Form 16, 26AS & AIS Reconciliation Before Filing ITR for AY 2026-27

The 5-step reconciliation

1. Download Form 26AS and AIS/TIS from the income tax portal
2. Compare salary TDS with Form 16 (both Part A and Part B)
3. Check interest and dividend entries against bank/portfolio statements
4. Identify high-value transactions (property, shares, bank deposits) in AIS
5. Resolve differences - either add omitted income in the ITR or ask the deductor to correct returns

Common mismatch sources

• TDS booked under the wrong section or wrong PAN
• Interest shown by one bank twice or TDS split between 194A and 194I
• Property 'stamp duty value' shown by the registrar differing from your declared consideration
• Mutual fund SIP redemption and STT lines appearing as 'securities transactions'
• Unverified but reported income from crypto or digital asset exchanges

How to correct

Deductor-side errors: ask the deductor to file a correction statement (26QC/24Q/26Q) - TDS credit will flow through after processing. Return-side omissions: include the income in the relevant schedule before filing; if the return is already filed, revise it.

Impact on taxpayers

The 9-month 143(1) window uses AIS matching at the CPC. Unreported AIS income leads to an adjustment notice with demand and interest. Systematic reconciliation makes your return 'audit lean' and speeds up refunds.

What you should do

• Do this before starting the ITR, not after
• Keep bank certificates handy for interest re-profiling
• For property, keep the sale deed and challan of 1% TDS under 194IA
• Check that every TDS amount is reported in the exact income head you declare
• If a past-year entry is missing, use the 'revised return' option rather than the updated return where eligible