Advance tax is the requirement to pay income tax in installments during the year — rather than all at once when filing your return. Individuals, businesses, and professionals with tax liability above ₹10,000 for the year must pay advance tax. Undisclosed income — income earned but not reported in past returns — carries serious legal and financial risk if discovered during scrutiny.
Critical: Advance tax must be paid in four quarterly installments — June 15, September 15, December 15, and March 15. Interest under Section 234C runs at 1% per month for each installment shortfall, and Section 234B applies from April 1 if total advance tax paid is below 90% of the final liability. These interests are non-waivable even with a valid reason.
Four quarterly installments
Advance tax is based on estimated total income for the year. We compute estimated income, applicable deductions, TDS credits, and the net advance tax due for each quarter — factoring in business growth, capital gains, and other income streams.
Understand and minimize interest
Section 234B charges interest if advance tax paid is less than 90% of final liability. Section 234C charges interest for each quarter where installment is below the required percentage. We compute these accurately and identify legitimate ways to reduce them.
Disclose before the department discovers
Taxpayers with undisclosed income — from business, investments, or inherited cash — can significantly reduce their risk by proactively filing updated returns (ITR-U under Section 139(8A)) with the additional income and paying tax with the applicable surcharge.
Section 139(8A) — 2 year window
Updated returns can be filed within 2 years of the end of the relevant assessment year. Filing ITR-U with additional income (and 25%–50% surcharge on additional tax) closes the risk of future notices for that year's income.
Advance tax applies broadly — most earning individuals and businesses are covered.
Any taxpayer whose estimated income tax liability (after TDS credit) for the year exceeds ₹10,000 is required to pay advance tax in quarterly installments.
Businesses, professionals, and freelancers who do not have sufficient TDS deducted on their income must pay advance tax. Most business income comes without TDS — making advance tax mandatory.
Capital gains (from shares, mutual funds, or property) earned during the year are included in advance tax computation from the quarter in which the gain arises.
Senior citizens (above 60 years) with business income are liable for advance tax. Senior citizens with only pension and interest income (no business income) are exempt from advance tax.
Proactive compliance costs far less than reactive penalties and investigations.
Interest under Sections 234B and 234C runs at 1% per month — on shortfalls that compound across multiple quarters. Accurate advance tax planning eliminates these costs.
Without advance tax planning, the full year's tax liability becomes payable at once in March — straining business cash flow and potentially requiring high-cost emergency borrowing.
Filing ITR-U with undisclosed income carries a 25% surcharge (if filed in Year 1) or 50% surcharge (Year 2) on the additional tax. This is vastly better than a search/survey, which triggers 60% undisclosed income tax plus 25% surcharge + penalties.
Deliberate concealment of income can lead to prosecution under Section 276C — with imprisonment. Voluntary disclosure with ITR-U or during survey proceedings significantly reduces prosecution risk.
A history of timely advance tax payments and clean ITR filings strengthens your tax profile — important for loan applications, government tenders, and visa processing.
Advance tax computation accounts for all TDS deducted on salary, interest, rent, and professional fees — ensuring you pay the exact net balance without overpaying.
We compute and plan your advance tax obligations at the start of each quarter.
Scroll through the steps — or skip the queue and let our experts handle every one of them for you.
Get Expert HelpProject income across all heads — business profit, salary, capital gains, interest, rental income — for the financial year. Use actual year-to-date figures plus conservative projections.
Apply all applicable deductions — 80C investments, 80D health insurance, home loan interest, business expenses — to arrive at estimated taxable income.
Subtract expected TDS — from salary employer, bank TDS on FD interest, TDS on rental income — to arrive at net advance tax payable for the year.
Split the annual advance tax across the four quarters — 15% by June 15, 45% by September 15, 75% by December 15, 100% by March 15 (for non-presumptive taxpayers).
Pay advance tax through Challan 280 (Income Tax on Companies / Other than Companies) online via income tax portal — selecting the correct Assessment Year and payment type.
Revisit income estimates after Q2 and Q3 — if income has changed significantly (large capital gain, new contract, etc.), recompute and adjust the remaining installments.
Advance tax is estimated — actual computation requires financial data available at the start of each quarter.
Actual P&L for the period from April to current date — as the basis for projecting full-year business income.
Recent salary slips and Form 16 (if mid-year change) — for projecting annual salary income and employer TDS.
Broker capital gains reports, property sale agreements — for any realized capital gains to include in advance tax.
Presumptive taxation scheme taxpayers (Section 44AD, 44ADA) pay 100% of advance tax in a single installment by March 15 — they are not required to pay quarterly installments like regular taxpayers.
Track payments and adjust forward estimates throughout the year.
After paying advance tax, verify that the challan appears in your Form 26AS within 3–5 working days. If not reflected, raise a challan correction request before filing the ITR.
By December, actual income for the year is substantially known. Revise the full-year projection and pay the adjusted third installment to minimize year-end interest exposure.
Any tax remaining unpaid after March 15 becomes Self-Assessment Tax — payable before filing the ITR. Interest under 234B applies on shortfall from March 16 until actual payment.
Miss any of the four advance tax installments and Sections 234B and 234C add non-waivable interest — even with a valid reason. We calculate and remind you before each June, September, December and March deadline.
Advance tax computed and tracked for all four installments so no single quarter catches you short.
Payments planned to stay above the 90% threshold and avoid non-waivable interest on shortfalls.
Support filing updated returns where past income needs correction, within the window the law allows.
Advance tax paid reconciled against TDS already deducted so you never overpay or underpay.
Taxpayers Advised
Installment Compliance
Client Rating
Interest Surprises
Still have questions?
Our experts are happy to walk you through the process.
We believe communication is the key to building strong relationships. Whether you have questions about our tools, products and services, need support, or simply want to share your feedback, we're here to help.