Tax
What is Form 26AS?
The statement that says whether the tax someone deducted from you actually reached the government. If it didn't, you cannot claim it — and you may not find out for a year.
The short answer
Form 26AS shows every rupee of tax credited against your PAN — TDS deducted by others, advance tax you paid, and high-value transactions the department knows about.
Why it matters when you sell property: if the buyer deducted 1% TDS but never actually filed Form 26QB, it will not appear in your 26AS — and you cannot claim the credit.
You have paid the tax. You just can't prove it.
What Form 26AS shows
- TDS deducted by others — your employer, your bank, the buyer of your property
- TCS collected from you
- Advance tax and self-assessment tax you paid
- Refunds issued to you
- High-value transactions reported to the department — including property purchases and sales
It is, in effect, the department's own record of your tax year. And it is the record they will check your return against.
If you SOLD a property — the check that matters
Your buyer withheld 1% of the sale price as TDS. On a ₹1 crore flat, that is ₹1 lakh of your money.
They were supposed to file Form 26QB and pay it to the government on your behalf.
Did they?
If they didn't — or filed it with the wrong PAN — it will not appear in your Form 26AS. And you cannot claim the credit in your return.
You have effectively lost ₹1 lakh. And you will typically discover it a year later, at filing time, when the buyer has moved on and is not returning your calls.
So, after you sell:
- Ask the buyer for Form 16B. That is their proof they filed and paid.
- Check your Form 26AS a few weeks later. The TDS should appear against your PAN.
- Check the PAN is right. A typo in your PAN on the 26QB sends the credit to a stranger.
- Chase it immediately if it's missing. Not at filing time. Now, while they still care.
If you BOUGHT a property
Your property purchase will appear in the high-value transactions section — the department knows about it, reported by the registrar.
Which means: the source of the funds is a question they can ask. If you bought an ₹85 lakh flat on a declared income of ₹12 lakh a year, with no loan, that is a reasonable question, and it is better to have the answer ready.
It also means the TDS you deducted and paid via 26QB should show up. Check that it did.
Form 26AS and the AIS
The Annual Information Statement (AIS) is broader than 26AS. It shows a fuller picture — interest, dividends, securities transactions, property transactions, foreign remittances.
Check both before you file. The AIS has a feedback mechanism, so if something in it is wrong, you can say so — and you should, because an unexplained mismatch is one of the more common reasons a return gets picked up for scrutiny.
How to check it
- Log in to the Income Tax e-filing portal.
- Go to e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Form 26AS.
- You'll be taken to TRACES. Select the assessment year.
- View or download it.
- Also check the AIS, from the same portal.
A mismatch between your return and your 26AS is one of the commonest reasons a return is picked up.
Ten minutes, once a year, before you file. It is the single easiest piece of tax hygiene there is — and if you have sold a property, it is the check that tells you whether you actually got credit for the ₹1 lakh the buyer took off you.
We have written this against the current position and checked it carefully. But tax turns entirely on your specific facts: your residential status, when you bought, when you sell, which regime you are on, and what else is in your return.
Note also that the Income Tax Act, 2025 now replaces the 1961 Act, and section numbering is changing even where the substance is not. We use the familiar numbers — 54, 54F, 24(b), 80C — because those are what people search for and what CAs still say. Confirm the current section references with your accountant.
Before you sell a property, pay a CA. On a transaction this size it is the best-value fee you will ever pay, and the cost of getting it wrong runs to lakhs.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form 26AS?
An annual consolidated statement showing every rupee of tax credited against your PAN — TDS deducted by others, TCS, advance tax, self-assessment tax, refunds, and high-value transactions including property purchases and sales.
Why should I check Form 26AS after selling a property?
Because your buyer deducted 1% TDS — on a Rs 1 crore flat, Rs 1 lakh of your money — and was supposed to file Form 26QB and pay it to the government on your behalf. If they didn't, or filed it with the wrong PAN, it will not appear in your 26AS and you cannot claim the credit. You have effectively lost Rs 1 lakh, and you usually find out a year later.
What is the difference between Form 26AS and AIS?
The Annual Information Statement is broader. It shows interest, dividends, securities transactions, property transactions and foreign remittances, as well as tax credits. Check both before you file — the AIS has a feedback mechanism, so if something in it is wrong you can say so.
How do I check Form 26AS?
Log in to the Income Tax e-filing portal, go to e-File then Income Tax Returns then View Form 26AS. You will be taken to TRACES. Select the assessment year and view or download it. Also check the AIS from the same portal.
Does buying a property show up in Form 26AS?
Yes, in the high-value transactions section — reported by the registrar. Which means the source of the funds is a question the department can ask. If you bought an Rs 85 lakh flat on a declared income of Rs 12 lakh with no loan, that is a reasonable question, and it is better to have the answer ready.