Form 26AS is a Consolidated Tax Credit statement issued to a Taxpayer and shows the Income Tax that has been deposited with the Govt with respect to that Taxpayer and is required to be issued under Section 203AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Form 26AS is a consolidated statement and contains all details of the taxes paid and deposited with the Income Tax Department. As per Rule 31AB of the Income Tax Rules, Form 26AS shall include the following details:-

  1. Part A – Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) deposited with the Income Tax Department on your behalf by the person from whom you’ve received the payment. This TDS head also displays the name of the deductor, the TAN No. of the Deductor, the section under which the payment has been made, the date of payment, the amount of payment etc
  2. Part B –Tax Collected at Source (TCS) deposited with the Income Tax Department on your behalf by the seller of specified goods at the time these goods have been sold to you. Details under this TCS head similar to those as in TDS Head are shown here as well.
  3. Part C – Other tax payments made by the Tax-Payer (like Advance Tax, Self-Assessment Tax, Regular Assessment Tax etc) computed as per the Income Tax Slabs and the details of Challan through which you have deposited the tax in the bank.
  4. Tax Refunds (if any) which shows the details of amount refunded and the assessment year for which the tax has been refunded
  5. Annual Information Report (AIR) – Contains details of high value transactions done by an Individual as reported in the Annual Information Report

Benefit of Form 26AS

Every taxpayer is advised to cross-check his Form 26AS as the amount mentioned while filing the Income Tax Return as the Tax deposited shall be the same as the Amount shown in this tax credit statement. All taxes received by the Income Tax Department on behalf of a taxpayer are shown in this tax credit statement and this statement also confirms that

  1. The Tax Deducted/Collected by the Deductor/Collector has been deposited and TDS Payment made to the account of the Government
  2. The Deductor/Collector has accurately filed the TDS/TCS Return giving details of the Tax Deducted/Collected on your behalf
  3. Bank has properly furnished the details of the Tax deposited by you

In addition to the above a taxpayer can also view the details of the Income Tax Refund paid during the financial year and can also verify the TDS Certificates (Form 16 & Form 16A)

How to download Form 26AS online?

This form can be downloaded through 2 different portals:-

  1. Income Tax Website
  2. Bank Website

1. Downloading from Income Tax Website

Form 26AS can be viewed online by logging into your account on www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in and then clicking My Account as shown in the screenshot below

In case you are not registered on the above website, you’ll first have to register to view your Form 26AS

2. Downloading from Bank Website

If a Taxpayer has submitted his PAN No. to his banker and has also availed of the facility of Net Banking, he can view his Tax credit statement – Form 26AS from the Bank’s website itself without registering on the above website. The taxpayer shall login to his net banking account from where he can view his tax credit statement i.e. his Form 26AS.