What is Form 26AS?​

A taxpayer may pay tax in any of the following forms:

(1) Tax Deducted at Source (TDS)

(2) Tax Collected at Source (TCS)

(3) Advance tax or Self-assessment Tax or Payment of tax on regular assessment.

The Income-tax Department maintains the database of the total tax paid by the taxpayer (i.e., tax credit in the account of a taxpayer).  Form 26AS is an annual statement maintained under Rule 31AB​ of the Income-tax Rules disclosing the details of tax credit in his account as per the database of the Income-tax Department. In other words, Form 26AS will reflect the details of tax credit appearing in the Permanent Account Number of the taxpayer as per the database of the Income-tax Department. The tax credit will cover TDS, TCS and tax paid by the taxpayer in other forms like advance tax, Self-Assessment tax, etc.

Income-tax Department will generally allow a taxpayer to claim the credit of taxes as reflected in his Form 26AS.​ Click here to know the steps to view/download Form 26AS.