Form 26AS: A Detailed Guide for Income Tax Return Filing

Filing income tax can be overwhelming, but it's an essential task for every taxpayer. You're probably familiar with Form 130, which shows your salary income and tax deductions. But have you heard about Form No. 168? It's like a tax passbook that gives you a complete picture of your tax deductions from various sources and even highlights high-value transactions, such as shares and mutual funds.

What does Form No. 168 mean? Form no. 168 means a tax credit statement and is an important document for taxpayers. The full form of no. 168 is the Annual Information Statement (AIS).

Form no. 168 provides a detailed overview of your financial activities for a specific year, going beyond just TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) and TCS (Tax Collected at Source) transactions. It serves as proof of income, and tax payments are linked to your PAN number. Based on the details mentioned in Form No. 168, the taxpayers file annual returns. When filing your tax return, verify that the taxes you claim match the tax values stated in Form No. 168.

Important Update (June 2026): As per the new provisions of the Income Tax Act, 2025 (effective from April 1, 2026), Form 26AS is being superseded by Form No. 168 for assessment year 2026-27 onwards. Similarly, Form 16 will be referred to as Form 130, and Form 15G/15H has been combined with Form 121. Taxpayers must continue to use Form No. 168 for the present year’s assessment (AY 2026-27 corresponding to fiscal year 2025-26). As per the provisions of the old Income Tax Act, 1961, income earned until 31st March 2026 will be governed by Form 26AS.

Also Read: How to Claim a TDS Refund?

Not every taxpayer is aware of who can access Form No. 168. Let us know about the eligibility criteria below:

• An individual having a valid PAN (Permanent Account Number) can access his/her Form No. 168. This applies to salaried employees, freelancers, proprietors, senior citizens, and even NRIs earning income in India.
• Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) earning income in India, like interest on an NRO account, rental income, salary, and where tax was deducted, can download Form No. 168 from the income tax e-filing website.
• Companies, firms, trusts, societies, and other entities with a valid PAN are also eligible to access Form No. 168 for their respective TDS, TCS, and advance tax credit.
• Tax deductors can access TRACES to view TDS credit details, as well as their own Form No. 168, as their deposits are recorded there.
• Basic criterion: Your PAN should be alive and correct. If the deductor has filed the TDS return with an incorrect PAN, then your tax credit would be missing in Form No. 168.
• Net banking access: Without even logging in to the income tax website, you can access Form No. 168 through the net banking facility of your authorised banks.

To make tax return filing easier and more transparent, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has made changes to Form No. 168. The updates to Form No. 168 include:

• Inclusion of foreign remittances mentioned in Form 15CC
• Quarterly information on TDS deductions from salaries
• Details of ongoing or completed income tax proceedings
• Information on income tax demands and refunds, if applicable
• Details of advance tax payments made by the taxpayer

In addition to the previously required personal details such as name, address, and PAN, the new Form no. 168 includes additional information to enhance communication options:

• Date of birth
• Registered email address
• Mobile/phone number

Latest Update - AY 2023-24 Onwards: From Assessment Year 2023-24, Form No. 168 available on the TRACES portal contains information related to TDS/TCS only. All other financial transactions like interest, dividends, mutual fund transactions, GST turnover, etc., are now included in the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS), available on the Income Tax e-filing portal under the Services tab. CBDT has clarified that in the future, taxpayers will rely on AIS and TIS to fill in the ITR accurately.

You can obtain the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) from the income tax e-filing portal, as they are two related statements. Think of the AIS as your bank passbook and the TIS as a summary of the AIS statement; both are essential for filing your income tax return.

What is AIS (Annual Information Statement)?

