How to Check Form 16 Details Using the ITR Portal (FY 2024-25 / AY 2025-26 Guide)
- Bhavika Rajput
- Jun 9
- 11 min read
Table of Content
Understanding Your Form 16 and the ITR Portal
Many people wonder how to check Form 16 in the ITR portal, and this guide clarifies that process for the Financial Year 2024-25, which corresponds to Assessment Year 2025-26. It's important to understand that employees receive Form 16 directly from their employer, not by downloading it from the Income Tax e-filing portal (incometax.gov.in). The ITR portal serves a different, yet related, purpose: individuals use it to file their income tax returns using the information from their Form 16 and to verify their Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) details through Form 26AS. This guide will explain how Form 16 works, how employees obtain it, and, most critically, how to use the Income Tax portal to cross-verify TDS information against their Form 16. Readers will learn how Form 16 is obtained, its key components (Part A and Part B), the steps to view Form 26AS on the ITR portal, the method to compare Form 16 with Form 26AS, and the actions to take if discrepancies arise. For a comprehensive understanding, you can also review your complete guide to Form 16.
What is Form 16? Your Salary and TDS Certificate Explained
The query "what is Form 16" is common among taxpayers, and understanding its role is vital for tax filing. Form 16 is a certificate that an employer issues under Section 203 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Its main purpose is to certify the amount of salary an employee received and the amount of TDS the employer deducted and deposited with the government. This document is absolutely crucial for accurately filing your income tax return. Employers must issue Form 16 to their employees by June 15th each year, following the end of the financial year.
Form 16 Part A: Employer-Employee Details & TDS Summary
Form 16 Part A contains essential details about the employer and employee, along with a summary of the tax deducted. Key information in Part A includes the employer's Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) and Permanent Account Number (PAN), the employee's PAN, and a quarterly summary of the tax deducted and deposited by the employer. Employers generate and download Part A of Form 16 from the TRACES portal.
Form 16 Part B: Detailed Income and Deduction Breakup
Form 16 Part B, an annexure to Part A, provides a detailed breakup of the employee's salary and deductions. This part includes a comprehensive listing of the salary components, any exempt allowances (like House Rent Allowance or Leave Travel Allowance), and deductions allowed under Chapter VI-A of the Income Tax Act (such as those under Section 80C, 80D, etc.). Ultimately, it shows the computation of the net taxable salary. The employer prepares Form 16 Part B.
Receiving Your Form 16: The Employer's Role
Regarding how to get Form 16, employees must understand that their employer provides this document. Employees typically cannot download their own Form 16 directly from the ITR portal or the TRACES portal; this is a task for the employer. Employers usually distribute Form 16 either as a physical, printed copy or digitally, often via email or through the company's internal HR portal. When provided digitally, these Form 16 PDFs are frequently password-protected to ensure confidentiality. The password is often a combination of the employee's PAN (perhaps the first few letters in lowercase) and their date of birth (commonly in DDMMYYYY format), though the exact format can vary. If an individual has worked for multiple employers within a single financial year, they will receive a separate Form 16 from each employer, covering the respective period of employment. It's worth noting how having multiple employers in a financial year impacts tax documentation.
The ITR Portal and Form 16: What You Can Actually Do
Many taxpayers try to view Form 16 on the income tax portal, but it's crucial to clarify what is actually possible. While employees cannot directly "download" or "view" their complete Form 16 (the one issued by their employer) from the ITR e-filing portal, the portal is indispensable for several related and vital actions. The primary roles of the official Income Tax e-filing portal include allowing individuals to file their Income Tax Return using the data provided in their Form 16. Moreover, it enables them to view their Form 26AS (Annual Tax Statement), which is essential for verifying the TDS details reported by the employer and other deductors. Taxpayers can also access previously filed ITRs, which might include Form 16 as an attachment if they uploaded it during a past filing. Understanding this distinction helps manage expectations and use the ITR portal effectively for its intended purposes related to Form 16 information and TDS verification through the ITR portal Form 26AS.
How to Verify Your TDS: Checking Form 26AS on the Income Tax Portal
A key step for anyone wanting to check Form 16 in ITR portal indirectly is to verify the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) details using Form 26AS. This process allows a comparison with the TDS figures mentioned in your Form 16.
Prerequisites:
Before you begin to download Form 26AS from the ITR portal, ensure you have the following:
A registered account on the ITR e-filing portal (incometax.gov.in).
Your Form 16 (received from your employer) ready for comparison later.
