What is 26AS & How to Download ? ( Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners )

What Is Form 26AS?

Form 26AS is a consolidated tax statement linked to your PAN (Permanent Account Number). It shows all the taxes paid to the government on your behalf during a financial year.

In simple words, Form 26AS is your tax passbook. It records how much tax has been deducted, collected, or paid by you and reported to the Income Tax Department.

Why Is Form 26AS Important?

Form 26AS is important because it helps you:

• Verify tax deducted by employer or banks
• Match tax details before filing ITR
• Avoid tax notices due to mismatch
• Track advance tax or self-assessment tax paid

The Income Tax Department uses Form 26AS to cross-check your Income Tax Return.

Who Can View Form 26AS?

Any person who has a PAN can view Form 26AS. This includes salaried employees, freelancers, business owners, and investors.

It is available online through the Income Tax portal and does not require any physical document.

What Details Are Shown in Form 26AS?

Form 26AS contains multiple sections showing different types of tax information:

TDS on Salary

This section shows tax deducted by your employer from your salary and deposited with the government.

TDS on Other Income

It includes tax deducted on interest from fixed deposits, savings accounts, dividends, rent, or professional income.

Advance Tax and Self-Assessment Tax

If you have paid tax directly to the government, those payments appear in Form 26AS.

Refund Details

If you received any income tax refund in previous years, it is recorded in Form 26AS.

Form 26AS vs Form 16

Form 16 is issued by your employer and shows salary and tax deducted details only.

Form 26AS is issued by the Income Tax Department and shows all tax-related transactions linked to your PAN.

Form 26AS is considered more authoritative because it reflects government records.

Why Form 26AS Is Required Before Filing ITR

Before filing your Income Tax Return, you should always check Form 26AS to ensure that:

• All TDS entries are correctly reflected
• Tax deducted matches Form 16 or bank statements
• No income is missed or wrongly reported

Mismatch between ITR and Form 26AS may result in tax notices.

What If Tax Is Deducted but Not Showing in Form 26AS?

If tax is deducted but not reflected in Form 26AS, it usually means the deductor has not deposited or reported the tax correctly.

In such cases, you should contact the employer, bank, or deductor and request correction before filing your return.

How Often Is Form 26AS Updated?

Form 26AS is updated periodically as and when deductors file their TDS returns or taxes are paid.

It is recommended to check Form 26AS just before filing your Income Tax Return.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

• Filing ITR without checking Form 26AS
• Claiming TDS not reflected in Form 26AS
• Ignoring interest or FD income shown in Form 26AS
• Not reconciling Form 16 with Form 26AS

How to Download Form 26AS (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Login to Income Tax e-Filing Portal

Visit the Income Tax e-Filing website and log in using your PAN as User ID, password, and OTP verification.

Step 2: Go to Form 26AS Option

After login, click on e-File, then select Income Tax Returns, and click on View Form 26AS (Tax Credit).

You will be redirected to the TRACES website where Form 26AS is available.

Step 3: Select Assessment Year

Choose the required Assessment Year. For example, income earned in FY 2024–25 corresponds to AY 2025–26.

Step 4: Choose File Format

You can view Form 26AS in:

• HTML format (online view)
• PDF format (downloadable)

Select PDF if you want to save it for future reference.

Step 5: Download Form 26AS

Click on View or Download. If PDF is selected, you will be asked to enter a password.

The password to open Form 26AS PDF is your Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format.

Example: If your date of birth is 15 August 1998, the password will be 15081998.

Final Thoughts

Form 26AS is one of the most important documents for income tax compliance in India. Understanding it ensures correct tax filing, prevents notices, and builds financial discipline.

Always treat Form 26AS as your final tax reference before submitting your Income Tax Return.

Author: @nkit

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⚠️ This is for learning purposes only. Please do your own research before making any investment decisions.