AIS is a consolidated statement that contains all financial transactions linked to your PAN for a financial year. It comprises numerous pieces of financial information categorised in 60-plus information categories. Such financial information includes:

• Salaries income and TDS on salaries
• Interest income from savings bank account, FD, RD
• Dividend income, including even ₹500 from a mutual fund
• Rent received
• Purchase/sale of securities, shares, and mutual funds
• Purchase/sale of immovable properties
• Receipt/payment of foreign currency above ₹10 lakh
• Exceeding cash deposit and withdrawal limits
• Credit card payments of ₹1 lakh or more in cash or ₹10 lakh otherwise
• GST turnover reported in the GST records
• Advance tax or self-assessment tax paid

In addition, AIS contains information regarding both the reported values by the information source, like your bank, and the value after modification based on your feedback. Taxpayers can provide online feedback if the information reported is wrong, duplicated, or does not belong to them.

What is TIS (Taxpayer Information Summary)?

TIS is a consolidated and processed version of AIS. TIS contains the value of the financial transaction after taking the duplicate information out and considering the feedback received from you. Such figures are helpful for pre-filling the ITR online on the e-filing portal.

Comparison of AIS and TIS

How to Access AIS and TIS

• Log in to www.incometax.gov.in
• Access Services → Annual Information Statement (AIS)
• Click Proceed—it will take you to the compliance portal
• Dashboard opens with two sections: AIS and TIS
• Download in PDF, JSON, and CSV

Alternatively, download the AIS mobile app for Android and Apple smartphones to view AIS and give feedback.

Form No. 168 is not a single component but comprises several components. These components together give you complete financial information. Here is the list of components currently present in Form No. 168:

Part A: Details of TDS

Part A of Form No. 168 contains the maximum information. It includes tax deducted from your income, such as salary, bank interest, pension, commission, and rent. Being updated quarterly, this part provides information about your tax deductor, such as:

• Name of deductor and its TAN
• Section under which TDS was deducted
• Total amount paid or credited to you
• Total tax deducted by the deductor and deposited
• Transaction date, booking date, and status

Part A1: TDS Where Form 121 Was Submitted

When you fill out Form 15G (if you are below 60 years of age) or Form 15H (if you are a senior citizen above 60 years) for your bank or financial institution to avoid the deduction of tax, those details can be seen in Part A1. If no Form 15G/H is filled, you will see “No transaction present."

Part A2: TDS on Sale of Immovable Property (For Seller)

If you have sold immovable property during the financial year and the buyer has deducted tax on the sale under Section 194-IA, the transaction can be seen in this part from the point of view of the seller.

Part B: Details of TCS (Tax Collected at Source)

TCS is the tax collected by sellers from buyers in respect of various high-value sales. The most common example is tax collected on the sale of cars worth more than ₹10 lakh, overseas tour packages, or foreign remittances above limits as per the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). As the buyer, you can view the details in this section.

Part C: Details of Tax Paid (Other Than TDS or TCS)

Here, you can find information on advance tax and self-assessment tax that you have directly deposited via challans. Such information includes:

• Major and minor head code
• Amount of tax paid
• Name of the bank, challan number, and deposit date

Part D: Details of Paid Refund

If you have received an income tax refund during the year, then such information is provided in this section with the assessment year, refund amount, interest on refund, mode of payment, and refund date. Always check if the refund credit has been done in your bank account as stated.

Part E: Details of Statement of Financial Transactions (SFT)

This section includes the high-value financial transactions declared by financial institutions or others to the income tax department. Some examples include:

• Cash deposits exceeding ₹10 lakh in a savings bank account in a year
• Fixed deposits of ₹10 lakh or more
• Purchase or sale of immovable property of ₹30 lakh or more
• Credit card payments of ₹1 lakh or more in cash or ₹10 lakh otherwise
• Mutual fund purchases of ₹10 lakh or more
• Foreign currency remittance of ₹10 lakh or more

Part F: TDS on Property Sale, Rent, and Professional Fees (From Buyer/Tenant Perspective)

Here you will find the details of tax deducted and deposited on sale or rental transactions. Such transactions are where you have deducted tax as a buyer or tenant when renting property.

Part G: TDS Defaults

This part highlights the defaults in TDS statement processing. Defaults include short payment or short deduction of tax, interest on TDS default, late filing fees, etc.

