To verify TDS credit, check Form 26AS for TDS/TCS entries, review AIS for the wider set of information reported against your PAN, and—if you have already filed an income-tax return—run the portal’s Tax Credit Mismatch service. Use the financial year in which the income was earned, confirm the deductor and amount against your certificates and bank records, and ask the deductor to correct its TDS statement when an entry is missing or wrong.
Form 26AS and AIS are related but are not interchangeable. From assessment year (AY) 2023-24 onward, the Form 26AS statement available through TRACES is focused on TDS/TCS-related data, while AIS contains other reported taxpayer information and provides a feedback facility. A filed-return mismatch is a separate comparison between your return and Form 26AS.
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What you are checking—and which statement to use
Your TDS credit can be examined in three places, each answering a different question:
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|---|---|---|
| Form 26AS | TDS and TCS-related data reported against your PAN (the scope used from AY 2023-24 onward) | To confirm that an employer, bank, tenant or other deductor has reported a deduction and that tax was credited to your PAN |
| Annual Information Statement (AIS) | Broader information reported by sources, including information beyond TDS/TCS; it also includes a feedback option and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) aggregation by information source | To review the wider set of transactions and tax-related information associated with your PAN, and to respond when a reported item is inaccurate |
| Tax Credit Mismatch service | A comparison of tax credits claimed in a filed return with the corresponding entries in Form 26AS | To identify a difference between your ITR and Form 26AS for an assessment year |
Always select the correct assessment year. For example, income earned from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 is generally reported in AY 2024-25. A statement for the wrong year can look “missing” even when the deductor reported correctly.
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How to open AIS on the e-Filing portal
AIS is accessed after signing in to the Income Tax Department’s e-Filing portal. The labels can change as the portal is updated, but the Department’s documented paths are the following.
- Sign in with your registered e-Filing portal account and active PAN.
- From the dashboard, select Annual Information Statement (AIS). Alternatively, open e-File > AIS after login.
- The portal redirects you to the AIS service. Continue to the AIS page.
- Select the AIS tile to view the statement for the selected year.
- Choose the relevant financial or assessment year and inspect the information reported by each source. Review both the transaction-level entries and the TIS aggregation where available.
AIS is not limited to the TDS lines you expect from an employer. It can contain broader reported information, so use the source name, transaction description, date and amount to determine whether an item relates to your return.
What to do with an AIS entry that is not correct
AIS provides a feedback option for reported transactions. Use it to indicate that an item is incorrect, does not belong to you, or has a different value, and retain the acknowledgement or response shown by the portal. Feedback is a response to the information displayed in AIS; it is not the same thing as correcting the deductor’s filed TDS return. If the problem is a TDS amount or PAN reporting error, you must also contact the deductor and request a correction in its TDS statement.
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- Log in to the Income Tax Department e-Filing portal.
- Go to e-File > Income Tax Return > View Form 26AS.
- Accept any redirect or terms shown for the TRACES service.
- Select the relevant assessment year and open or download the statement.
From AY 2023-24 onward, Form 26AS on TRACES concentrates on TDS/TCS-related taxpayer data. Information that used to be expected in the older, more expansive view may now appear in AIS instead. This change in scope is a common reason that a taxpayer sees an item in AIS but not in Form 26AS.
Read the TDS entry before treating it as credit
For every deduction, match the statement with the underlying record. Check:
- the deductor’s name and tax-deduction account details,
- your PAN exactly as used by the deductor,
- the assessment year or financial year,
- the date and amount of income or payment,
- the TDS amount, and
- challan or deposit details where shown.
Compare the entry with your Form 16, Form 16A, salary slips, interest certificates, rent records or other documentation appropriate to the payment. A deduction on a certificate is not enough if the deductor reported a different PAN or amount; the credit available to your return depends on what is correctly reported against your PAN.
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How to compare a filed return with Form 26AS
The portal’s Tax Credit Mismatch service is for a relevant assessment year in which you have filed an income-tax return and the related tax credit is reflected in Form 26AS. The documented prerequisites include a registered e-Filing account, a valid and active PAN, and a filed ITR for the assessment year being checked.
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- Sign in to the e-Filing portal.
