Published 9 May 2026
Reconciliations and Deadlines
Financial year-end is the busiest time for Goods and Services Tax plus income-tax reconciliation. This checklist covers the key Goods and Services Tax deadlines, reconciliations, and compliance items for financial year 2025-26 that intersect with your tax audit Form 3CD / Income-tax Return Schedule for Business or Profession.
GSTR-9 Annual Return -- 31 December 2026
GSTR-9: aggregate turnover above INR 2 crore is mandatory; voluntary below. It is the annual outward supply summary plus annual Input Tax Credit summary; mismatch with monthly returns is disclosed. Due 31 December 2026 for financial year 2025-26. Late filing: INR 100 per day per Act (Central Goods and Services Tax plus State Goods and Services Tax equals INR 200 per day) capped at 0.25% turnover.
CRITICAL: reconcile GSTR-9 turnover with audited financial statements plus Income-tax Return Schedule for Business or Profession.
GSTR-9C Reconciliation Statement
Aggregate turnover above INR 5 crore: GSTR-9C reconciliation statement plus Chartered-Accountant-certified report. Reconciliation: GSTR-9 turnover -- audited financials -- Income-tax Return turnover. Annual Input Tax Credit summary cross-checked. Mismatches: explained / corrected. Due 31 December 2026 for financial year 2025-26. Companion to Income-tax Return audit Form 3CD Clause 4.
Input Tax Credit Reconciliation
GSTR-2B (auto-populated): vendors' GSTR-1 reflected. Match with purchase register. Mismatches: pursue with vendor for correction. Reverse-charge Input Tax Credit: cross-checked. Input Tax Credit reversal under section 17(5) of the Central Goods and Services Tax: blocked credits (motor vehicle, food, employee benefits etc.). Section 16(2) condition: Input Tax Credit only if vendor has paid Goods and Services Tax plus filed GSTR-1.
Practitioner Discipline Monthly reconciliation prevents annual chaos. Set up vendor-by-vendor reconciliation dashboards. |
Annual Tax-Deducted-at-Source / Tax-Collected-at-Source Reconciliation
Financial year 2025-26 tax-deducted-at-source quarterly statements: 24Q / 26Q / 27Q for Q1 (July 2025), Q2 (October 2025), Q3 (January 2026), Q4 (May 2026). Cross-check Form 26AS / Annual Information Statement. Year-end Form 16 / 16A issuance: 15 June 2026 for financial year 2025-26. Tax-collected-at-source quarterly: 27EQ; certificate Form 27D.
RECONCILE: tax-deducted-at-source / tax-collected-at-source deposited (challan ITNS-281) versus statements versus Form 26AS.
Income-Tax Computation Items
Item | Rule |
|---|---|
Section 43B compliance | Pay statutory dues by 31 October 2026 (audit cases) for financial year 2025-26 deduction preservation |
Finance Act, 2023 micro and small enterprise 45-day rule (section 43B(h)) | Pay micro and small enterprise suppliers within 45 days of agreement / receipt; failure means deduction shifts to year of payment |
Depreciation block computation | Opening Written Down Value plus additions minus sales minus depreciation; per section 32 plus Rule 5 |
Employee Provident Fund / Employees' State Insurance | Deposit within statutory date (Checkmate Services ratio plus Finance Act, 2021 Explanation 5) |
Cash-mode threshold | If cash transactions above 5%, audit threshold is INR 1 crore; otherwise INR 10 crore |
Tax Audit Timeline (Financial Year 2025-26)
Compliance | Due Date |
|---|---|
Tax audit Form 3CD | 30 September 2026 |
Income-tax Return filing | 31 October 2026 |
Transfer Pricing Form 3CEB (if any associated enterprise transaction) | 31 October 2026 with Income-tax Return |
Statement of Financial Transactions (Form 61A) | 31 May 2026 (if applicable) |
Financial year 2025-26 is the LAST cycle under the Income-tax Act, 1961 framework -- ensure documentation and reconciliation completeness for handoff to the Income-tax Act, 2025 framework starting financial year 2026-27.
Key Takeaways
- GSTR-9 by 31 December 2026 (turnover above INR 2 crore); GSTR-9C by same date (above INR 5 crore).
- Input Tax Credit reconciliation: GSTR-2B versus purchase register plus vendor compliance check.
- Section 43B statutory dues: pay by 31 October 2026 for deduction.
- Finance Act, 2023 micro and small enterprise 45-day rule (section 43B(h)): payment timing critical.
- Tax audit Form 3CD by 30 September 2026; Income-tax Return by 31 October 2026.
- Form 16 / 16A issuance: 15 June 2026 for financial year 2025-26.
- Form 26AS / Annual Information Statement reconciliation BEFORE filing Income-tax Return.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It does not constitute tax / legal advice. Please consult a qualified Chartered Accountant or tax practitioner for advice specific to your circumstances. The legal position is current as of FA 2024 (No. 2) / FA 2025; subsequent amendments and CBDT notifications may modify the position.