Steps to View/Download Form 26AS:
Here’s how to check Form 26AS and verify your TDS online:
Go to the official Income Tax e-filing portal: https://www.incometax.gov.in/. (Imagine a screenshot here showing the ITR portal homepage)
Log in using your User ID (which is your PAN) and your password. Ensure you have your captcha code input correctly. (Imagine a screenshot highlighting the login fields)
After successful login, navigate to the main menu. Click on ‘e-File’, then from the dropdown menu, select ‘Income Tax Returns’, and then choose ‘View Form 26AS’. (Imagine a screenshot showing this menu navigation path)
A disclaimer pop-up will appear. Click ‘Confirm’ to be redirected to the TRACES (TDS Reconciliation Analysis and Correction Enabling System) portal. This redirection happens in the backend to access Form 26AS.
On the TRACES page, you will see an option to agree to the usage of Form 26AS. Tick the checkbox and click on ‘Proceed’.
You will then see a link at the bottom of the page: ‘View Tax Credit (Form 26AS/Annual Tax Statement)’. Click on this link.
Select the ‘Assessment Year’ (e.g., for Financial Year 2024-25, you would select Assessment Year 2025-26) and the ‘View as’ format. HTML is a common option for online viewing, and you can subsequently download it as a PDF.
Click on ‘View/Download’ to see your Form 26AS. This document might also be password-protected, often with your Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format.
Following these steps allows you to access your comprehensive tax credit statement, which is crucial when e-filing your income tax return.
Cross-Verification: Matching Your Form 16 with Form 26AS
Successfully learning how to check Form 16 in ITR portal effectively means knowing how to compare Form 16 and Form 26AS. This cross-verification is an extremely important step. It ensures that the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) by your employer has been correctly deposited with the Income Tax Department and is accurately reflected in their records.
When comparing these two documents, pay close attention to the following key details:
TAN of the deductor: Ensure the Tax Deduction Account Number (TAN) of your employer mentioned in Form 16 matches the TAN in Form 26AS.
Name of the deductor: Verify that the employer's name is consistent across both documents.
Total tax deducted: The total amount of tax deducted by the employer, as shown in Part A of your Form 16, should match the corresponding TDS entries in Form 26AS for salary income.
Total salary/income on which TDS was deducted: Check if the gross income figures align, considering how TDS is calculated.
It is also useful to remember that Form 26AS provides a consolidated view of all Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) and Tax Collected at Source (TCS) entries linked to your PAN. This means it includes TDS from sources other than your salaried employment, such as interest from bank deposits or TDS on professional fees, if applicable. Form 16, on the other hand, specifically details the TDS related to your salary from that particular employer.
Troubleshooting: Missing Form 16 or Mismatched Details
When trying to check Form 16 in ITR portal data via Form 26AS, you might encounter issues like a Form 16 not received or discrepancies. Here’s how to troubleshoot these common scenarios.
Scenario 1: Form 16 Not Received from Employer
If you haven't received your Form 16, the first step is to contact your employer or their HR department immediately. Providing Form 16 is the employer's statutory responsibility. If, for some reason, you cannot obtain your Form 16, you might wonder if you can still file your Income Tax Return (ITR). The answer is yes, it is possible to file your ITR using your monthly salary slips to calculate your income and by referring to Form 26AS to ascertain the TDS details. However, having Form 16 is highly recommended as it consolidates all necessary salary and TDS information and simplifies the filing process.
Scenario 2: Discrepancies between Form 16 and Form 26AS
Discovering a discrepancy in Form 16 and 26AS requires prompt attention.
If TDS in Form 16 is higher than Form 26AS: This could mean your employer deducted the tax but has not yet deposited it or has made an error in their TDS return filing. You should contact your employer and request them to rectify their TDS return so that the correct TDS amount reflects in your Form 26AS.
If TDS in Form 26AS is higher or shows unexpected entries: This might indicate TDS from other income sources you may have forgotten about, or it could be an error. Analyze the entries in Form 26AS to understand their origin.
If details like PAN or TAN are incorrect: If your PAN is quoted incorrectly in Form 16 or Form 26AS, or if the employer's TAN in Form 16 doesn't match Form 26AS, you must alert your employer to get these details corrected in their TDS returns.
Ignoring discrepancies can lead to issues such as filing an incorrect tax return, receiving notices or queries from the Income Tax Department, and potential delays in receiving legitimate tax refunds. If navigating these issues seems complex, it's wise to contact a tax expert at Taxbuddy for assistance.
How Form 16 Simplifies Your ITR Filing on the Portal
Understanding how to check Form 16 in ITR portal indirectly through Form 26AS is one part; the other is using Form 16 to file ITR using Form 16. Form 16 significantly simplifies the process of filing your Income Tax Return, especially for salaried individuals who typically use the ITR-1 form. The details in Form 16, such as your gross salary, exempt allowances, deductions under Chapter VI-A, and net taxable income, directly map to the various fields in the ITR form.
