In this guide · 7 sections
- Clients care about a handful of dates: TDS deposit (7th), GSTR-1 (11th, or 13th for quarterly filers), PF and ESI (15th), GSTR-3B (20th, or 22nd/24th quarterly), the four advance tax instalments (15 June, 15 September, 15 December, 15 March) and the return due dates.
- These are the general rules. Any date can be extended by notification or circular — for example, CBDT Circular 7/2026 moved the audit-case return date for AY 2026-27 from 31 October to 21 November 2026.
- Post 2–3 days before a routine monthly date, and add an earlier post about a week before for the big ones (advance tax, ITR, annual GST return).
- Word it as information, not a sales pitch: what is due, for whom, by when, and "talk to your consultant".
- The OneClick Scheduler due-date rule posts the poster 0–3 days before each date at your time, for the departments you tick (income tax, GST, MCA, PF/ESIC), up to a daily limit.
Every practice has the same month-end routine: chasing clients for sales data before the GSTR-1 date, reminding them to pay TDS by the 7th, and answering "is it due today?" on WhatsApp. A public due-date reminder post does part of this work for you. It reaches every client at once, it shows that the firm is on top of the calendar, and it gives staff something to forward instead of typing the same message 200 times. This guide covers which dates to post about, when, how to word them, and how to put the whole year on auto-pilot.
Which due dates clients actually care about
You could post a reminder for every compliance in the calendar, but most clients only act on a few. Post about the dates that affect a large share of your clients, and leave the rare ones for direct messages.
GST
- GSTR-1 (outward supplies): the 11th of the next month for monthly filers. Quarterly filers under the QRMP scheme (aggregate turnover up to ₹5 crore) file by the 13th of the month after the quarter, and can upload invoices for the first two months through the IFF between the 1st and the 13th.
- GSTR-3B (summary return and tax payment): the 20th of the next month for monthly filers. For QRMP filers it is the 22nd or the 24th of the month after the quarter, depending on the state: the 22nd for states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa; the 24th for states such as Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, West Bengal and the north-east.
- PMT-06: QRMP filers pay tax for the first two months of a quarter by the 25th of the next month.
- GSTR-9 / 9C (annual return and reconciliation): 31 December after the end of the financial year. For FY 2025-26, that is 31 December 2026.
Income tax and TDS
- TDS and TCS deposit: by the 7th of the month after deduction. Tax deducted in March can be deposited by 30 April (for non-government deductors).
- Quarterly TDS/TCS statements: 31 July, 31 October, 31 January and 31 May for the four quarters. Under the Income-tax Act, 2025 the forms have new numbers — Form 138 for salary (formerly 24Q) and Form 140 for non-salary payments to residents (formerly 26Q) — but the quarterly due dates are the same.
- Advance tax: at least 15% by 15 June, 45% by 15 September, 75% by 15 December and 100% by 15 March. Taxpayers under the presumptive scheme pay the whole amount in one instalment by 15 March.
- Income tax returns: 31 July for most non-audit individuals (ITR-1 and ITR-2 type cases), 31 August for non-audit business and professional cases (ITR-3 and ITR-4) from AY 2026-27, and 31 October for audit cases, with 30 November for transfer pricing cases. Belated returns for AY 2026-27 can be filed by 31 December 2026.
- Tax audit report: one month before the return due date — normally 30 September for audit cases.
The 2026 season shows why the note above matters: by Circular 7/2026 dated 28 September 2026, the CBDT extended the return due date for audit cases for AY 2026-27 from 31 October to 21 November 2026, and the audit report date from 30 September to 21 October 2026. A reminder scheduled for 31 October would have been wrong.
PF, ESI and company law
- PF and ESI contributions: within 15 days of the end of the month — the 15th.
- MCA annual filings: financial statements (AOC-4) within 30 days of the AGM and the annual return (MGT-7 / MGT-7A) within 60 days, so for a September AGM, late October and late November. Useful for company clients; most individual and small-business clients can skip these.
