A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Check Your TDS Credit Online in India | TaxRobo

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Learn the complete process to check your TDS credit online via the Income Tax portal. Our guide for salaried individuals and business owners makes checking your Form 26AS simple and quick.

How can I check my TDS credit online? A Complete Guide for 2024

Have you ever wondered if the tax deducted from your salary or payments has actually been deposited with the government? Ensuring your TDS credit is accurate is crucial for a smooth income tax filing experience and getting the correct refund. This guide will walk you through the simple and official process to check TDS credit online. Regularly verifying your TDS credit helps you identify discrepancies early, claim the full tax credit you’re entitled to, and avoid future tax notices. This is an essential financial check-up for both salaried employees and small business owners in India. We will cover the step-by-step TDS credit verification online process using the official Income Tax portal, explain how to understand your tax statement, and what to do if you find a mismatch. To learn more about the complete filing process, read our guide on How do I file my income tax return online in India?.

What is Form 26AS? Your Official Tax Credit Statement

Before diving into the process, it’s essential to understand the primary document you’ll be accessing: Form 26AS. Think of Form 26AS as your personal tax passbook, officially known as an Annual Tax Statement. It is a consolidated statement maintained by the Income Tax Department that contains details of all the taxes deposited against your PAN (Permanent Account Number).

This form is the single most important document for verifying your tax credits. Whether you’re a salaried professional or a business owner, Form 26AS provides a complete picture of the taxes paid on your behalf throughout the financial year. It is the primary source for the online TDS credit check for salaried individuals and businesses, acting as definitive proof that the tax deducted from your income has reached the government’s account.

What Key Information is Included in Form 26AS?

Form 26AS is comprehensive and is divided into several parts, each providing specific information about your tax details. Understanding these components helps you verify every aspect of your tax liability and credits.

Part A: Details of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS): This is the most frequently checked section. For a deeper understanding, you can refer to our guide, Decoding TDS: Tax Deducted at Source Explained. It lists all the TDS deducted from your income by various entities. This includes:
- TDS on Salary deducted by your employer.
- TDS on Interest Income from your bank fixed deposits.
- TDS on Professional or Contractual Fees deducted by your clients.
- TDS on Rent, Commission, and other specified payments.
Part B: Details of Tax Collected at Source (TCS): This section shows tax collected by a seller on certain high-value goods you may have purchased, such as a car costing more than ₹10 lakh.
Part C: Details of Tax Paid (Other than TDS or TCS): If you have paid any taxes directly to the government, it will be reflected here. This includes Advance Tax paid quarterly and Self-Assessment Tax paid at the time of filing your return.
Part D: Details of Paid Refund: If you received an income tax refund in the previous financial year, the details of that payment, including the amount and date, will be listed here.
Part E: Details of High-Value Financial Transactions (SFT): This part contains information about specific high-value transactions you’ve made, such as large cash deposits, property purchases, or investments in shares and mutual funds. This helps the Income Tax Department get a comprehensive view of your financial activities.

How to Check TDS Credit Online: A Step-by-Step Guide via the IT Portal

The most reliable way of checking TDS credit status India is through the official Income Tax e-filing portal. The government has made this process seamless and secure, allowing any taxpayer with a PAN to access their tax credit statement anytime. Here’s a detailed walkthrough.

To begin, you will need to visit the Official Income Tax e-Filing Portal.

Step 1: Log in to Your e-Filing Account

First, navigate to the official Income Tax portal. On the homepage, click the ‘Login’ button. You will be prompted to enter your User ID, which is your PAN number. Enter your PAN, click ‘Continue’, and then enter your password. Complete the security verification, which is usually a checkbox, and click ‘Login’.

Step 2: Navigate to View Form 26AS (Tax Credit Statement)

Once you are successfully logged into your dashboard, locate the main menu at the top of the page. Follow this path:
Click on ‘e-File’ -> ‘Income Tax Returns’ -> ‘View Form 26AS’.

Step 3: Proceed to the TRACES Website

After clicking on ‘View Form 26AS’, a disclaimer will pop up on your screen. This message informs you that you will be redirected to the TRACES website for viewing your tax credit statement. Don’t worry, this is a standard and secure procedure. Click the ‘Confirm’ button to proceed. You will be automatically and securely redirected to the TRACES (TDS Reconciliation Analysis and Correction Enabling System) portal, which is the official government platform that manages all TDS data.

Step 4: View and Download Your Form 26AS

On the TRACES website, you will see a welcome screen. You need to agree to the terms of use. Check the box to provide your consent and then click the ‘Proceed’ button.

Next, click on the link that says ‘View Tax Credit (Form 26AS)’.
You will now need to select the ‘Assessment Year’ for which you wish to check the TDS credit. Remember, the Assessment Year (AY) is the year following the Financial Year (FY). For income earned in FY 2023-24, you would select AY 2024-25.
Choose the ‘View as’ format. HTML is ideal for quickly viewing the statement online. PDF is better if you want to download and save a copy for your records.
Click the ‘View / Download’ button.

If you choose to download the PDF version, it will be password-protected for security. The password to open the file is your Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format (e.g., if your birthday is 5th July 1990, the password will be 05071990).

Verifying Your TDS Details: What to Look For

Now that you have accessed your Form 26AS, the next step is to verify the information. This involves cross-checking the TDS details with your own financial records to ensure accuracy. The checking TDS status online in India is only complete once you have confirmed that all the credits are correctly reflected.

