Form 26AS: View, Download & Understand Your Tax Credit Statement

Information Available on Form 26AS

Form 26AS primarily reflects TDS and TCS data reported against your PAN. For a more complete view of financial transactions and tax-related information, AIS should also be reviewed.

It contains:
TDS ( Tax Deducted at Source ) - Details of TDS deducted by employers, banks, tenants, and other deductors, along with the deductor's TAN, amount deducted, and date of deposit to the government
TCS (Tax Collected at Source) - Tax collected by sellers of specified goods and services

Note: Several categories previously associated with Form 26AS, such as broader financial transaction reporting and other taxpayer details, are now primarily available through AIS, depending on the assessment year and reporting category.

Structure and Parts of Form 26AS 

Earlier versions of Form 26AS were structured into multiple parts to cover different categories of tax and financial data. However, in the current system, Form 26AS mainly displays TDS and TCS information, while broader financial data is available through AIS

Important: Older references may still describe Form 26AS in a broader multi-part format. In the current system, taxpayers should rely on Form 26AS mainly for TDS/TCS verification and use AIS for broader taxpayer information.

The tax reporting framework has expanded in recent years to include additional data points such as GST turnover, foreign remittances, and virtual digital asset transactions. However, much of this information is now available through AIS rather than directly within the current Form 26AS.

Note: Many of these data categories are now reflected in AIS instead of Form 26AS.

Practical implication for taxpayers: If broader tax reporting data such as GST-linked information or high-value transaction reporting does not align with your return, it may increase the likelihood of scrutiny or mismatch review. Reviewing Form 26AS together with AIS before filing helps reduce this risk.

How to View Form 26AS

1. Via Income Tax / E-Filing Portal

This is the primary and most recommended method:

• Go to incometax.gov.in
• Login with your PAN as User ID and your registered password
• Navigate to e-file → Income Tax Returns → View Form 26AS
• You will be redirected to the TRACES portal
• Confirm and accept the Terms of Usage
• Select the relevant option to view your Form 26AS
• Choose the Assessment Year and view format, if available

2. Via TRACES Website

The TRACES website is the dedicated TDS processing portal of the Income Tax Department:

• Go to tdscpc.gov.in 
• Click "Taxpayer" under the Login section
• Enter your PAN, password, and captcha
• Navigate to My Account → View Form 26AS
• Select assessment year and download format

3. Via Net Banking

If your bank account is linked to your PAN, many banks offer direct Form 26AS access without requiring a separate login flow. Viewing Form 26AS through net banking is available only if the PAN is mapped to that bank account.

• Log in to your bank's Internet Banking portal
• Navigate to Tax or Tax Services section
• Select "View Form 26AS / Tax Credit Statement"
• You may be redirected to the relevant tax portal or service page
• Accept Terms of Usage and select the assessment year

Authorized banks for Form 26AS net banking access include banks notified for this facility.
The exact list can change over time, so it is best to verify the current list through the official tax portal or your bank.

If your bank is not on this list, use the Income Tax Portal or TRACES website method instead.

4. Via Mobile App

The AIS for Taxpayer app provides mobile access to AIS data. For Form 26AS, taxpayers should primarily use the Income Tax e-Filing portal or TRACES.

How to Download Form 26AS (PDF / Text) 

Form 26AS can be downloaded in available formats from the relevant portal access flow:

Benefits of Form 26AS

Here is the list of benefits of Form 26As:

Accuracy Assurance for ITR Filing
Form 26AS helps show how much TDS or TCS has been reported against your PAN. If you claim tax credit in your ITR that is not reflected in the system, your return may be processed with a mismatch or demand.

Prevents Credit Mismatch
By confirming that tax already deducted is linked to your PAN, Form 26AS helps reduce the risk of claiming incorrect tax credit.

Fraud and Identity Detection
Unusual entries in Form 26AS, such as TDS from an unknown deductor, can be an early signal of PAN misuse or data reporting issues.

Error-Free ITR Filing
Since tax return filing now relies on multiple data sources including AIS and TIS, reviewing Form 26AS before filing helps you verify tax credits more accurately.

How to Use Form 26AS for Effective Tax Management 

Form 26AS is most valuable as an active tax management tool, especially before ITR filing.