Furthermore, the Income Tax portal often provides pre-filled data when you start filing your return. This prefilled ITR data is usually sourced from your Form 26AS and the TDS returns filed by your employer (which should align with your Form 16). While pre-filled data is convenient, it is of utmost importance to meticulously verify this information against your actual Form 16 and other financial documents. This ensures that all reported income, deductions, and tax payments are accurate before you submit your return. This diligence helps to simplify your ITR filing experience and maintain tax compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about how to check Form 16 in ITR portal and related topics.
Can I download my Form 16 directly from the income tax portal as an employee?
No, employees receive Form 16 from their employer. You cannot directly download it from the income tax portal.
Where do employers download Form 16 from?
Employers download Part A of Form 16 (and now Part B also for many) from the TRACES portal after they have filed their TDS returns.
What is the password for Form 16 PDF?
The password for a digitally provided Form 16 PDF is often the first five letters of your PAN in lowercase followed by your date of birth in DDMMYYYY or DDMMYY format, or just your PAN in lowercase, or your DOB in DDMMYYYY. It can vary, so check with your employer if you're unsure.
Is Form 16 mandatory for ITR filing?
While not strictly mandatory if you have all the accurate income and TDS information from other sources (like salary slips and Form 26AS), Form 16 is highly recommended as it consolidates all required details and makes filing easier.
What if my employer doesn't give Form 16?
You should contact your employer or HR department immediately. If you still don't receive it, you can file your ITR using your salary slips and Form 26AS, but it is the employer's obligation to provide Form 16.
How to check if my employer has deposited TDS?
You can check this by viewing your Form 26AS on the ITR portal. It reflects the TDS amounts deposited against your PAN by your employer and other deductors.
What is the difference between Form 16 and Form 26AS?
Form 16 is a TDS certificate for salary income issued by your employer. Form 26AS is a consolidated annual tax statement showing all taxes deposited against your PAN, including TDS by employers, banks (on interest), and any advance tax or self-assessment tax paid.
When should I receive my Form 16 for FY 2024-25?
Employers are required to issue Form 16 for the Financial Year 2024-25 by June 15, 2025.
Can I check previous year's Form 16 details on the ITR portal?
You can check your previous year's Form 26AS on the ITR portal. If you attached your Form 16 PDF while filing a previous Income Tax Return, you might be able to view it under the 'View Filed Forms' or 'e-File' -> 'Income Tax Returns' -> 'View Filed Returns' section, by opening the filed ITR acknowledgement or JSON/utility. However, the portal doesn't store employer-issued Form 16s separately for employee download.
What details are in Form 16 Part A vs Part B?
Part A contains the employer's and employee's PAN/TAN, address, assessment year, employment period, and a summary of TDS deducted and deposited quarterly. Part B includes a detailed breakup of salary, exempt allowances, deductions under Chapter VI-A, and computation of taxable income.
How to verify Form 16 authenticity?
Compare the TDS details in Form 16 with your Form 26AS. Authentic Form 16 (Part A especially) downloaded by employers from TRACES usually has a TRACES logo and a unique certificate number.
What if I have income other than salary? Does Form 16 show that?
No, Form 16 only details the income from salary paid by that specific employer and the TDS thereon. You must declare all other incomes (like interest, capital gains, rental income) separately when filing your ITR.
Can I file ITR if Form 16 has errors?
It's best to get any errors in Form 16 corrected by your employer first. If that's not possible promptly, you should file your ITR with the correct information based on your actual income and deductions and keep all supporting documents as proof.
Does the new ITR portal show Form 16?
The new ITR portal (incometax.gov.in) allows you to view Form 26AS (your tax credit statement). It does not provide a facility for employees to directly download their employer-issued Form 16.
What to do if TDS deducted is not showing in Form 26AS?
Contact your employer immediately. This usually means the employer has not deposited the TDS with the government or has not filed their TDS return correctly. They need to rectify this.
Key Takeaways: Form 16 and Your ITR Portal Interaction
This guide on how to check Form 16 in ITR portal should clarify your interaction with these essential tax components. Remember these main points:
Your employer provides you with Form 16.
You use the ITR portal to view Form 26AS for TDS verification and to file your Income Tax Return using the data from your Form 16.
Always cross-verify the details in your Form 16 with your Form 26AS to ensure accuracy.
Being informed about these processes empowers you to undertake accurate and timely tax filing. If you need help with your ITR filing or understanding your Form 16, Taxbuddy's experts are here to assist.
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