For Salaried Employees: Matching Form 26AS with Form 16

Checking your TDS credit status for employees in India is a straightforward process. Your employer provides you with a Form 16, which is your salary TDS certificate.

Actionable Advice:
- Take out your Form 16 (Part A), which contains the summary of tax deducted and deposited quarterly by your employer.
- Carefully compare the quarterly TDS amounts mentioned in your Form 16 with the TDS entries listed under your employer’s name in Part A of your Form 26AS.
- Ensure that the TAN (Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number) of the deductor (your employer) and the total tax amount deposited match perfectly. Any discrepancy should be reported immediately.

For Business Owners and Freelancers: Matching with Invoices & Form 16A

If you are a freelancer, consultant, or small business owner, your clients who deduct TDS are required to provide you with a Form 16A. This is a TDS certificate for non-salary income.

Actionable Advice:
- For every client who has deducted TDS, you should have received a separate Form 16A from them, usually on a quarterly basis.
- Cross-check the TDS amount mentioned in each client’s Form 16A with the corresponding entry in your Form 26AS. Each entry will be listed separately under the client’s name and TAN.
- Verify these amounts against your own invoices to ensure that tax was deducted on the correct payment amounts and for the correct quarter.

What To Do If Your TDS Credit is Mismatched or Not Showing?

Discovering a mismatch or a missing TDS entry in your Form 26AS can be concerning, but it’s often a fixable issue. Follow these steps methodically:

Do not panic. There is usually a simple reason for the discrepancy, such as a data entry error by the deductor or a delay in filing their TDS return.
Contact the Deductor Immediately: This is the most crucial step. You must reach out to the person or company that deducted the tax. For salaried employees, this is your HR or finance department. For freelancers, it’s your client’s accounts team.
Inform them about the Discrepancy: Clearly state the issue. Provide them with details of the payment, the date, the amount of TDS deducted, and the fact that it is not reflecting in your Form 26AS for the relevant quarter.
Request a Revised TDS Return: The responsibility to correct this error lies with the deductor. They need to file a revised TDS return to correct the mistake, which could be an incorrect PAN, an incorrect amount, or an omission.
Follow Up: After the deductor informs you that they have filed the revised return, wait a few days and check your Form 26AS again. The credit will only appear after the revised return has been processed by the tax department.

Conclusion: Make TDS Verification a Regular Habit

In summary, to check TDS credit online, you simply need to log in to the Income Tax portal, navigate to Form 26AS via the TRACES website, and carefully verify the details against your salary slips, Form 16, or client invoices. This simple act of financial diligence is vital.

Regular checks—ideally on a quarterly basis—can save you from significant last-minute stress during the tax filing season. It ensures that you get the full and rightful credit for the taxes you have already paid, leading to an accurate tax calculation and a timely refund. Making this a regular habit empowers you to take control of your financial health and maintain a clean tax record.

Facing issues with TDS mismatches or need expert assistance with your ITR filing? The professionals at TaxRobo are here to simplify your tax compliance. Contact us today for seamless financial and legal services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the difference between Form 16 and Form 26AS?

Answer: Form 16 is a TDS certificate issued specifically by your employer. It details the salary you earned and the tax that was deducted from it. In contrast, Form 26AS is a comprehensive tax statement from the Income Tax Department. It shows *all* taxes deposited against your PAN, which includes TDS from all sources (e.g., salary, bank interest, professional fees), any advance tax you paid, and details of tax refunds. Form 26AS provides a complete overview of your tax profile for the year.

2. How often is the TDS information in Form 26AS updated?

Answer: Deductors (like your employer or clients) are required to file their TDS returns on a quarterly basis. The information in your Form 26AS is typically updated a few days after the due date for these quarterly TDS return filings has passed. This means your statement is updated approximately four times a year.

3. Is it possible to check my TDS credit using my bank’s net banking portal?

Answer: Yes, many major banks in India (like SBI, HDFC, ICICI, etc.) offer a facility to view Form 26AS directly through their net banking portal. This option can be found under the ‘Tax’ or ‘e-filing’ section of the portal. It is a secure and convenient alternative as it also redirects you to the TRACES website to view your statement without needing to log in separately to the Income Tax portal.

4. My client deducted TDS, but it’s not showing in my Form 26AS. What should I do?

Answer: The first and most critical step is to immediately contact your client (the deductor). The issue is almost always at their end. They may have made an error while filing their TDS return, such as quoting the wrong PAN, or they might not have deposited the tax with the government yet. You must request that they investigate the issue and file a corrected TDS return so that the credit can appear in your name.

5. Can I claim TDS in my ITR if it’s not showing in my Form 26AS?

Answer: While you can technically claim it in your Income Tax Return (ITR), it is highly discouraged. The Income Tax Department’s system automatically processes returns by matching the tax credits you claim with the data available in your Form 26AS. A mismatch will almost certainly trigger a notice, lead to processing delays, and result in the denial of your TDS credit. Learn how to handle such situations with our guide on Responding to Income Tax Notices: A Step-by-Step Guide. This can cause a lower tax refund or even create a tax demand. It is always best to get the discrepancy resolved with the deductor *before* filing your ITR.

Check TDS Credit Online: Easy Step-by-Step Guide!