Table of Contents
What is Form 26AS?
Form 26AS is a consolidated annual tax statement maintained by the Income Tax Department in TRACES (TDS Reconciliation Analysis and Correction Enabling System). Think of it as your tax passbook — it records every rupee of tax that has been deposited with the government in your name.
It is the single most important document to verify before filing your ITR. Any TDS credit you claim in your ITR must match what's in your 26AS — otherwise your refund can be held up or you may receive a tax notice.
How to Download Form 26AS
There are two easy ways to download your Form 26AS:
Method 1: IT e-Filing Portal (Recommended)
- Go to incometax.gov.in and log in with your PAN and password
- Click on e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Form 26AS
- You will be redirected to the TRACES portal — confirm and proceed
- Select Assessment Year (AY 2026-27 for FY 2025-26) and click View/Download
- Download as PDF (password is your Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format)
Method 2: Net Banking
Most major banks (SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak) allow you to download Form 26AS directly from your net banking dashboard under the Tax / Income Tax section. No separate IT portal login required.
Understanding Each Part of Form 26AS
Form 26AS is divided into multiple parts. Here's what each section contains:
Part A — TDS on Salary
Shows TDS deducted by your employer from your salary. The Deductor Name is your employer, Amount Paid/Credited is your gross salary, and Tax Deducted is the TDS. This must match your Form 16 exactly.
Part A1 — TDS on Non-Salary (26Q)
TDS on interest income (bank FDs, RDs), professional fees received, rent received above ₹50K/month, etc. Check this for TDS by banks on your FD interest.
Part A2 — TDS on Sale of Immovable Property (26QB)
If you sold property and the buyer deducted 1% TDS under Section 194IA, it appears here. Relevant when you file ITR for capital gains from property sale.
Part B — TCS (Tax Collected at Source)
Tax collected by sellers on high-value transactions like luxury cars above ₹10L, foreign remittances (TCS on LRS), etc. Often missed by people — check if you made any such purchase.
Part C — Advance Tax and Self-Assessment Tax
Any advance tax or self-assessment tax you paid directly via Challan 280. Shows BSR Code, Date, and Amount. Verify these challan details match what you paid.
Part D — Refund Details
Income tax refunds issued to you in the assessment year. Shows refund amount, assessment year, date of payment, and mode (NEFT/Cheque).
Part F — TDS on Rent of Property (26QC)
TDS deducted by individuals paying rent above ₹50,000/month to landlords under Section 194IB. If you are a landlord, check if your tenants have correctly deposited TDS.
Form 26AS vs AIS — What's Different?
Since FY 2021-22, the IT Department introduced the Annual Information Statement (AIS), which is broader than Form 26AS. Here's how they differ:
| Information | Form 26AS | AIS |
|---|---|---|
| TDS on Salary | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| TDS on Interest / Other Income | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Advance Tax / Self-Assessment Tax | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Bank FD Interest (even without TDS) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Dividend from Shares / MF | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Stock and MF Transaction Details | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Foreign Remittances (LRS) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| High Value Property Transactions | Limited (26QB) | ✅ Detailed |
How to Spot and Fix TDS Mismatches
A TDS mismatch happens when the TDS shown in your Form 26AS differs from what's on your Form 16 or what you're claiming in your ITR. Common causes:
Steps to fix a 26AS mismatch:
- First, identify the discrepancy by comparing Form 16 / TDS certificate with 26AS Part A/A1
- Contact your employer (HR/payroll) or bank and request a TDS correction return filing
- The deductor files a correction return with TRACES — 26AS updates within 7–10 working days
- Re-download 26AS to verify the correction appears
- File your ITR only after 26AS reflects correct TDS credits
Want to know your exact salary after all deductions? Use our free Payslip Calculator →
26AS Checklist Before Filing ITR
- ☐ Download 26AS for AY 2026-27 (FY 2025-26)
- ☐ Match Part A salary TDS with your Form 16 issued by employer
- ☐ Check Part A1 for TDS on bank FD interest — verify against bank TDS certificates
- ☐ Check Part B for any TCS (luxury car purchase, foreign remittance, etc.)
- ☐ Verify Part C shows any advance tax / self-assessment tax you paid
- ☐ Download AIS and check for any unreported income (dividends, interest, MF transactions)
- ☐ Raise mismatch corrections with employer/bank if discrepancies found
- ☐ Re-download and re-verify 26AS after corrections, before filing
Common Issues and How to Resolve Them
26AS shows zero TDS but employer deducted it
Your employer has not filed their quarterly TDS return (Form 24Q). Follow up with HR immediately. If the financial year is over, you must wait for the correction return to be filed. Do not file your ITR until this is resolved, or you will lose that TDS credit.
Bank showing "Booking" status, not "Final"
"Booking" means the TDS is received but not yet matched to a specific challan. This typically resolves within a few weeks. If it remains in Booking status near the ITR deadline, you can still claim the credit and it will be processed after matching.
TDS amount in 26AS is different from Form 16
Always trust 26AS over Form 16 for what the IT Dept has on record. If Form 16 shows more TDS than 26AS, your employer may not have deposited the full amount. Request a correction; you can only claim what's in 26AS.