What is Form 26AS?
Form 26AS is an annual tax credit statement showing TDS, TCS, advance tax and self-assessment tax linked to a taxpayer's PAN.
Form 26AS is the annual tax credit statement available to every taxpayer in India. It shows all the tax that has been paid or deducted against a PAN during a financial year. The data is hosted on the TRACES portal and can be accessed through the Income Tax e-filing website.
Form 26AS includes TDS on salary and other payments, Tax Collected at Source (TCS), advance tax, self-assessment tax and any refunds issued. Employers, banks, tenants and other deductors deposit tax with the government and the details are linked to the taxpayer's PAN. This helps the taxpayer verify that the deductor has actually deposited the tax that was deducted.
Form 26AS is divided into parts such as Part A for TDS on salary, Part B for TDS on other payments, Part F for advance tax and self-assessment tax, and Part G for refunds. This structure makes it a complete tax credit ledger for the taxpayer.
Before filing an income tax return, an employee should match the TDS in Form 16 with the entries in Form 26AS. If an entry is missing or the amount is different, the employee should ask the employer or deductor to correct the return.
Worked example
An employee has one employer during the year. The TDS entries in Form 26AS look like this:
| Deductor | Section | Amount credited | TDS deducted | |---|---|---|---| | ABC Pvt Ltd | 192 (Salary) | ₹9,00,000 | ₹60,000 |
The amount matches the TDS certificate in Form 16, so the employee can use it to file the return.
Related reading
Read the TDS on salary guide or use the tax regime calculator to estimate tax before filing.
Frequently asked questions
- How can I view Form 26AS?
- Taxpayers can view Form 26AS by logging into the Income Tax e-filing portal and using the TRACES link.
- Does Form 26AS include TDS on salary?
- Yes. TDS deducted by an employer on salary is shown under 'Tax Deducted at Source' in Form 26AS.
- What should I do if Form 16 and Form 26AS do not match?
- Inform your employer about the mismatch. If it is not corrected, you can use Form 26AS as the basis for filing your return.