The deadline for paying the fourth and final instalment of advance tax for the financial year 2025–26 is due on Sunday, 15 March 2026, where taxpayers are required to clear their outstanding tax liability.
It must be paid by all individuals whose net tax liability remains even after accounting for tax deducted at source (TDS), tax collected at source (TCS), and tax credits. If the outstanding amount is ₹10,000 or more, paying advance tax becomes mandatory.
If a taxpayer fails to clear their dues by the prescribed deadline, they will be liable to pay interest charged under Sections 234B and 234C of the Income Tax Act. Hence, people are advised to ensure that the payment is made within the stipulated deadline to avoid complications.
With just a few hours left for the deadline to pass, many taxpayers may look for convenient ways to complete the payment on time. The Income Tax Department allows advance tax payments through several digital modes on its e-filing portal, making the process easier and quicker for individuals and entities.
Can you pay advance tax using credit card?
Apart from net banking and debit cards, people often wonder whether credit cards can also be used to settle their advance tax dues before the deadline.
Taxpayers have the option to pay the final advance tax instalment using a credit card through the income tax e-payment portal. However, banks or payment gateways may levy a small convenience or processing fee for credit card transactions.
Certain credit cards also comes with milestone-based travel benefits linked to the holder’s annual spending, including tax payments. For example, if your card offers complimentary flight tickets on reaching ₹3,00,000 annual spend, your income tax payments will also count, according to HDFC Bank.
Additionally, the extra time may also be helpful for high-value tax payments over ₹1,00,000, allowing the taxpayer to manage cash flows in line with their receivables or investment maturities, the lender said in a blog post.
As of early 2026, the I-T e-filing portal enables tax payments through over 30 authorised banks using the e-pay tax service. It includes, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, and HDFC Bank, among others.
How to pay advance tax?
One can pay advance tax through the official website of the Income Tax Department website. (Direct link: https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/)
It is mandatory for some individuals to pay advance tax, including freelancers and consultants. Individuals receiving rental income from property are also liable to clear their dues.
Individuals who earned capital gains from stocks, mutual funds or other assets in the quarter in which the sale occurred, or those who received interest income from fixed deposits or other sources, must also pay advance tax.
Even salaried individuals may need to pay advance tax if they have additional income that is not fully covered by TDS, such as profits from the sale of stocks, cryptocurrency gains, and rental income.
