Do you need to pay?
Yes, if your tax for the year, after TDS and TCS, is ₹10,000 or more. For salaried people that usually comes from:
- FD and savings interest, where bank TDS of 10% is less than your slab rate
- Capital gains from shares, mutual funds or property
- Rent from a house you've let out
- Freelance, consulting or side-business income
Residents aged 60 or more with no business or professional income don't have to pay advance tax.
The dates
| By | Paid in total |
|---|---|
| 15 June | 15% of the year's tax |
| 15 September | 45% |
| 15 December | 75% |
| 15 March | 100% |
A capital gain can't be predicted, so there's no interest for the earlier instalments if you pay its tax in the instalments left after the sale. A gain made in November is covered by paying on 15 December.
Example
Salary ₹18 lakh, fully covered by your employer's TDS, plus ₹2 lakh of FD interest in the year, under the new regime. The interest adds ₹41,600 to your tax. If your bank deducted 10% TDS (₹20,000), ₹21,600 is left. 75% of that, ₹16,200, should be paid by 15 December, and the rest by 15 March.
If you don't pay
- Late or short instalment: 1% a month on the shortfall for 3 months (1 month for March).
- Less than 90% paid by 31 March: 1% a month on the unpaid tax from 1 April until you pay.
How to pay
On the e-filing portal, use e-Pay Tax and choose advance tax as the payment type. Keep the challan details: you enter them in your return.
Common questions
Do salaried employees need to pay advance tax?
Only if tax on income other than salary, after TDS, is ₹10,000 or more for the year, for example from interest, capital gains, rent or freelance work.
What are the advance tax due dates?
15 June (15%), 15 September (45%), 15 December (75%) and 15 March (100%), each as a share of the year's advance tax.
What happens if I don't pay advance tax?
Interest of 1% a month: for 3 months on a short instalment, and from 1 April until payment if less than 90% is paid by 31 March.
Do senior citizens pay advance tax?
Residents aged 60 or more with no business or professional income don't have to pay advance tax.
Two ways to sort this
Do it yourself
- Add up this year's interest, capital gains, rent and freelance income so far.
- Work out the tax on it in the advance tax calculator, after any TDS.
- If it's ₹10,000 or more, pay 75% of it by 15 December through e-Pay Tax on the e-filing portal.
- Keep the challan details and pay the rest by 15 March.
Let an expert do it
We work out your advance tax every quarter so you never pay interest for paying late.
The first chat is freeWork it out for yourself
- Advance tax: Instalments due, and interest if you pay late.
- Capital gains: Tax on shares, mutual funds, gold and property you sold.
- Fixed deposit: Interest and maturity amount on an FD.
Work out your instalments and any interest.
Open the advance tax calculatorSources
- Due dates for advance tax (FAQs on 234A to 234D), Income Tax Department
- Tax rules for salaried individuals, AY 2026-27, Income Tax Department
This guide explains the rules in general. For your own situation, .