Filing ITR for 2025? Here's why you must verify your AIS and Form 26AS first
One of the most important things you should do before filing your return is to check your Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS. These documents contain details of your income and financial transactions during the year. If you forget to report something, you could end up receiving a notice from the tax department.
In Short
- The ITR filing deadline for FY 2024-25 is July 31, 2025
- Check the AIS and Form 26AS before filing
- Access AIS via incometax.gov.in using PAN and password
The deadline to file your Income Tax Return (ITR) for the financial year 2024–25 is July 31, 2025. That may seem a while away, but starting early can help you avoid any last-minute mistakes or confusion.
One of the most important things you should do before filing your return is to check your Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS. These documents contain details of your income and financial transactions during the year. If you forget to report something, you could end up receiving a notice from the tax department.
WHAT ARE AIS AND FORM 26AS?
Form 26AS is your tax credit statement. It lists tax deducted at source (TDS), TCS, property purchases, and large financial transactions made during the year.
AIS is a more detailed version of this. It includes everything in Form 26AS plus additional details like interest earned on savings accounts, dividends, rent received, capital gains from shares or mutual funds, foreign transfers, and more.
AIS also allows you to give feedback if you find any mistakes or if something doesn’t belong to you.
HOW TO ACCESS YOUR AIS
To access your AIS, log in to the incometax.gov.in website using your PAN and password.
From the main menu, click on the “Annual Information Statement (AIS)” option. Hit “Proceed” and you’ll be taken to the AIS portal. There, click on the AIS tile to see your information.
Alternatively, go to the e-File menu, choose “Income Tax Return”, and select “View AIS”.
WHY YOU MUST REVIEW IT CAREFULLY
Before filing your return, go through your AIS and Form 26AS to make sure you’ve reported all your income. These records reflect your complete financial history.
So if you’ve sold shares, received rent, earned interest from deposits, or got a tax refund, it should all show up in the AIS. If you miss reporting any of these, the department could treat it as income not disclosed, and you might be sent a notice.
FOUND AN ERROR? HERE'S HOW TO FIX IT
AIS has a built-in system to raise complaints or give feedback. If something looks wrong in Part B of your AIS, which shows income, TDS, and high-value transactions, here’s what you can do.
Simply click on “Bulk feedback”, pick the incorrect item, and select your reason from the drop-down menu. Once you submit it, the department will review your feedback. If they agree with your explanation, they’ll update the figures accordingly.