ITR Filing: 5 Important Steps to do as soon Salaried Employees get Form 16

Employers are required to issue Form 16 every year on or before June 15. Following this, Salaried individuals can thus hasten the submission of their income tax returns.

Form 16 is an important document for filing income tax returns (ITR), particularly for salaried individuals. Employers are responsible for providing their employees with Form 16 at the end of every financial year. This important document indicates the amount of tax deducted from an employee’s pay, which has then been submitted to the government on behalf of the employee.

“Form 16 is an important piece of documentation for filing your income tax return (ITR). The input in this form will pre-populate sections of your ITR, saving you time and effort. It also serves as proof that your employer deducted and deposited the tax on your behalf,” an expert explained.

Form 16 and Filing of ITR

Form-16 simplifies income tax filing for employees by providing a full summary of their earnings and deductions. It allows taxpayers to precisely report income and claim deductions when filing their income tax returns (ITRs).

The Details it Contains:

Salary Income Details

Form 16 contains a detailed breakdown of your salary income from the preceding financial year. This comprises your base salary, allowances, claimed deductions, and any other taxable components.

Tax Deducted at Source

This section summarizes the total amount of tax deducted from your salary by your employer for the financial year. It also explains how this TDS was submitted to the Income Tax Department on your behalf.

Two Parts of Form 16

Form 16 consists of two parts. Form 16-A summarizes an employee’s tax deductions made by the employer and is submitted to the I-T department. It indicates the employee’s tax condition, but should not be confused with Form 16. Form 16 and Form 16-A, both have different uses.

Form 16-B consolidates an employee’s financial information, including salary, deductions, and additional revenue. It comprises information from both the employee and the employer, providing a complete picture of the person’s financial condition.

• Part A: Focuses only on TDS information, such as the deducted tax amount and challan details (payment slips) used to deposit TDS with the government.
• Part B: Provides a full breakdown of your pay income, including allowances, deductions claimed, and other tax information.

5 steps to be Considered by Salaried Individual as soon as they get their Form 16 for FY24

Form 16 serves as a tax certificate, outlining your salary income for the previous financial year and the Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) by your employer. Simply put, it displays how much you earned and how much tax the government has already deducted from your salary.

Review and Verify the Information: Examine Form 16 thoroughly to confirm that all information is correct. This contains your personal information, employer information, income breakdown, deductions claimed, tax deducted at source (TDS) information, and so on.

Comparison with Form 26AS: Download Form 26AS from the Income Tax Department’s website. This form consolidates your tax deducted at the source (TDS) by all deductors (including your employer). Compare the TDS data in both formats to discover any inconsistencies.

Address Discrepancies: If there are any discrepancies between Form 16 and Form 26AS, contact your employer’s HR or finance department to resolve the issues. They may file an amended TDS return to correct the information. Once completed, you will receive an amended Form 16.

Prepare for ITR Filing: With a confirmed Form 16, you can begin preparing to file your income tax return (ITR). Gather any relevant documents, such as bank statements and investment proofs for tax deductions.

File Your Income Tax Return: Use the information in Form 16 to fill out the appropriate ITR form on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal. The form will pre-populate income information based on Form 16 data.