Advance Tax 15 September 2026: Who Has to Pay 45% and How to Check

Quick take: Tuesday, 15 September 2026 is the second advance-tax instalment deadline for FY 2026–27. For taxpayers who are liable to pay advance tax, the target by this date is 45% of the estimated annual advance-tax liability on a cumulative basis.

That means the 15% paid in June counts. You are generally bringing the running total up to 45%, not paying another 45%.

The issue matters most when your final tax liability, after expected TDS/TCS, is ₹10,000 or more.

Educational summary, not tax advice. Tax treatment can depend on your income, taxpayer category and applicable provisions. Check the current Income Tax Department portal and applicable law before making a payment.

The advance-tax calendar for FY 2026–27

Due dateCumulative advance tax15 June 202615%15 September 202645%15 December 202675%15 March 2027100%

The key word is cumulative.

Example

If your estimated advance-tax liability is ₹60,000:

  • By June: ₹9,000
  • By September: ₹27,000 cumulative
  • By December: ₹45,000 cumulative
  • By March: ₹60,000 cumulative

So if you already paid ₹9,000 in June, your September payment would generally be the ₹18,000 gap, assuming your estimate has not changed.

Who needs to think about advance tax?

A common starting point is the ₹10,000 threshold.

Broadly, advance tax can become relevant when your estimated tax payable for the year, after considering applicable TDS/TCS credits, is ₹10,000 or more.

This is why the issue often comes up for people whose income isn't completely covered by TDS.

For example:

  • Freelancers
  • Consultants
  • Business owners
  • Landlords
  • People earning substantial FD interest
  • Investors with taxable capital gains
  • People receiving dividends or other income without sufficient TDS

The exact calculation depends on your circumstances.

Why many salaried employees don't make a separate payment

Suppose you're a salaried employee and your employer is deducting enough TDS throughout the year to cover your eventual tax liability.

You may not need to make a separate advance-tax payment.

The important question isn't:

"Am I salaried?"

It's:

"After expected TDS/TCS, will I still have at least ₹10,000 of tax payable?"

If your employer's TDS fully covers the liability, there may be no separate advance-tax amount to pay.

Senior citizens: an important exemption

A resident senior citizen aged 60 or above who does not have income from a business or profession is generally exempt from the advance-tax requirement.

This is an important category for retirees and pensioners.

However, don't apply the exemption blindly if the person has business or professional income or unusual sources of income.

Presumptive taxation can change the instalment pattern

Certain taxpayers using eligible presumptive taxation provisions can have a different advance-tax payment schedule.

In particular, some eligible presumptive business/professional taxpayers may pay the required amount by 15 March rather than following the four regular instalments.

Don't assume that every freelancer or small business owner gets this treatment.

Check the provision applicable to your business or profession.

How to calculate what you need to pay

You don't need to guess.

Use this basic worksheet.

Step 1: Estimate your annual taxable income

Add your expected income from relevant sources, such as:

  • Salary
  • Freelancing
  • Business
  • Rent
  • Interest
  • Dividends
  • Capital gains
  • Other taxable income

Step 2: Calculate your estimated tax

Work out the tax and applicable cess based on the rules applicable to you.

Step 3: Account for TDS and TCS

Subtract the TDS/TCS you reasonably expect to receive credit for.

Your approximate advance-tax base is therefore:

Estimated tax − expected TDS/TCS

Step 4: Check the ₹10,000 threshold

If the remaining tax liability is below ₹10,000, advance-tax payment generally isn't required.

If it is ₹10,000 or more, continue.

Step 5: Calculate the September target

Your cumulative target by 15 September is:

45% × estimated advance-tax liability

Then subtract what you've already paid as advance tax.

The difference is the approximate amount you need to pay now.

Worked example

Suppose:

Estimated annual tax: ₹2,00,000

Expected TDS: ₹1,40,000

Remaining advance-tax liability:

₹2,00,000 − ₹1,40,000 = ₹60,000

Because ₹60,000 is above ₹10,000, advance tax is relevant.

Your September cumulative target:

₹60,000 × 45% = ₹27,000

If you already paid ₹9,000 in June:

₹27,000 − ₹9,000 = ₹18,000

So approximately ₹18,000 would be the September instalment needed to bring your cumulative payment to ₹27,000.

This is only an illustration. Recalculate using your actual income and TDS/TCS position.

What if you didn't pay anything in June?

Don't simply calculate September as though June never existed.