1. Reconciling TDS with Form 16/16A

Your employer issues Form 16 and other deductors issue Form 16A. These should match the TDS/TCS details reflected in your tax records. To reconcile:

• Download your Form 26AS for the relevant assessment year
• Cross-check deductor name, deductor TAN, amount deducted, and tax credit details
• Flag any entry where the amount in Form 16/16A differs from Form 26AS
• A discrepancy means your deductor may need to correct their TDS return

2. Verifying ITR Pre-Fill Data

When you open your ITR form on the Income Tax Portal, much of your tax-related information may be pre-filled from multiple reporting sources including AIS and TIS. Before accepting the pre-fill:

• Compare the pre-filled TDS figures with your Form 26AS entries
• Check that other relevant taxpayer information is properly reflected in AIS/TIS
• For business owners: confirm that broader turnover-related reporting, where applicable, aligns with your return disclosures

3. Tracking Income Tax Refund Status

Refund-related details are better checked through the Income Tax e-Filing portal and related services. If the income tax refund shows issued but has not reached your account, verify your bank account details on the portal and take the required follow-up action.

Form 26AS vs. AIS vs. TIS - The 3-Layer Tax Information Ecosystem 

Since 2021, the Income Tax Department has implemented a three-tier system to enhance tax information transparency.

 TDS Certificate (Form 16/16A) and Form 26AS 

Form 16/16A and Form 26AS are two sides of the same TDS transaction:

• Form 16/16A is issued by the deductor to you - it is the deductor's acknowledgment that tax was deducted from your income
• Form 26AS helps you verify whether the tax credit linked to that deduction is being reflected in the tax system
• The critical insight: a TDS entry shown by the deductor should also be reflected correctly in your tax credit records for smooth ITR filing.

Things to Verify in TDS Certificate with Form 26AS 

Before filing your ITR, verify the following four items for every TDS entry:

Recommended workflow before filing ITR:

• Download Form 26AS → verify TDS entries against Form 16/16A
• Review AIS → flag any incorrect, duplicate, or unrelated transactions
• Check TIS → confirm the aggregated figures used for ITR pre-fill reflect your corrections
• File ITR using the corrected information

What to Do If Form 26AS Has a Discrepancy 

Discrepancies in Form 26AS are more common than most taxpayers realize, especially when deductors file quarterly TDS returns with errors that directly affect TDS certificate issuance. The correction process usually starts with your deductor.

Types of Discrepancies

Step-by-Step Discrepancy Resolution Workflow

Step 1 - Identify the discrepancy type
Download your Form 26AS and highlight every entry that differs from your Form 16/16A or actual tax documents.

Step 2 - Contact your deductor
For TDS errors:

• Write formally to the payroll/accounts department of your employer or bank
• Provide your PAN and the correct figures
• Request the deductor to file a revised TDS return

Step 3 - Deductor files revised TDS return
Your deductor must correct the relevant TDS return through the applicable system.

Step 4 - Form 26AS updates after processing
Once the correction is processed, your Form 26AS should update accordingly.

Step 5 - If deductor is unresponsive
Raise a grievance or use the applicable taxpayer service on the Income Tax Portal.

• Step 6 - Filing ITR when discrepancy is unresolved

If the ITR due date approaches and the discrepancy is still unresolved:

• File your ITR with the correct income figures
• Keep supporting documents ready
• If required, respond to any notice or mismatch communication with documentary evidence

Step 7 - Broader reporting mismatch
If a broader financial transaction does not relate to you, review the relevant information in AIS and use the feedback option where applicable.

High-Value Transactions (Specified Financial Transactions)

High-value financial transactions are part of the tax reporting system and are primarily visible in AIS, though they were earlier associated more closely with Form 26AS.
Transaction Types & Specific Thresholds

What to do if you see an SFT entry: An SFT entry is not by itself a tax demand. It is part of the information reporting system used to cross-verify your return disclosures.

Form 26AS and GST - What Business Owners Must Know 

A significant development in the broader tax reporting system is the use of GST-related information for cross-verification. GST turnover data is typically visible in AIS and may be used for comparison with income declared in ITR.

What this means for sole proprietors and small businesses:
Income cross-verification: Broader tax reporting systems may compare GST-related turnover information with your return disclosures. If major inconsistencies appear, it may increase scrutiny risk.

Threshold monitoring: Businesses near the GST registration threshold should ensure that their tax and business records remain consistent across filings.

BUSY Accounting Software automatically handles GST reconciliation , aligning sales figures with GST returns to reduce mismatch risk.

Conclusion

Form 26AS remains an important tax credit statement for verifying TDS and TCS linked to your PAN. At the same time, India's tax reporting system has evolved, and taxpayers should now review Form 26AS together with AIS and TIS for a more complete picture before filing their ITR.