If you are a salaried employee, your employer will give you Form 16, which has important details about your salary, deducted taxes, and claimed deductions. Just like you have a deadline for filing your tax return , your employer also has a deadline to provide Form 16, usually by May 31 each year.By comparing Forms 16 and 26AS you can identify any discrepancies or errors. It will help ensure that the information is consistent and accurate, making it easier to file your tax return. For example, if your employer has not deposited the tax or has done so after the deadline, the tax deduction may appear in Form 16 but not in Form 26AS.

Make sure that there are no discrepancies between the details you enter and the information provided. If there is a mismatch, the income tax portal will show an error when you submit your returns.

Here are the important things to check regularly in your Form No. 168:

• Double-check that the names of those who deducted taxes are correct.
• Check if the total amount paid by deductors matches your income records.
• Ensure that the deducted tax aligns with the deductions from your income.
• Verify that the tax deposited by deductors is accurately shown.
• Confirm that your earned income is correctly mentioned in Form No. 168, especially if taxes were deducted by vendors.
• Ensure that no additional income is mistakenly listed under your name, as it can affect your tax obligations.

There is no physical document requirement to download Form No. 168. However, you will need the following information for downloading Form No. 168:

Note: No physical document is necessary to download the form online. To open the downloaded PDF form, the password will be your date of birth or date of incorporation in DDMMYYYY format.

From the e-filing portal:

Here’s how to see Form No. 168:

1. Log in to the 'e-Filing' Portal at www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/
2. Go to 'My Account' > 'View Form No. 168 (Tax Credit).'
3. Read and confirm the disclaimer and proceed to the TDS-CPC Portal.
4. Agree to the terms of usage and select 'View Tax Credit (Form No. 168).'
5. Choose the 'Assessment Year' and the desired 'View type' (HTML, text, or PDF).
6. Click 'View/Download' to access your form no. 168.

From the bank site through the net banking facility:

Ensure that your PAN is linked to your specific bank account. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to your net banking account.
2. Look for the option "Tax Credit" or "View Form no. 168"
3. Confirm your PAN details when prompted.
4. Click on the option to view Form no. 168.

From TRACES portal:

You must first register on TRACES (https://tdscpc.gov.in) to view Form No. 168. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to TRACES using your credentials as a taxpayer or deductor.
2. Click on "View Tax Credit Statement (Form no. 168)."
3. Enter the required details, including your password and relevant assessment year (financial year for which you are filing your tax returns).
4. Access and view your form no. 168.

Access AIS and TIS (New Addition): For other financial details excluding TDS/TCS (from AY 2023-24 onwards), you need to access Services → Annual Information Statement (AIS) on the e-filing portal. This is essential to get a correct pre-fill of the ITR.

Here are a few possible reasons for the delay:

1. Your deductor has not deposited the tax amount in a government account.
2. Your deductor has not filed the TDS return, and/or the statement of tax deduction was not filed along with the TDS
3. The statement of tax deduction was filed with the wrong PAN.

To find out if the deductor has filed the TDS/TCS statement and view your tax credits, you can follow these steps:

1. Visit the website: https://www.tdscpc.gov.in/app/tapn/tdscscredit.xhtml
2. Use your PAN and check the count on the records to access the "View TDS TCS credit" facility.

You can use the "Taxpayer Grievance Module" on TRACES to raise grievances.

Form No. 168 is a mandatory form for filing your income tax return. This is because

• One-stop source of truth: It contains complete TDS/TCS information of yours that you want to claim as credit in your ITR. Any mismatch in claiming such information in your return causes a tax notice from the department later.
• Refunds received: Details of any tax refunds received during the year.
• Loans/Visa application: Financial institutions and foreign missions consider granting loans or a visa to you.
• Proof of income: Proof of income for self-employed individuals who do not receive salary slips.
• Verification of multiple income sources: People with multiple sources of income (salaries, rent, interest, capital gains, etc.) will find it useful for verifying TDS credits.
• High-value financial transactions: It helps in detecting high-value financial transactions for which tax should be paid.
• Monitoring of transactions: For any transactions where taxes were deducted (TDS), your income tax department will also be aware of the transactions.

