Moment guide · FY 2026-27

I am rushing to complete my 80C investments before March 31

What should I buy before March 31 to save tax?

Sec 80CSec 80CCD(1B)Sec 115BACVerified 2026-08-11

The 80C deadline is 31 March of the financial year — investments made after that do not help that year's return. ELSS is the best last-minute choice (3-year lock, equity LTCG), PPF deposits are accepted up to the 5th of each month, and the extra ₹50,000 NPS 80CCD(1B) works in the old regime. If you are in the new regime, 80C does nothing for you.

Your legitimate options

Every route the statute actually gives you — with its condition, cap and deadline.

Route	Condition	Cap / deadline
ELSS for a late start	ELSS locks money for only 3 years and gives equity LTCG — the best choice when investing late in the year	Gains above ₹1.25L a year taxed at 12.5%
PPF and NPS deadlines	PPF accepts deposits up to the 5th of each month; NPS contributions are flexible, with the extra ₹50,000 under 80CCD(1B)	80CCD(1B) is old regime only
Last-minute endowment policies	A rushed endowment policy locks money for years with low returns — avoid buying one just to hit the 80C ceiling	High premium-to-cover ratios can even lose the 10(10D) exemption

The #1 trap

The 80C deadline is 31 March of the financial year, NOT the ITR filing date — an investment made in June 2026 does not save tax for FY 2025-26. Also, if you are in the new regime, 80C is irrelevant, so buying anything for the deduction is a mistake; and a last-minute endowment policy bought purely for the tax benefit is usually a poor product decision.

The decision path

Follow it top to bottom — the first condition that matches is your answer.

IF you still have 80C headroom as March approaches → invest by 31 March, not by the ITR filing date.
IF you want the shortest lock → ELSS: 3 years, with gains above ₹1.25L a year taxed at 12.5%.
IF you prefer guaranteed returns → PPF, with deposits accepted up to the 5th of each month.
IF your 80C is full and you are in the old regime → add the extra ₹50,000 NPS Tier 1 u/s 80CCD(1B).
IF you are in the new regime → skip 80C entirely; only employer NPS u/s 80CCD(2) matters.
IF someone pitches a last-minute endowment policy → check the lock-in and returns before signing. [VERDICT: March 31 is the deadline — and the regime decides whether it matters.]

Worked example

Ananya, who realises in February that her 80C is under-utilised

Ananya checks her investments in February and finds she has used only ₹80,000 of her ₹1,50,000 80C ceiling, with ₹70,000 of headroom left. She is in the old regime. On 25 February she invests ₹70,000 in an ELSS fund, because ELSS has only a 3-year lock-in and the investment counts for the current FY as long as it is made by 31 March. Her ₹70,000 is deductible for FY 2025-26, saving ₹21,000 at her 30% marginal rate. Her colleague in the same situation, who waited until June 2026 to invest, discovered that the 80C deadline is 31 March of the financial year — his June investment counts only for the next year, and he lost the FY 2025-26 deduction. Ananya's friend with a full 80C stack adds ₹50,000 to NPS Tier 1 in March, claiming the extra deduction under 80CCD(1B), which is available only in the old regime. A cousin in the new regime bought ₹50,000 of tax-saver FDs at the urging of a bank, not realising that 80C does nothing in the new regime — the money is locked for five years with no tax benefit at all. Ananya also declined a last-minute endowment policy pitched by an agent, because the lock-in and charges made it a poor product decision despite the 80C label. She completes the ELSS investment by 31 March and keeps the statement for her return. A quick call with us dials in the final figure. Ananya also checks the ELSS purchase cut-off: the investment must be made and allotted by 31 March, and a SIP instalment booked for 1 April does not count for the current year even if the money left her account in March. The PPF deposits are credited by the 5th of each month, so a March deposit made after the 5th is credited in April and counts for the next year. The extra ₹50,000 NPS deduction under 80CCD(1B) is claimed only in the old regime, and the contribution must reach the Tier 1 account by 31 March. If she already chose the new regime, the entire 80C planning is moot, and the ₹70,000 would be better kept in liquid funds. The ELSS gains above ₹1.25 lakh in a redemption year are taxed at 12.5%, so she plans the redemption across years to use the exemption each year. A quick call with us dials in the final figure.

Claims influencers make about this moment

Partly true“Old tax regime is dead after 2023”

Questions people actually ask

What is the deadline for 80C investments?

31 March of the financial year. Investments made after that date do not qualify for that year's deduction, even if made before the ITR due date.

What is the best last-minute 80C option?

ELSS — it locks money for only 3 years and offers equity LTCG treatment. PPF is also available, with deposits accepted up to the 5th of each month.

Does 80C help in the new regime?

No — the new regime disallows 80C entirely. Only the employer's NPS contribution under 80CCD(2) survives there.

80C Planner →Income Tax Calculator →Or talk to us about your numbers →

Sections: 80C, 80CCD(1B), 115BAC · Last verified 2026-08-11 · Reviewed by Harun Raaj & Associates, Chartered Accountants. Every figure cites the Income-tax Act, 1961 (with ITA 2025 mapping via our section index).