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Section 234E: Late Filing Fee for TDS/TCS Statements

Updated on: 30 May, 2024 06:10 PM

Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) and Tax Collected at Source (TCS) are mechanisms in India where a person (deductor for TDS, collector for TCS) making certain payments deducts or collects tax at source and deposits it with the government on behalf of the payee. Timely filing of TDS/TCS statements is crucial for the government to track tax collection and for payees to claim their tax credits. This article discusses Section 234E of Income Tax Act, which deals with the penalty for late filing of these statements.

Responsibilities of the Person Liable to Deduct/Collect Tax at Source (TDS/TCS)

Beyond the responsibility to file TDS/TCS statements on time, there are several crucial duties associated with being a deductor/collector of tax at source.

Duties of the Person Liable to Deduct/Collect Tax at Source:

  • Determining TDS/TCS Applicability
  • Obtaining PAN/TAN
  • Calculating and Deducting/Collecting the Correct TDS/TCS Amount
  • Depositing TDS/TCS with the Government
  • Issuing TDS/TCS Certificate (Form 16/16A)
  • Filing TDS/TCS Statements
  • Record Keeping
  • Compliance with TDS/TCS Regulations

Due Dates for Filing TDS/TCS Returns

Due dates for filing TDS/TCS returns are given in below table:

Quarter Due Date
April to June (Q1) 31st July of the Assessment Year (AY)
July to September (Q2) 31st October of the Assessment Year (AY)
October to December (Q3) 31st January of the next Assessment Year (AY)
January to March (Q4) No separate due date - included in Q1 filing (31st July)

Fees & Penalty for late/Non-filing of TDS Return

When it comes to TDS/TCS return filing, there are strict deadlines and consequences for missing them. Here's how fees and penalties you may be charged:

Late Filing Fee under Section 234E

This penalty applies under Section 234E of Income Tax Act if you file your TDS/TCS return late or miss the deadline altogether. It's a fixed charge of Rs. 200 per day for every day the return remains unfiled after the due date. There's a safeguard, however. The total late filing fee cannot exceed the total amount of TDS/TCS you were required to deposit with the government. This ensures the penalty stays reasonable.

Penalty for Late Filing under Section 271H

A more severe penalty applies under Section 271H if you wait a significantly longer time to file your TDS/TCS return. This penalty kicks in if you haven't filed the return within one year from the due date. Here, the Assessing Officer determines the exact penalty amount, which can range from a minimum of Rs. 10,000 to a maximum of Rs. 1,00,000. It's important to note that this penalty is on top of the late filing fee under Section 234E, so the consequences for extremely delayed filing can be significant.

In summary, timely filing of TDS/TCS returns is crucial to avoid these financial penalties. Remember, there's a daily charge for late filing, and waiting over a year to file can result in a much steeper penalty assessed by the authorities.

Here's a table summarizing the Fees & Penalty:

Penalty Type Section Applicability Penalty Amount Maximum Limit
Late Filing Fee 234E Late Filing or Non-Filing Rs. 200 per day Total TDS/TCS amount
Penalty for Very Late Filing 271H Not Filed within 1 year of due date Rs. 10,000 - Rs. 1,00,000 Not Applicable (Assessed by Officer)

CA Abhishek Soni
CA Abhishek Soni

Abhishek Soni is a Chartered Accountant by profession & entrepreneur by passion. He is the co-founder & CEO of Tax2Win.in. Tax2win is amongst the top 25 emerging startups of Asia and authorized ERI by the Income Tax Department. In the past, he worked in EY and comes with wide industry experience from telecom, retail to manufacturing to entertainment where he has handled various national and international assignments.