If you are a salaried employee, your employer will give you Form 130, which has important details about your salary, deducted taxes, and claimed deductions. Just like you have a deadline for filing your tax return, your employer also has a deadline to provide Form 130, usually by May 31 each year. By comparing Form 130 and no. 168, you can identify any discrepancies or errors. It will help ensure that the information is consistent and accurate, making it easier to file your tax return. For example, if your employer has not deposited the tax or has done so after the deadline, the tax deduction may appear in Form 130 but not in Form No. 168.

While filing your income tax return, you may face certain errors in your Form No. 168 that could cause unnecessary problems. Let us have a look at some of these errors:

You cannot directly correct errors in Form No. 168. If you encounter an error in your Form No. 168 or any mismatch of details between Form No. 168 and Form 130, follow these steps to rectify it:

1. Inform your tax deductor about the error or mismatch and request that they rectify it.
2. Once the deductor revises the figures, you will see the changes in your Form No. 168.
3. Download the updated Form No. 168, which will have the corrected information.

Please note that it is important to rectify errors before filing your ITR, as such mistakes could lead to serious problems and even an inquiry by the IT department.

It is necessary to get your errors corrected prior to filing your ITR, as otherwise, it will become very difficult in the future and might even lead to an inquiry.

Rectification of errors in Form No. 168 includes some steps. Here they are:

1. Identify the error: Get Form No. 168 and cross-check it with your Form 131/130 and your bank statement for your bank account.
2. Contact your deductor: Inform your deductor about the error you found. Explain it in detail as to which TDS transaction was entered incorrectly, the total amount involved, the section under which TDS was deducted, and the year of assessment.
3. Deductor files revised return: Deductor needs to go to the TRACES site and file a revised return for correcting errors.
4. Wait for Form No. 168 correction to reflect: It usually takes 3-7 days for the correction to be reflected in Form No. 168.
5. Download and verify Form No. 168: Download your Form No. 168 and cross-check if there are any errors left in it.
6. Steps if Deductor is Uncooperative: In case the deductor refuses to correct or cannot do so due to some reason, you can:
7. Raise your grievance using the Taxpayer Grievance Module on the TRACES portal (https://tdscpc.gov.in)
8. Approach the assessing officer with supporting documents to obtain the due tax credit, even if the deductor has not rectified it.
9. In case of AIS errors (transactions excluding TDS/TCS), raise your grievances using the AIS portal (incometax.gov.in).

Before filing an income tax return using Form No. 26AS, verify your details from the following aspects:

1. TDS details tally with Form 131
2. Verify that the tax deductors have filed the correct TDS return and that TDS credits are reflected against your account.
3. Advance tax and self-assessment tax details match in Part C
4. Details of the income tax refund as reflected in Part D are matched
5. High-value transactions, as mentioned in Part E, match your income transactions.
6. There is no additional income entered in the name of another person.
7. AIS and TIS information match your income from FY 2026-27 onwards.
8. Virtual Digital Asset (VDA) transactions are reported in both Form No. 168 and AIS.
9. Check your name and PAN.
10. Is your assessment year selected when downloading the form correct or not?

• It provides a summary of your taxes in one place, making it easy to understand.
• It helps you calculate your income correctly and claim the right tax credits.
• You can quickly check the status of your tax refunds.
• It brings together all the necessary tax information, saving you time and ensuring accurate filing.

Taxpayers need to know Form No. 168's meaning and to regularly check it to ensure accuracy. Check important details like ‘Name of Deductor,’ ‘Total Amount Paid,’ ‘Total Tax Deducted,’ and ‘Total Tax Deposited’ in their Form No. 168 to verify that your income is correctly reflected, especially when tax has been deducted by vendors. Be sure to check for any additional income listed under your name that could affect your tax liability. Are you ready to maximise your money? Start your tax planning journey now!

Taxpayers are generally confused about which form to use for which purpose. Here is the difference among them: