000. Pay ₹30,000.
• By 15 September 2026: 45% = ₹90,000 cumulative. Pay ₹60,000.
• By 15 December 2026: 75% = ₹1,50,000 cumulative. Pay ₹60,000.
• By 15 March 2027: 100% = ₹2,00,000. Pay ₹50,000.

If Meera opts for presumptive taxation under 44ADA and that is her only professional income, the whole ₹2,00,000 can be paid by 15 March 2027 instead.

Example 2: Salaried, with rent and FD interest

Rohit's employer deducts TDS on his salary. He also earns rent from a flat and FD interest. His total tax for the year comes to ₹3,10,000, while TDS from his employer and bank will be ₹2,80,000.

• Net advance tax: ₹3,10,000 − ₹2,80,000 = ₹30,000. Above ₹10,000, so advance tax applies.
• 15 June: 15% = ₹4,500. Pay ₹4,500.
• 15 September: 45% = ₹13,500. Pay ₹9,000.
• 15 December: 75% = ₹22,500. Pay ₹9,000.
• 15 March: 100% = ₹30,000. Pay ₹7,500.

A simpler option for Rohit: declare his rent and interest to his employer, who can then deduct the extra ₹30,000 as TDS through the year. Then he would not need to pay advance tax himself.

Example 3: Shop owner under 44AD

Suresh runs a hardware shop and declares income on a presumptive basis under Section 44AD. He estimates his tax for the year at ₹85,000, with no TDS.

• Net advance tax: ₹85,000.
• Schedule: the full ₹85,000 by 15 March 2027.

He does not need to pay in June, September or December. But if he pays after 15 March, interest applies on the shortfall, so it is better not to leave it to the last day.

Example 4: Below the threshold

Priya is salaried and has some savings interest. Her total tax is ₹95,000 and TDS will be ₹88,000.

• Net: ₹95,000 − ₹88,000 = ₹7,000. This is below ₹10,000.
• Result: no advance tax needed. She pays the ₹7,000 as self-assessment tax before filing her return, and no interest under 234B or 234C applies.

Example 5: Re-working after a share sale in October

Anita, a business owner, started the year with net advance tax of ₹1,00,000. She paid ₹15,000 by 15 June and ₹30,000 more by 15 September, reaching ₹45,000 (45%) on time. In October she sold shares held for eight months and made a short-term gain of ₹2,00,000.

• Tax on the gain: 20% × ₹2,00,000 = ₹40,000, plus 4% cess = ₹41,600.
• New net advance tax: ₹1,00,000 + ₹41,600 = ₹1,41,600.
• By 15 December: 75% of ₹1,41,600 = ₹1,06,200 cumulative. She has paid ₹45,000, so she pays ₹61,200.
• By 15 March: the remaining ₹35,400.

Because the gain arose after the June and September dates and she paid tax on it in the remaining instalments, no 234C interest applies on that part for the earlier instalments. The calculator shows a fresh schedule for the new total; in Anita's case she simply makes up the difference from December onwards.

What happens if you pay late or pay less

Advance tax shortfalls cost interest at 1% per month under two sections.

• Section 234C applies instalment by instalment. If you pay less than the required share by an instalment date, interest is charged on the gap for 3 months (1 month for the March instalment). There is a small cushion: no interest for June if you paid at least 12%, and for September if you paid at least 36%.
• Section 234B applies if total advance tax paid by 31 March is less than 90% of your net tax. Interest then runs on the shortfall from 1 April of the next year until you pay.

Take Meera from Example 1. If she skips the June instalment but catches up to ₹90,000 by 15 September, she pays 234C for June only: 1% × 3 months × ₹30,000 = ₹900. Catching up quickly limits the damage. Our 234A, 234B and 234C interest calculator shows the exact interest for any payment pattern.

The cost of paying nothing until filing

Now suppose Meera pays no advance tax at all and pays the full ₹2,00,000 when she files on time in July 2027.

• 234C: June 1% × 3 × ₹30,000 = ₹900; September 1% × 3 × ₹90,000 = ₹2,700; December 1% × 3 × ₹1,50,000 = ₹4,500; March 1% × ₹2,00,000 = ₹2,000. Total ₹10,100.
• 234B: April to July 2027 = 4 months × 1% × ₹2,00,000 = ₹8,000.

That is ₹18,100 of interest for the same tax she would have paid anyway — and it rises further if she files late. Paying on schedule costs nothing extra.

Special situations

A large capital gain in the middle of the year

If you sell shares, a mutual fund or property during the year, the tax on that gain becomes part of your advance tax. You cannot pay it before the gain arises, and the law accepts this: if you pay the tax on the gain in the remaining instalments after the sale, no 234C interest is charged for the earlier instalments on that part. If the gain arises after 15 March, pay the tax on it by 31 March. Re-run this calculator after any big sale.

Senior citizens

Resident individuals aged 60 or more with no income from business or profession do not have to pay advance tax. They pay any balance as self-assessment tax before filing. A senior citizen who runs a business or practice is not covered by this relief.