- Open Dashboard > Services > Tax Credit Mismatch.
- Select the relevant Assessment Year.
- Submit the request.
- Review the comparison of TDS, TCS and other tax-paid entries claimed in the return against the corresponding Form 26AS data.
- Use the on-screen result or download the mismatch report as a PDF or XLS file for reconciliation.
The service identifies a difference; it does not by itself amend your employer’s statement or automatically increase your refund. Use the details to identify which line, deductor, amount or year needs correction.
What a mismatch result means
A mismatch can arise because your return claimed more credit than is present in 26AS, because the deductor reported the wrong amount or PAN, because a challan was mapped incorrectly, or because you selected the wrong assessment year while preparing the return. It can also reflect timing: a deductor may have deducted tax but not yet filed or revised the statement, or the statement may not have been processed when you checked.
Before changing a return, compare the mismatch report with the original ITR, Form 26AS, AIS and your supporting records. Confirm whether the disputed amount is actually TDS/TCS, another tax payment, or a duplicate entry. The Department advises taxpayers to check the actual TDS/TCS/tax paid and reconcile differences with the employer, tax deductor or bank.
Why AIS and Form 26AS can differ
They have different scopes
The current AIS guidance distinguishes the statements by scope: from AY 2023-24 onward, Form 26AS on TRACES carries TDS/TCS-related data, while other taxpayer information is available in AIS. Therefore, an AIS item without a corresponding 26AS line is not automatically an error. It may be a non-TDS report from a bank, registrar, employer or another reporting source.
They may update at different times
Reporting, processing and later corrections do not necessarily appear in both views simultaneously. A deductor’s revised TDS statement may take time to process and display. Check again after the deductor confirms filing and correction, while keeping the confirmation and revised certificate.
The amount may be aggregated differently
AIS includes TIS aggregation by information source. An AIS total can therefore look different from an individual TDS line in 26AS because one view aggregates transactions and the other presents TDS/TCS reporting. Trace the total back to the transaction details and the deductor rather than comparing only the headline numbers.
Older guidance needs a year-specific reading
An older AIS FAQ stated that, when TDS/TCS or tax-payment information differed between AIS and Form 26AS, a taxpayer could rely on Form 26AS for filing and prepaid-tax computation. That instruction belongs to the context of that older FAQ and should not be treated as an unlimited current-year rule. For the year you are filing, check the latest portal guidance and reconcile the underlying records. In all cases, a TDS correction still has to be made by the deductor through its TDS statement.
What to do when TDS is missing from Form 26AS
First, rule out a year, PAN or timing problem
- Confirm that you opened the assessment year corresponding to the payment period.
- Compare the PAN in 26AS with the PAN on your Form 16 or Form 16A. Even one incorrect character can prevent credit.
- Check whether the payment was actually subject to TDS and whether the deduction date falls in the year selected.
- Ask the deductor whether it filed the quarterly TDS statement and whether that statement has been processed.
- Check AIS as well as 26AS, but do not assume an AIS feedback submission replaces a TDS correction.
Ask the deductor to correct the reporting
Contact the employer, bank, tenant, payer or other deductor responsible for the deduction. Provide a copy of the TDS certificate, the correct PAN and the exact amount that should be reported. For a TDS mismatch, the Department says the deductor must file a revised TDS return. You cannot create the missing 26AS credit yourself by editing the statement.
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After the deductor files the revision, allow time for processing, then recheck Form 26AS and the Tax Credit Mismatch service. Keep emails, certificates, challan information and the revised statement acknowledgement in case the issue continues.
When the return itself needs attention
If the deductor’s report is correct but your filed ITR contains the wrong credit, compare the mismatch report with the return you submitted. The appropriate remedy depends on the type of error and the return’s status. The mismatch FAQ distinguishes a revised return route from a rectification request after an intimation under section 143(1).
- Before the permitted revision window closes: determine whether a revised return is available for your assessment year and whether the correction belongs in the return.
- After an intimation under section 143(1): a rectification request may be the applicable route for an apparent mistake, subject to the conditions and workflow shown on the portal.
