Advance Tax Calculator: plan the year's instalments in 30 seconds
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026. 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 takes your income head by head and your deductions, computes your tax under both the old and new regimes — with the rebate, surcharge, marginal relief and 4% cess — tells you which regime is lower, 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.
This page covers tax year 2026-27 (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027), the first year under the Income-tax Act, 2025, so it uses the new section numbers with the old ones in brackets. Returns and interest for FY 2025-26 and earlier years stay under the 1961 Act.
Old vs New regime — tax, surcharge, cess & advance-tax calculator
Enter your income head-wise and your deductions. The tool computes tax under both regimes for tax year 2026-27, tells you which is lower, and builds your section 425 (old 234C) instalment plan. For resident Individuals and HUFs.
Indicative computation for planning, tax year 2026-27, resident Individual/HUF. Models the slab tax, the rebate under section 156 (old 87A), surcharge with marginal relief, 4% health & education cess, and the special rates for STCG under section 196 and LTCG under section 198. Not modelled: adjusting unused basic exemption against capital gains (available when other income is below the exemption limit), other capital gains, winnings, clubbing, AMT and relief under sections 157/159 (old 89/90). Confirm the final numbers before you pay — we are happy to review.
The instalment schedule (tax year ending 31 March 2027)
| Due date | Cumulative advance tax | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 15 June 2026 | At least 15% | Everyone liable (passed) |
| 15 September 2026 | At least 45% | Everyone liable (passed — pay any shortfall now) |
| 15 December 2026 | At least 75% | Everyone liable — the next milestone |
| 15 March 2027 | 100% | Everyone — and the single date for presumptive taxpayers under section 58 (old 44AD/44ADA) |
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. The liability to pay advance tax is in section 403 (old 207) and the instalment dates in section 408 (old 211).
Two worked examples
A consultant on presumptive taxation. Anil, a Thane-based IT consultant, expects gross receipts of ₹30 lakh in tax year 2026-27 and opts for presumptive taxation under section 58 (old 44ADA), declaring 50%, or ₹15 lakh. Under the new regime, tax is ₹1,05,000 (nil on the first ₹4 lakh, then 5%, 10% and 15% slabs up to ₹15 lakh), plus 4% cess, or ₹1,09,200. His clients deduct TDS of ₹45,000, leaving ₹64,200. He has no June, September or December instalments; the whole ₹64,200 is due by 15 March 2027. If he pays only ₹40,000 by that date, interest under section 425 is 1% for one month on the ₹24,200 shortfall, or ₹242, and because he has paid less than 90% of his tax, section 424 interest also runs from 1 April 2027 until he pays the balance.
A salaried employee with a mid-year gain. Priya's salary TDS covers the tax on her salary. On 10 October 2026 she sells listed shares with a long-term gain of ₹5,25,000. After the ₹1,25,000 exemption, ₹4,00,000 is taxed at 12.5% under section 198, or ₹50,000, plus cess of ₹2,000. The gain arose in the October to December quarter, so paying ₹52,000 by 15 December 2026 avoids instalment interest; nothing is owed for the June or September dates. Had the gain arisen after 15 December, the tax would be due by 15 March 2027.
NRIs and advance tax
Non-residents pay advance tax on their Indian income on the same dates if the tax after TDS is ₹10,000 or more. It usually arises on Indian rent where the tenant has not deducted enough TDS, or on capital gains and interest not fully covered by it. The senior-citizen exemption is for residents only, so a non-resident aged 60 or above is not covered by it. The calculator above is built for residents; see our NRI tax hub or our CA services for NRIs for a non-resident computation.
How the interest actually bites
Section 425 (old 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 424 (old 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. The logic is the same as under the 1961 Act; only the numbering has changed. 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 403 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (old 207). Rental, interest and pension income alone do not bring them back in. The relief is for residents only; a non-resident senior citizen is not covered by it.
How does advance tax work under presumptive taxation (section 58, old 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 425 (old 234C) arises only if that one instalment is missed or short-paid.
What happens if I miss or short-pay an instalment?
Section 425 (old 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 interest for the June and September dates if you paid at least 12% and 36% respectively.
What is section 424 (old 234B) and when does it apply?
If your total advance tax plus TDS ends up below 90% of your assessed tax, section 424 (old 234B) charges 1% per month from 1 April after the year ends until you actually pay. It stacks on top of any section 425 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 the instalment interest does not reach back to earlier instalments.
Do NRIs have to pay advance tax?
Yes, if their Indian tax after TDS is ₹10,000 or more. This usually arises on Indian rent where the tenant has not deducted enough TDS, or on capital gains and interest not fully covered by TDS. The senior-citizen exemption applies only to residents, so a non-resident aged 60 or above is not covered by it.
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 tax 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 — confirm your figures with us before paying. No outcome is promised or implied.