The proposed Income Tax Act 2025 will introduce renumbered tax forms, merge audit reports into a single form, and replace key documents like Form 16 and 26AS effective April 1, 2026.
Saloni Kumari | Feb 19, 2026 |
Income Tax Act 2025: Form 16, 26AS and Other Key Forms Set for Major Renaming and Structural Changes from April 1
The Ministry of Finance has successfully prepared the draft document to update the earlier 60-year-old Income Tax Act 1961 with the new Income Tax Act 2025, which is scheduled to take effect from April 01, 2026. This year, the government is planning to revise the names for Form 16 (TDS on salary) and Form 26AS (AIS), among others. Several reports submitted by Chartered Accountants (CAs) on social media are reflecting the same.
As per the sources, presently the draft income tax rules and forms 2026 are open for feedback from stakeholders and the general public up to February 22, 2026. All feedback will be deeply analysed after this time limit, and accordingly, changes will be implemented in the draft version. The official notification confirming the same is still awaited; no major changes are expected to the key policy framework.
As per the reports, the income tax forms, including Form 13, 16, 16A, 24Q, 26Q, 27Q, and 26AS, are likely to be renamed with the effective date of the New Income Tax Act 2025, i.e., from April 01, 2026. Additionally, forms 3CA, 3CB, and 3CD are likely to be merged into a single form, i.e., Form 26.
| Form No. (draft tax rules 2026) | Form No. (old tax rules 1962) | Description |
| 26 | 3CA, 3CB, 3CD | Audit report and Statement of particulars required to be furnished under section 63 of the Act |
| 130 | 16 | Certificate under section 395 of the Act for TDS on salary paid to an employee under section 392 or pension or interest income of specified senior citizen under section 393(1) |
| 131 | 16A | Certificate under section 395(4) of the Act for TDS |
| 138 | 24Q | Quarterly statement of deduction of tax under section 397(3)(b) of the Act in respect of salary paid to employees under section 392, or income of specified senior citizens under section 393(1) |
| 140 | 26Q | Quarterly statement of deduction of tax under section 397(3)(b) of the Act in respect of payments made other than salary for the quarter ended |
| 144 | 27Q | Quarterly statement of deduction of tax under section 397(3)(b) of the Act in respect of payments other than salary made to non residents for quarter ended |
| 168 | 26AS | Annual information statement |
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