Advance Tax Calculator: plan the year's instalments in 30 seconds
If your tax for the year — after TDS — will cross ₹10,000, the law expects you to pay it in quarterly instalments through the year, not in one painful lump at filing time. Freelancers, consultants, landlords with big rental income, investors with interest income and every business owner meet this rule; salaried employees usually only meet it when side income grows. The calculator below computes your tax under either regime, checks whether advance tax applies to you at all, and lays out the exact rupee amounts against each due date — including what to do about dates that have already passed.
Compute your advance tax and instalment plan
Indicative computation for planning: surcharge marginal relief and special-rate incomes (capital gains, winnings) are not modelled, and the new-regime rebate assumes regular income. Confirm before paying.
The instalment schedule (year ending 31 March 2027)
| Due date | Cumulative advance tax | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 15 June 2026 | At least 15% | Everyone liable (passed — catch up with the next instalment) |
| 15 September 2026 | At least 45% | Everyone liable — the next milestone |
| 15 December 2026 | At least 75% | Everyone liable |
| 15 March 2027 | 100% | Everyone — and the single date for presumptive (44AD/44ADA) taxpayers |
Two groups get relief: resident senior citizens (60+) with no business or professional income are outside advance tax entirely, and presumptive-scheme taxpayers compress all four instalments into one payment by 15 March. A one-off capital gain does not trigger interest retrospectively — tax on it is payable in the instalments that fall due after the quarter in which the gain arises.
How the interest actually bites
Section 234C charges 1% per month, three months per instalment (one month for March), on the amount by which you fell short of each cumulative target — with a cushion: no interest for the June and September dates if you covered at least 12% and 36% respectively. Section 234B is the year-end backstop: if your advance tax plus TDS ends below 90% of your assessed tax, interest runs at 1% per month from 1 April 2027 until you pay. Under the Income-tax Act, 2025 these continue as Sections 424/425 — same logic, new numbering. The lowest-cost fix is unglamorous: revise your estimate each quarter and true-up with the next instalment.
Keep reading
- Advance tax deep-dive: due dates, who pays, and worked interest examples
- Old vs new regime: break-even guide with worked examples
- ITR filing hub AY 2026-27: forms, regimes and deadlines
- TDS Rate Finder: check what should be deducted on each payment
- Compliance Calendar FY 2026-27: build your full date list
Frequently asked questions
Who has to pay advance tax?
Anyone whose tax for the year, after TDS and TCS credits, is ₹10,000 or more — typically business owners, freelancers, consultants, landlords and investors. Salaried employees are usually covered by employer TDS unless side income is significant.
Are senior citizens exempt from advance tax?
Yes — resident senior citizens aged 60 or above with no business or professional income are outside advance tax under Section 207 (continued under the Income-tax Act, 2025). Rental, interest and pension income alone do not bring them back in.
How does advance tax work under presumptive taxation (44AD/44ADA)?
Presumptive-scheme taxpayers pay the entire year’s advance tax in a single instalment by 15 March instead of four quarterly payments. Interest under Section 234C arises only if that one instalment is missed or short-paid.
What happens if I miss or short-pay an instalment?
Section 234C levies 1% per month for three months on the shortfall against each cumulative target (one month for the March instalment). There is a cushion for estimation error: no 234C interest for the June and September dates if you paid at least 12% and 36% respectively.
What is Section 234B and when does it apply?
If your total advance tax plus TDS ends up below 90% of your assessed tax, Section 234B charges 1% per month from 1 April after the year ends until you actually pay. It stacks on top of any 234C interest for individual instalments.
I earned a large capital gain mid-year — do I owe interest from June?
No. Because gains cannot be predicted, tax on a one-off capital gain is payable in the instalment(s) falling due after the quarter in which the gain arises. Pay it with the next due date and 234C does not reach back to earlier instalments.
We compute, revise and remind — advance tax, TDS credits and the regime call, handled as one workflow.
Income Tax FilingVirtual CFO ServicesTalk to usGeneral guidance for the year ending 31 March 2027, based on the slab structure under the Income-tax Act, 2025 as covered in our regime guides. The tool is indicative — surcharge marginal relief and special-rate incomes are not modelled. Confirm your figures with us before paying. No outcome is promised or implied.