What Is Form 26AS and How to Download It for ITR Verification

What Is Form 26AS and How to Download It for ITR Verification

What Is Form 26AS?

Form 26AS is the official tax credit statement issued by the Income Tax Department for each PAN. Think of it as your “tax history” record — it shows all the tax that has been credited to your PAN account in a given financial year.

It includes:

• TDS on salary, interest, rent, commission, and other payments.
• TCS (tax collected at source) on things like property sale, scrap, or certain online platforms.
• Advance tax and self‑assessment tax you paid directly to the government.
• Details from TDS/TCS returns filed by your employer, bank, property buyer, etc.

So before you file your ITR, Form 26AS is your main checklist; whatever matches here is what the department already sees.

Why Is Form 26AS Important for Taxpayers?

Ignoring Form 26AS is one of the most common reasons refunds get stuck or your ITR is marked as “defective.” Here’s why you shouldn’t skip it:

• Refund speed – If what you show in your return doesn’t match Form 26AS, the department flags it.
• Mismatch correction – If something is missing (like TDS from FD, rent, or brokerage), you can ask the deductor to correct it.
• Loan / visa / address proof – Banks and embassies sometimes ask for Form 26AS‑linked records as proof of income and tax compliance.

For most people, Form 26AS is the backbone of ITR accuracy — salaried, freelancers, business owners, all of them.

How to Download Form 26AS Online (Income Tax Portal)

The easiest and most official way is through the Income Tax e‑filing 2.0 portal. Follow these steps:

Step 1 – Login to the Income Tax Portal

• Go to the official site: https://www.incometax.gov.in
• Click on “Login” and enter your PAN as user ID.
• Enter your password and login (case‑sensitive).

Step 2 – Go to “View Form 26AS (Tax Credit)”

• After login, click on the “Profile” icon (top right).
• Select “View Form 26AS / AIS” (or “View Form 26AS (Tax Credit)”).
• You’ll be redirected to the TRACES / 26AS page.

Step 3 – Download the PDF

• On the TRACES‑linked 26AS page, choose the correct Assessment Year (e.g., 2026‑27 for FY 2025‑26).
• Click on the “Download PDF” or “Go to Form 26AS” option.
• A password‑protected PDF will download. The password is your PAN in lowercase + date of birth in the format yyyymmdd (e.g., abc1234d123456789 + 19900101 → abc1234d19900101).
• Open the PDF with this password; it contains all your TDS, TCS, and advance‑tax details.

How to View Form 26AS Through Net Banking

Some banks also let you see Form 26AS without logging into the tax portal. This is especially handy for salaried people who don’t want to remember PAN login.

Step 1 – Login to Your Bank

• Go to your bank’s official net‑banking portal (SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, etc.).
• Login with your customer ID / mobile and password.

Step 2 – Find Form 26AS or TDS Details

• Look for options like:
  • “Tax / TDS / Form 26AS”
  • “Income Tax / Tax Statement”
• Different banks call it differently; common labels are “Request Form 26AS” or “View TDS Credit Statement”.
• Once you select it, the bank will fetch your latest Form 26AS from the Income Tax Department.
• You can view it online or download as PDF.

This method is useful especially if PAN login is slow or you’re using mobile banking.

What Do the Sections in Form 26AS Mean?

When you open the PDF, you’ll see multiple parts. Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Part A – TDS details on salary, interest, rent, etc.
• Part B – TDS on “Other Income” (like commission, royalty, etc.).
• Part C – TCS (tax collected at source) on property sale, scrap metal, or specific e‑commerce platforms.
• Part D – Refund details (if any refund was processed by the department).
• Part E – High‑value transactions and other AIS‑linked details in some versions.
• Advanced‑tax and self‑assessment‑tax – appear in the “Tax Payment” box.

If you see any extra or missing entries, you can ask your employer, broker, or bank to correct the TDS return.

Common Mistakes People Make With Form 26AS

Most “mismatch issues” happen because of simple oversights:

• Not checking 26AS before filing ITR.
• Using the wrong Assessment Year (e.g., AY 2025‑26 instead of 2026‑27).
• Typing the PDF password incorrectly (PAN + DOB format must be exact).
• Ignoring entries in Part C (TCS) if you’ve sold property or high‑value assets.

Fix these, and about 90% of refund‑delay or defective‑return cases vanish.

How to Use Form 26AS for ITR Verification

Before hitting the “Submit” button on your ITR:

1. Keep your Form 26AS PDF and Form 16 open side by side.
2. Cross‑check:
   • Salary TDS (Part A of 26AS vs Form 16).
   • Bank interest TDS (also Part A).
   • Advance or self‑assessment tax (if any).
3. If something matches, your entry in ITR is correct.
4. If something is missing, either:
5. Ask the deductor to file a corrected return, or
6. Declare the correct amount and show supporting proof.

 

Conclusion:

Form 26AS (now Form 168 for FY 2025-26) is your official tax credit statement and a crucial document for filing your ITR. It contains records of salary, interest, TDS/TCS, advance tax, and high-value transactions. Checking it before filing your ITR helps prevent mismatches and delays in refunds. You can download it from the Income Tax e-filing portal or through your net banking account. Verifying Form 26AS ensures your ITR filing is accurate, smooth, and hassle-free.