Thu Sep 11 08:10:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text:

**Headline: Income Tax Filing Begins, Key Change Simplifies Returns for Some Equity Investors**

**New Delhi:** The income tax filing season for the financial year 2024-25 (assessment year 2025-26) has officially commenced, with the Income Tax Department releasing all seven ITR forms. A significant change has been introduced that will simplify the filing process for many small equity investors.

Previously, taxpayers with long-term capital gains (LTCG) from listed equities, even those with relatively small amounts, were required to use ITR-2, a more complex form. Now, salaried individuals and those utilizing the presumptive taxation scheme (primarily small businesses and professionals) can use the simpler ITR-1 and ITR-4 forms, respectively, if their LTCG from listed equities is up to ₹1.25 lakh in the financial year.

This update, notified on April 29th, is expected to ease the filing burden for a significant number of taxpayers who previously had to navigate the more complicated ITR-2 form. The Income Tax Department has already set a deadline of September 15th for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the current financial year. Taxpayers are advised to gather all necessary documents and begin the filing process well in advance of the deadline to avoid any last-minute rush.

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