The monthly due-date calendar
Most months follow the same pattern. Pin this table next to your posting plan:
| Date | What is due | Post the reminder |
|---|---|---|
| 7th | TDS / TCS deposit for the previous month (March: 30 April) | 4th–5th |
| 11th | GSTR-1, monthly filers | 8th–9th |
| 13th | GSTR-1 for QRMP filers (month after the quarter); IFF (optional) in other months | 10th–11th, in January, April, July and October |
| 15th | PF and ESI contributions; advance tax in June, September, December and March | 12th–13th; a week before for advance tax |
| 20th | GSTR-3B, monthly filers | 17th–18th |
| 22nd / 24th | GSTR-3B for QRMP filers (month after the quarter) | 19th–21st, in January, April, July and October |
| 25th | PMT-06, QRMP filers, for the first two months of a quarter | 22nd–23rd |
| 31 Jan, 31 May, 31 Jul, 31 Oct | Quarterly TDS / TCS statements | About a week before |
And the dates for the next five months, as they stand today (check the portals before each one):
| Month | Dates worth a post |
|---|---|
| November 2026 | 7 TDS; 11 GSTR-1; 15 PF/ESI; 20 GSTR-3B; 21 Nov — ITR for audit cases, AY 2026-27 (extended); 25 PMT-06 |
| December 2026 | 7 TDS; 11 GSTR-1; 15 Dec — third advance tax instalment (75%) and PF/ESI; 20 GSTR-3B; 25 PMT-06; 31 Dec — GSTR-9/9C for FY 2025-26, and belated ITR for AY 2026-27 |
| January 2027 | 7 TDS; 11 GSTR-1; 13 GSTR-1 (QRMP, Oct–Dec); 15 PF/ESI; 20 GSTR-3B; 22/24 GSTR-3B (QRMP); 31 Jan — TDS statements for Oct–Dec |
| February 2027 | 7 TDS; 11 GSTR-1; 15 PF/ESI; 20 GSTR-3B; 25 PMT-06 |
| March 2027 | 7 TDS; 11 GSTR-1; 15 Mar — last advance tax instalment, and the only one for presumptive cases; 15 PF/ESI; 20 GSTR-3B; 25 PMT-06; 31 March — year end |
Turn on the due-date auto-post rule once: pick how many days before, the time and the departments, and your OneClick Branding due-date posters go out to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google all year.
OneClick Scheduler: Pick the departments; set a daily limit. All four platforms from one screen.
Try itHow many days before to post
Too early and clients forget; too late and there is no time to send you the data. A practical rule:
- Routine monthly dates (TDS, GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, PF/ESI): 2–3 days before. That is close enough to feel urgent and leaves a working day to send data.
- Big or once-a-year dates (advance tax, ITR, annual GST return, TDS statements): a first post 5–7 days before and a second 1–2 days before.
- On the day: only for a last call on the biggest dates, posted early in the morning. A reminder at 6 pm on the due date helps no one.
Avoid posting four reminders on the same morning. The 20th and the 25th, or the 11th and the 15th, can be a few days apart; keep it to one or two posts a day so the feed does not look like a notice board. If a date falls on a Sunday or a holiday, do not assume it shifts — check the portal or the notification.
How to word a due-date reminder
A good reminder answers four questions in a few seconds: what is due, for whom, by when, and what to do. For example:
GSTR-3B for October 2026 is due on 20 November 2026 for monthly filers. Please share your purchase and sales data with us by 17 November. — [Firm name], [phone]
Advance tax: the third instalment (75% of the year's tax) is due on 15 December 2026. If your income has changed this year, talk to us before the date.
Keep it factual and calm:
- Exact form, period and date. "GSTR-1 for October 2026, due 11 November" — not "GST return due soon".
- No fear and no penalties in big red letters. A line on interest or late fee is fine; "heavy penalty!!" is not.
