In Short
- Taxpayers must check Annual Information Statement (AIS) before filing ITR
- AIS shows complete financial details beyond TDS and TCS
- Checking AIS helps avoid mismatch and tax notices later
It’s tax season again and crores of taxpayers are getting ready to file their Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the financial year 2024–25 (assessment year 2025–26). But before you hit that ‘Submit’ button, here’s one important step you shouldn’t skip — checking your Annual Information Statement (AIS).
The Income Tax Department has made the AIS a must-check document for every taxpayer. Unlike Form 26AS, which mostly shows details of tax deducted at source (TDS) and tax collected at source (TCS), the AIS gives a full picture of your financial activity. It includes income from your salary, savings interest, dividends, stock trades, mutual funds, high-value spends, and even money sent abroad.
WHY IT MATTERS
If you skip checking your AIS, you might end up missing some income details. This can lead to a mismatch between what you file and what the tax department already knows, and that can easily get you a notice later. By cross-checking your AIS, you make sure all the numbers match, avoiding unnecessary trouble.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR AIS
It’s simple. Log in to the Income Tax Department’s e-filing website www.incometax.gov.in using your PAN or Aadhaar and password.
Click on the ‘Services’ tab, find ‘Annual Information Statement (AIS)’ and hit ‘Proceed’. You can also go to the ‘e-File’ menu, click ‘Income Tax Return’ and pick ‘View AIS’.
The AIS will show all reported income details. If you want to download it as a PDF, you’ll need a password, your PAN in lowercase, followed by your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.
WHAT IF THERE’S A MISTAKE?
Mistakes happen. But the good thing is you can fix them. The AIS has an option to give feedback.
Just pick the transaction with the error, click the ‘Optional’ button, select the right feedback and submit it. You’ll get a receipt, and any updates will show up in your Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS).
Simply put, a quick look at your AIS today can help you file an error-free return and stay worry-free about tax notices later.