- When the deductor’s statement is wrong: do not rely only on a revised return; obtain the deductor’s revised TDS filing so the credit is reported against your PAN.
Use the current portal instructions for the relevant assessment year because filing windows, available services and menu labels can change.
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A practical reconciliation worksheet
Record each expected deduction before contacting anyone. This prevents duplicate follow-ups and makes it easier to explain the discrepancy.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors| Field | Record from your documents | Compare with |
|---|---|---|
| Payment source | Employer, bank, tenant or other payer | Deductor name in Form 26AS and AIS |
| Income/payment date | Date or quarter shown on payslip, certificate or interest statement | Financial year and transaction date in the statement |
| Gross amount | Income before tax deduction | Reported transaction value |
| TDS/TCS amount | Amount actually deducted or collected | Tax credit line in Form 26AS and the ITR claim |
| PAN | Your current PAN exactly as issued | PAN used by the deductor |
| Challan or deposit reference | Reference on the certificate or payment record | Deposit details shown in the statement |
If all fields agree, the apparent difference may be caused by statement timing or by comparing an AIS aggregate with a 26AS transaction. If one field differs, send the deductor the specific discrepancy rather than a general request to “update 26AS.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes and fixes
Checking the financial year instead of the assessment year
The portal generally asks for an assessment year. Select the year in which the income is assessed, not simply the calendar year in which you opened the statement.
Expecting every AIS item in 26AS
From AY 2023-24 onward, 26AS is centered on TDS/TCS. Review AIS for other reported information.
Claiming the certificate amount without checking PAN reporting
A Form 16 or Form 16A can show what was deducted, but the portal credit must be reported against the correct PAN. Ask the deductor to correct the statement if the PAN is wrong.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteUsing AIS feedback as a substitute for a revised TDS return
Feedback records your response to an AIS item. It does not amend a deductor’s TDS statement. Request the deductor’s revised filing for a TDS error.
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Changing the ITR before identifying the source of the error
First establish whether the return, 26AS, AIS or the underlying certificate is wrong. An unnecessary return change can leave the source error unresolved and create a second mismatch.
Checklist before you file or respond to a mismatch
- Open AIS and Form 26AS for the same assessment year.
- Confirm your PAN and the deductor’s identity on every disputed line.
- Match TDS/TCS amounts with Form 16, Form 16A, bank certificates, salary records or other source documents.
- Check challan and deposit details where applicable.
- Run Dashboard > Services > Tax Credit Mismatch if an ITR has been filed.
- Download the mismatch result as PDF or XLS and mark each line as correct, missing, duplicate or incorrectly reported.
- Contact the responsible deductor and request a revised TDS return for a TDS reporting error.
- Recheck the statements after the correction is processed before relying on the credit in a return, response or refund calculation.
Questions taxpayers often ask
Is AIS a replacement for Form 26AS?
No. From AY 2023-24 onward, Form 26AS on TRACES focuses on TDS/TCS-related data, while AIS carries broader reported information and feedback features. Use both when reconciling your tax records.
Can I claim TDS that appears only on my certificate?
Do not assume that a certificate alone guarantees portal credit. Confirm that the deduction is reported against your PAN in Form 26AS and resolve a missing or incorrect entry with the deductor.
What if AIS shows an amount but 26AS does not?
Identify what kind of information AIS is showing. It may be a broader reported transaction rather than TDS/TCS. Check the transaction details, source and year; if it is supposed to be TDS, ask the deductor to verify and correct its TDS filing.
Does the Tax Credit Mismatch service work before filing an ITR?
The documented service compares a filed return with Form 26AS and lists a filed ITR for the relevant assessment year as a prerequisite. Before filing, reconcile Form 26AS, AIS and your source records directly.
Who can correct a TDS mismatch?
The employer, bank or other deductor that reported the deduction must file a revised TDS return. The taxpayer can provide the correct PAN and amount and monitor the statements after processing.
What should I do if a mismatch remains after the deductor revises its statement?
Recheck the assessment year, PAN, amount and challan details, then download the latest mismatch result. If the deductor’s correction is processed but the return still contains an error, follow the current portal route for a revised return or, where applicable after a section 143(1) intimation, a rectification request.
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