TDS · Glossary
Form 26AS
Consolidated annual tax statement showing all TDS, advance tax, and refunds.
Form 26AS, generated under Rule 31AB of the Income Tax Rules, 1962, is the consolidated tax statement maintained by the Income Tax Department, accessible on the e-filing portal. It shows every TDS deduction made on your PAN (from all deductors), every advance tax / self-assessment tax paid, every refund issued, and high-value transactions reported by banks/registrars.
26AS is the source of truth for TDS credit in your ITR — TDS amounts not appearing in 26AS cannot be claimed. Updated continuously as deductors file or revise their quarterly TDS returns (Form 26Q); Q1 (Apr–Jun) deductions typically appear only after the 31 July quarterly deadline.
From Tax Year 2026-27, Form 26AS is renamed **Form 168** under the Income-tax Act 2025 — Rule 114-I becomes Rule 245, and Section 285BB becomes Section 510. CBDT confirmed the mapping as "Form No. 168 (Earlier Form No. 26 AS)", treating 26AS and AIS as the same statement. Deductions that used to cite 194J now cite Section 393(1) with a Table Sl. No. reference (no 4-digit payment code has been notified). Note the timing: this applies to income earned on or after 1 April 2026, filed in 2027 — the return you file for FY2025-26 still uses Form 26AS and the old section numbers.
Worked example
Priya pulls her 26AS on 5 August 2027 (post-Q1 filing deadline of 31 July). It shows Rs. 30,000 TDS from Client A (under 194J) and Rs. 5,000 from Client B — these are the amounts she enters in Schedule TDS2 of her ITR-4.
Practitioner tip
Form 16A from the client trumps a missing 26AS entry — if you have the certificate, you can still claim the TDS at ITR. Keep certificates for 7 years (matches the Section 149 audit limitation period).
Frequently asked
- How often does 26AS update?
- Continuously, as deductors file or revise their quarterly Form 26Q returns. Q1 (Apr–Jun) deductions appear only after the 31 July quarterly filing deadline — don't panic if June TDS is absent on 10 July. Wait until early August before chasing the client.
- What if my TDS is in 26AS but the deductor wrote the wrong PAN?
- You can't claim it. The credit went to whoever's PAN is on the deduction. Get the deductor to file a correction return (Form 26Q-revised) with your PAN — only then will it move to your 26AS.
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Browse all TDS rates & sections →Related glossary terms
- Form 16A — TDS certificate issued by deductors for non-salary TDS (e.g., 194J, 194C).
- AIS (Annual Information Statement) — Comprehensive annual statement showing all financial transactions reported to the IT department.
- TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) — Mechanism where the payer withholds and deposits income tax on the payee's behalf.
Sources
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These definitions are educational. Tax laws change annually — verify with a Chartered Accountant before making GST or income-tax decisions.