Honestly, I was in almost the exact same situation last year as a freelance consultant, so let me break this down simply.
First — yes, if you're filing ITR-4 under 44ADA, the August 2026 extension does apply to you. The government extended it specifically for ITR-3 and ITR-4 non-audit cases. Your CA is right that audit cases are different — those have a separate deadline usually around October. Since you're under presumptive taxation (44ADA), you almost certainly don't need an audit unless your income exceeds ₹75 lakh or you're opting out of presumptive scheme. At ₹8-9 lakh, you're totally fine.
Now here's the thing — just because the deadline extended doesn't mean you should wait.
Refunds. You mentioned ₹18k refund last year took 4 months. The Income Tax Department processes refunds based on when you verify your return, not the deadline. File early, verify immediately via net banking or Aadhaar OTP on the e-filing portal, and your refund hits your account faster. If you wait till late August, you're joining a massive queue.
What most people get wrong — they think extension means the government is being lenient so filing late is totally consequence-free. It's not. If you end up with any tax dues (even small amounts) and you haven't filed, interest under Section 234A keeps running. Extension doesn't waive that interest if you had taxes payable.
For someone like you — freelancer, 44ADA, no audit requirement — just sit with your CA this week, keep your Form 26AS and AIS ready from the IT portal, collate your invoices or bank statements showing professional receipts, and file it. Done.
One more thing: make sure your bank account on the IT portal is pre-validated. SBI, HDFC, ICICI — doesn't matter which, but it must be pre-validated and EVC-enabled for the refund to land smoothly.
My honest recommendation: don't use the extension as an excuse to delay. File before July 15th if possible. Let the refund come in while others are still scrambling.