ITR 2026: 9 Documents You Must Keep Ready Now
ITR filing season is here. Missing even one document — like Form 16 or AIS — can delay your return, trigger a tax notice, or cost you a ₹5,000 late fee. Get your paperwork sorted before the July 31 deadline.
Hunting for Form 16 at 11 PM on July 31 costs more stress than 3 months of chai ☕
You pay this fine if your ITR is filed after the July 31 deadline
Key Takeaways
Download your AIS and Form 26AS from the Income Tax portal (incometax.gov.in) right now and cross-check every entry against your actual income.
Collect Form 16 (Part A and Part B) from your employer — if you switched jobs, collect one from each employer for FY 2025-26.
Gather bank interest certificates, home loan interest statements, 80C investment proofs (PPF, ELSS, LIC), and health insurance premium receipts before you sit down to file.
ITR filing season is here. Missing even one document — like Form 16 or AIS — can delay your return, trigger a tax notice, or cost you a ₹5,000 late fee. Get your paperwork sorted before the July 31 deadline.
Here's what happened: The ITR filing deadline for salaried individuals for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27) is July 31, 2026 — missing it attracts a penalty up to ₹5,000.. The Income Tax Department's Annual Information Statement (AIS) now captures almost all your financial activity — bank interest, dividends, mutual fund redemptions, and property sales.. Mismatches between your ITR and AIS data are one of the top reasons the IT Department sends scrutiny notices to taxpayers..
What you should do: Download your AIS and Form 26AS from the Income Tax portal (incometax.gov.in) right now and cross-check every entry against your actual income.. Collect Form 16 (Part A and Part B) from your employer — if you switched jobs, collect one from each employer for FY 2025-26.. Gather bank interest certificates, home loan interest statements, 80C investment proofs (PPF, ELSS, LIC), and health insurance premium receipts before you sit down to file..
Even if your bank FD interest is below ₹40,000, it must be declared in your ITR — the AIS already shows it, so hiding it triggers an automatic mismatch notice.
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