ITR Filing: Step by Step Guide to Open the Password Protected AIS PDF:

ITR Filing: Step by Step Guide to Open the Password Protected AIS PDF With the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline of July 31 fast approaching, many taxpayers are accessing their Annual Information Statement (AIS) for accurate tax filing. However, some are facing difficulties accessing the AIS PDF due to password protection. Here's a comprehensive guide to understanding the AIS password format, how to download it, and its key features, based entirely on official instructions.

Understanding Annual Information Statement (AIS)

The Annual Information Statement (AIS) provides a comprehensive overview of a taxpayer’s financial transactions and tax-related information for a financial year. It is aimed at simplifying the return filing process and ensures that taxpayers have visibility into:

• Capital gains from listed securities
• Dividend income
• Interest income from banks, post offices, etc.

The AIS also displays both the reported value (information submitted by the reporting entity) and the modified value (after taxpayer feedback) under different sections, like:

• TDS (Tax Deducted at Source)
• SFT (Specified Financial Transactions)
• Other Information

Taxpayers can submit feedback on each transaction displayed in AIS to ensure accuracy.

Steps to View and Download AIS

Below are the steps to view and download the AIS:

• Step 1: Visit the Income Tax e-filing portal, www.incometax.gov.in.
• Step 2: Log in with your credentials and click on “Annual Information Statement (AIS)” on the dashboard.
• Step 3: Click “Proceed” to be redirected to the AIS portal.
• Step 4: Click on the AIS tile to view or download the Annual Information Statement.
• Step 5: Click on download

After downloading the AIS PDF, enter the required password to open the file.

What is the Password to Open the AIS PDF?

The downloaded AIS PDF is password protected to maintain the confidentiality of your financial information. The format of the password is mentioned below: The password is a combination of:

• Your PAN (in lowercase)
• Your Date of Birth (individuals) or Date of Incorporation/Formation (non-individuals) in ddmmyyyy format

Example:

• PAN: ABCDE1234A
• Date of Birth: March 29, 1991
• Password: abcde1234a29031991

There should be no spaces in the password.

What is New in AIS?

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has added a new feature in AIS that allows taxpayers to track the feedback confirmation status from the information source (e.g., bank, employer). The following attributes are now visible: Whether feedback is shared for confirmation: Indicates if your feedback has been forwarded to the reporting source.

• Feedback Shared On: Shows the date your feedback was sent to the source.
• Source Responded On: Displays the date the source replied.
• Source Response: Displays the content of the response, whether any correction is required or not.

This helps improve transparency and accuracy in taxpayer-reported data.

How to Track Activity History in AIS?

You can also track your activity history in AIS by following:

• Clicking the "Activity History" button on the AIS homepage.
• A summary view will be displayed showing:

1. Activity ID (system-generated)
2. Activity Date
3. Activity Description
4. Details of the action performed

This ensures you can monitor all actions and feedback submitted within the AIS portal.

Key Details

The last date to file your ITR is July 31. With many taxpayers facing issues on the e-filing portal and turning to social media to raise concerns, it’s crucial to:

• Access your AIS in advance
• Download the document securely
• Use the correct password format
• Cross-verify and submit feedback if required