What Is Form 26AS?
What Information Does Form 26AS Contain?
- TDS deducted by the employer on salary (as reported through Form 24Q)
- TDS deducted by other deductors on non-salary income (interest, professional fees, rent)
- Details of any advance tax or self-assessment tax paid directly by the individual
- Information about specified high-value financial transactions reported to the tax department
- Details of any tax refund issued during the year
Why Employees Should Check Form 26AS Before Filing Taxes
- Confirms that the TDS deducted from salary by the employer has actually been correctly deposited and reflected against the employee's PAN — discrepancies can cause issues during return processing.
- Helps catch and resolve mismatches between what's shown on Form 16 and what's officially recorded with the tax department before filing, avoiding potential notices or refund delays.
- Provides visibility into TDS from other income sources the employee might otherwise forget to account for.
Why This Matters for HR
HR and payroll accuracy directly affects whether an employee's TDS correctly reflects in their Form 26AS — payroll errors or delayed TDS deposit can cause employee tax filing complications, making accurate and timely TDS compliance an important employee-trust issue for HR.
Form 26AS: Frequently Asked Questions
How can an employee access their Form 26AS?
Form 26AS can be downloaded through the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal (incometax.gov.in) using the individual's PAN and login credentials, or through the TRACES portal.
What should an employee do if their Form 16 and Form 26AS don't match?
Any discrepancy should be raised with the employer's payroll/HR team promptly, since it likely indicates an error or delay in TDS deposit or return filing on the employer's part that needs correction before the employee files their tax return.
This glossary entry is for general information and reflects common HR practice in India at the time of writing. Statutory thresholds, rates and deadlines change — verify against the latest official notifications or consult a qualified legal or tax advisor before acting.