Form 26AS

A consolidated tax statement, linked to your PAN, showing all TDS, TCS, advance tax, and self-assessment tax recorded against you for the year.

Form 26AS is essentially a running ledger the Income Tax Department maintains against your PAN, pulling together every TDS and TCS entry reported by deductors and collectors, plus any advance tax or self-assessment tax you've paid directly, all in one place. It's available to download from the income tax e-filing portal.

Because it draws from what deductors actually report rather than what you expect them to have reported, it's the practical way to catch mismatches, such as an employer or bank that deducted TDS but hasn't deposited or reported it correctly, before they turn into a mismatch notice after filing. Checking Form 26AS (alongside AIS) before filing a return is one of the more useful five-minute habits a taxpayer can build.

This glossary entry is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax, legal, or financial advice. Rules and rates change, so consult a qualified Chartered Accountant for advice specific to your situation.

Related terms

AIS (Annual Information Statement)A broader financial summary than Form 26AS, covering not just TDS/TCS but also interest, dividends, securities transactions, and other information reported to the tax department.TDS (Tax Deducted at Source)Tax that the payer deducts upfront from specified payments like salary, rent, or professional fees, and deposits directly with the government on the recipient's behalf.Form 16The annual TDS certificate an employer issues to a salaried employee, summarizing salary paid and tax deducted through the year, used as the primary basis for filing a return.PAN (Permanent Account Number)A ten-character alphanumeric identifier issued by the Income Tax Department that tracks all of a person's or entity's financial transactions under one number for life.

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