- No selling. "Contact your tax consultant" or "share your data with us" is enough; avoid "lowest fees" or "best GST filing service". The ICAI's guidelines on what members may say about themselves apply here too — see what a CA can post on social media and Google.
- One date per post where possible. If two dates fall together, a single poster with two lines is fine; five dates on one poster are not read.
- A link to the official source in the caption when a date has been extended, so clients see it is not your opinion.
Post the same reminder on Google Business Profile as well as Instagram and Facebook; clients who search for your firm in that week will see it. Ideas for the Google side are in Google Business Profile posts for CA firms.
Putting due-date posts on auto-pilot with OneClick Scheduler
Doing this by hand means about 60 reminders a year, each needing a poster, a caption and four platforms. If you are an activated OneClick Branding client, the due-date auto-post rule in OneClick Scheduler does it from the OneClick due-date calendar:
- Log in at OneClick Scheduler with your PracticeGuru account and connect Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile.
- Turn on the due-date rule and set:
- Days before: 0 (on the due date) to 3 days before. Two or three days suits most monthly dates.
- Time: when the post goes out, India time (10 am by default).
- Departments: tick income tax, GST, MCA, PF/ESIC and others to match your clients. A firm with mostly individual clients might leave MCA off.
- Maximum posts per day: 3 by default, so a crowded date does not flood your feed.
- Language and design: English or an Indian language where available (languages depend on the poster type and your OneClick Branding plan; otherwise English or skip), with your contact bar on every poster.
- Check the preview of upcoming posts, and add a line of your own to the caption if you want ("Please share your data by the 17th").
For the big dates, add a second, earlier reminder by hand — a week before advance tax or the ITR date — from the same scheduling screen. And when a date is extended, check the post due that week; a reminder for the old date is worse than none.
Frequently asked questions
What is the due date for GSTR-3B?
The 20th of the next month for monthly filers. For quarterly filers under the QRMP scheme it is the 22nd or 24th of the month after the quarter, depending on the state of the principal place of business. The government can extend it by notification.
What are the advance tax due dates?
At least 15% of the year's tax by 15 June, 45% by 15 September, 75% by 15 December and 100% by 15 March. Taxpayers under the presumptive scheme pay it all by 15 March.
What is the ITR due date for audit cases for AY 2026-27?
It was 31 October 2026, but CBDT Circular 7/2026 dated 28 September 2026 extended it to 21 November 2026, and the tax audit report date to 21 October 2026.
How many days before a due date should I post a reminder?
Two to three days before routine monthly dates such as GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and TDS. For advance tax, ITR and annual returns, post about a week before and again a day or two before.
Can OneClick Scheduler post due-date reminders automatically?
Yes, for activated OneClick Branding clients. The due-date rule posts the poster 0 to 3 days before each date at the time you choose, for the departments you tick (income tax, GST, MCA, PF/ESIC), up to a daily limit, to all your connected accounts.
Sources
- GST portal — FAQs on Form GSTR-3B (due dates; extension by notification)
- GST portal — FAQs on the QRMP scheme and IFF (GSTR-1 13th, PMT-06 25th, 22nd/24th state lists)
- GST portal — Advisory on the QRMP scheme
- GST portal — FAQs on Form GSTR-9 (due date 31 December)
- Income Tax Department — Tax payments FAQs (advance tax instalments, TDS deposit by the 7th)
- Income Tax Department — Income tax returns help (due dates for AY 2026-27)
- Income Tax Department — Form 138 (formerly 24Q) user manual, quarterly due dates
- Income Tax Department — Form 140 (formerly 26Q) user manual, quarterly due dates
- CBDT Circular No. 07/2026 dated 28 September 2026 — extension for AY 2026-27
- ESIC — Contribution (payment within 15 days of the end of the month)
OneClick Scheduler posts your branded due-date reminders before each date, in English or an Indian language, to every connected account. Available languages depend on the poster type and your OneClick Branding plan; where a translation is not available, choose English or skip. Free to post now; a 7-day scheduling trial for new users.