Salaried people with other income

If your only extra income is interest, rent or capital gains, you can ask your employer to account for it and deduct higher TDS. This spreads the tax evenly and removes the need to track instalments. The law allows employees to give their employer details of other income for this purpose; share them with your HR or payroll team early in the year so the extra TDS is spread across the remaining months.

Income that is hard to predict

For business owners and traders, income may only become clear late in the year. Pay instalments on your best estimate, then revise before each date. Paying slightly more than your estimate is a safe approach — any excess comes back as a refund after filing.

Managing cash flow for a business

For many small businesses, the problem is not knowing the tax but having the cash on the due date. A practical habit is to move a fixed share of each month's profit into a separate account set aside for tax. When an instalment date arrives, the money is ready. Mark the four dates in your calendar at the start of the year, along with your GST and TDS dates if you have them.

Non-residents

NRIs are covered by the same rules if their tax in India after TDS is ₹10,000 or more. Since much NRI income in India already suffers TDS, the net amount is often small, but capital gains on property or shares can create a shortfall.

How to pay advance tax online

1. Go to the income tax e-filing portal and open e-Pay Tax. You can pay with or without logging in.
2. Choose Challan 280 (income tax). Select the correct year for which you are paying, and choose Advance Tax (100) as the type of payment.
3. Enter the amount and pay through net banking, debit card, UPI or other options offered. You can also generate a challan and pay at an authorised bank.
4. Download the challan receipt. Note the BSR code, challan serial number, date and amount.
5. Within a few days, check that the payment appears in your Form 26AS / AIS under advance tax.

Selecting the wrong year or the wrong payment type is one of the most common problems. A payment tagged to the wrong year does not count for the year you meant, and fixing it takes time. Double-check before you pay.

If a mistake has already happened, do not pay the same amount again. The portal offers a challan correction facility for certain details, such as the year or payment type, within a limited time after payment. Beyond that, a correction request can be made to your assessing officer. Keep the original receipt safe either way.

Common mistakes with advance tax

• Forgetting cess. Advance tax is on total tax including 4% cess. Leaving it out leaves a small shortfall every time.
• Ignoring capital gains. People often plan advance tax on business income and forget a share or property sale. The gain can push your net tax well above what you paid.
• Counting TDS that will not happen. Only count TDS you are sure will be deducted. If a client does not deduct TDS, your net tax rises.
• Treating percentages as per instalment. 45% by September is cumulative, not 45% in that instalment. In the September instalment you pay 30% (45% minus the 15% already paid).
• Waiting for the return. Paying everything at filing time means interest under 234B and 234C, even if you file on time.
• Not revising the estimate. The figure you used in June is rarely right in December. A bonus, a big contract or a property sale changes it. Re-run the calculator before each instalment.
• Wrong PAN on the challan. Paying from a family member's account is fine, but the PAN on the challan must be yours, or the credit goes to someone else.
• Wrong payment type. Paying advance tax as self-assessment tax (300) during the year, or the reverse, causes mismatches. During the financial year, use Advance Tax (100).

How advance tax connects to your return

When you file your return, list every advance tax challan in the taxes paid schedule. The ITR utility then compares your total tax with TDS, TCS and advance tax.

• If you paid more than your final tax, the excess is shown as a refund and paid to your pre-validated bank account after processing.
• If you paid less, pay the balance plus any interest as self-assessment tax before submitting the return.
• Interest under 234B and 234C is computed by the utility from the dates of your challans, so accurate challan dates matter.

Before filing, match your challans with Form 26AS. Each advance tax payment should appear there with the right year, amount and date. If a payment is missing, the return will show a lower tax paid and the department may raise a demand when it processes your return. Sort out any mismatch with the bank or through the challan correction route before you file.

A practical way to use this calculator year after year: once your return for one year is filed, look at your final tax and TDS for that year. If your income is broadly steady, those figures are a good starting point for next year's estimate. Enter them in June, pay the first instalment, and revise as the year goes on. This keeps interest at zero with very little effort.

File by the due date to avoid interest under 234A and the late filing fee. Our ITR due date checker shows the date for your case.

Records to keep

• Your working of estimated income and tax for each instalment date.
• Challan receipts for every advance tax payment.
• Form 26AS and AIS, checked after each payment.
• TDS certificates (Form 16, 16A) and statements of income received.
• Capital gains statements from your broker or mutual fund registrar.
• For businesses, monthly or quarterly profit figures used for the estimate.

When to take expert help

Advance tax is easy when income is steady. It gets tricky when:

• your business income swings a lot from quarter to quarter;
• you have sold property or a large share portfolio and need the exact tax on the gain;
• you are deciding between the old and new regime and the estimate depends on it;
• you are near the ₹50 lakh or ₹1 crore surcharge thresholds;
• you missed earlier instalments and want to minimise interest from here.

Our income tax filing service includes advance tax planning along with the return.

Get it checked by an expert

A good advance tax estimate saves interest and avoids a cash crunch at year end. A TaxCaller expert can review your income, compute the tax under the right regime, tell you exactly how much to pay by each date, and later file your return with all challans matched. The fee is told upfront before we start, and the first call is free. Share last year's return and this year's income details to begin.