Tax Consultant
1110 Points
Posted on 23 June 2026
The switching rules depend on your income type:
For salaried individuals (ITR-1 or ITR-2):
- You can switch between regimes every year when filing your ITR
- No separate form needed - just select during ITR filing
- Your employer TDS deduction follows whatever you declare at the start of the year, but you can correct at filing time
For those with business or professional income (ITR-3 or ITR-4):
- Switching requires filing Form 10-IEA
- You can only switch BACK to the new regime once in your lifetime
- For AY 2026-27, Form 10-IEA must be filed before or at the time of ITR submission by July 31, 2026
Practical tip: if your deductions (80C + HRA + home loan) are less than Rs 3.5-4 lakh, new regime usually saves more tax. Run the numbers on the income tax portal calculator before deciding.
For a side-by-side calculation, see this [regime comparison guide](taxgarden.in/blog/old-vs-new-tax-regime-ay-2026-27-which-is-better).