AIS and Form 26AS: Pre-IT Filing Checklist for Salaried Indians

The Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS are no longer "nice to glance at." They are where banks, employers, brokers, and registrars report slices of your financial life. If your ITR ignores what AIS shows, you may still get away once, but repeated gaps raise risk scores and slower refunds.

Form 26AS in One Line

Think of it as the tax passbook for TDS and tax collected at source that should already sit against your PAN. Your Form 16 Part A should broadly reconcile with employer TDS here.

AIS Goes Wider

AIS can surface interest, dividends, securities transactions, off-market transfers, and property-related reporting depending on feeds. Some rows are informational; others require disclosure or reconciliation in the correct schedule of your ITR.

A Practical Four-Step Workflow

First, download AIS and Form 26AS after logging into the e-filing portal. Second, match employer TDS to Form 16 and salary slips. Third, walk interest and dividend lines against bank passbooks and broker statements. Fourth, for capital gains, tie contract notes and grandfathering calculations before you pick numbers.

When Numbers Do Not Match

Use the portal facility to flag incorrect information where applicable. Keep PDF evidence (bank letter, broker clarification) so a professional can attach reasoning if needed. Guessing never ages well.

Why This Matters for Loans and Visas

Clean ITRs supported by reconciled AIS speed up processing when banks ask for tax transcripts or when embassies want proof of income continuity.

Conclusion

Spend one calm evening on AIS before you celebrate filing in ten minutes. The same discipline lowers surprise demands next monsoon.

Nakotra Financial Advisor helps salaried clients align Form 16, broker gains, and AIS rows before submission. Book a quick pre-filing slot during peak season.