If your liability required an advance-tax payment in June and you missed it, you may have an interest implication in addition to catching up on the cumulative payment.

So if you missed June:

Calculate the current cumulative requirement + check applicable interest.

Don't rely on a WhatsApp calculator or a generic percentage.

What if you make a large capital gain after September?

This is where advance-tax calculations become less straightforward.

For example, an investor may sell shares or mutual funds at a substantial taxable gain in November.

You couldn't have known the exact November gain in June.

The later advance-tax instalments provide an opportunity to update your estimate.

So:

New income → update estimate → recalculate remaining advance tax.

Don't keep using your June calculation after your financial situation has materially changed.

Investors: don't forget capital gains

If you are an investor, don't look only at salary and TDS.

Review whether you've had:

  • Large equity sales
  • Mutual fund redemptions
  • Property transactions
  • Other taxable capital gains

A large transaction can materially change your estimated tax.

Recalculate before the next advance-tax milestone rather than discovering the liability when filing your return.

Freelancers: the invoice isn't the tax

If you're a freelancer or consultant, look beyond the money received in your bank account.

You need to consider the applicable income calculation, deductions and TDS before determining your eventual tax liability.

A practical habit is:

Large invoice → update income estimate → update tax estimate → check advance-tax position.

Don't wait until March if your income has changed significantly.

Check your AIS and Form 26AS

Before making the September payment, review the tax information already available to you.

Check:

  • TDS credits
  • Interest income
  • Other reported income
  • Transactions reflected in AIS
  • Form 26AS information

This can help prevent an obvious mismatch between what you think you've already paid and what is actually reflected in your tax records.

Remember that tax information can take time to appear or be updated.

How to pay advance tax online

Use the official Income Tax Department e-Pay Tax facility.

Before confirming the payment, carefully check:

  • PAN
  • Assessment Year
  • Payment type
  • Applicable tax head
  • Amount
  • Bank/payment details

Don't simply copy the payment details from an old challan without checking the current options.

After payment:

Save the challan/receipt.

Keep the transaction reference/CIN and payment confirmation safely.

Don't wait until 11:59 PM

The deadline is 15 September 2026.

Technically focusing on the final few minutes is a poor strategy.

If you know you have an advance-tax liability, completing the payment a little earlier gives you time to deal with:

  • Bank authentication problems
  • Payment failures
  • Portal congestion
  • Incorrect payment selections
  • Transaction confirmation issues

A successful payment confirmation is what you want in your records.

Your 15 September checklist
  • ☐ Estimate FY 2026–27 taxable income
  • ☐ Review AIS
  • ☐ Check Form 26AS
  • ☐ Calculate expected TDS/TCS
  • ☐ Note June advance-tax payment
  • ☐ Calculate 45% cumulative target
  • ☐ Calculate the remaining amount
  • ☐ Pay through the official e-Pay Tax facility
  • ☐ Save the challan/receipt
  • ☐ Recalculate after any major income or capital-gain event
Who commonly gets caught out?

The salaried employee with a side income

Your employer may deduct TDS on your salary, but that doesn't automatically cover tax on freelance income, rent or capital gains.

The landlord

Rent may not have sufficient TDS to cover the eventual tax liability.

The FD investor

Interest income can push your tax liability higher than expected.

The stock-market investor

A large taxable capital gain can materially change the calculation.

The freelancer

TDS deducted by a client may cover only part of the eventual tax.

One calculation worth remembering

If you're liable for advance tax:

September target = 45% of your estimated annual advance-tax liability

Then:

September payment ≈ 45% target − advance tax already paid

That's why paying 15% in June means you don't normally pay another 45% in September.

You're bringing the cumulative total to 45%.

Bottom line

15 September 2026 is the second advance-tax milestone for FY 2026–27.

For taxpayers who are liable to pay advance tax, the cumulative target is:

15% by June → 45% by September → 75% by December → 100% by March.

If your tax is fully covered by TDS/TCS, you may not need a separate payment.

If you have freelance income, rent, business income, substantial interest or capital gains, check rather than assume.

And if your income has changed since June, update the calculation before paying.

Estimate. Check TDS. Pay the gap. Save the challan.

Be informed. Be heard.

Note: This is an educational citizen guide, not individual tax advice. Tax rules, applicable provisions, interest calculations and e-filing workflows can depend on your taxpayer category and circumstances. Verify the current Income Tax Department guidance and e-Pay Tax interface before making the payment.