Steps to follow if your TDS does not reflect on Income Tax Website

Last Updated: 15 Sep 2025

One of the first documents that we are supposed to check when filing tax returns is the Form 26AS. This is automatically uploaded by the Income Tax department into your secured PAN access area in the e-filing website. Form 26AS is not only an important document but also one of the most authentic records of how much tax has been deposited by your deductor into the government account. The Income Tax Department uses Form 26AS as the final and authentic information about tax paid on your behalf by the deductor . Let’s take a look at the steps to follow if your TDS does not reflect on the income tax website.

What is TDS and How Does it Work?

Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) works like this: whenever you earn money, salary, bank interest, rent or prize, the person who pays you clips a preset percentage and sends it straight to the government. The payment slip carries your PAN, so the tax office knows the money belongs to you. Each month, the payer deposits the clipped amount using an online challan.

Every quarter, the payer uploads a TDS return on TRACES, the department’s reporting system; this return lists your name, PAN and the amount snipped. The moment the return is processed, your digital tax passbook, called Form 26AS, fills up with these entries. Later, when you file your Income-tax Return, the website automatically reads Form 26AS and subtracts the prepaid tax from your final bill.

If the saved money is more than what you owe, the extra flows back to your bank as a refund. Because TDS collects small doses all year, you never face a giant last-minute shock, and the government receives money smoothly to build roads, schools and hospitals. To keep track, log in to incometax.gov.in and click “View Form 26AS.” The table there shows every snipped coin with its date and source. Checking this table twice a year keeps you aware and lets you spot any missing entries early before tax season starts.

Mismatch between TDS statement and Form 26AS

TDS or tax deducted at source is mandatory irrespective of whether you are salaried or you are in business. Your employer is required to deduct TDS from your salary based on estimated tax for the year and deposit with the government. Similarly, if you are a businessman, your client is required to deduct TDS at the extant rates and deposit with the government. Individuals and organizations who deduct TDS need to have a TAN number and when they deposit the TDS with the government against your PAN, it automatically shows in your Form 26AS. Technically, your TDS statement as contained in Form 16 or Form 16A, should precisely match with Form 26AS. However, there are times when there could be a discrepancy and could create a problem in filing your returns.

General reasons for discrepancy between Form 26AS and TDS statement

Some of the common reasons for such a mismatch between the TDS statement and the Form 26AS are as under.

• The deductor may have failed to deposit TDS on time. It is mandatory to deposit the TDS with the government each quarter and file the TDS return immediately.
• There could be a technical error wherein an incorrect amount may have been entered in the TDS return leading to the discrepancy.
• A common reason could be incorrect PAN quoted in the TDS return. Even a single digit or alphabet placed wrongly can lead to discrepancy.
• There could be a mistake while entering the Challan identification number (CIN) or in mentioning the TAN of the deductor.
• At times deductors confuse between assessment year and previous year and that could also lead to discrepancy between Form 26AS and TDS returns.
• Having identified the reason for the mismatch, it is essential to know the next remedial steps. As long as these gaps are not rectified, you will only get credit to the extent of amount shown in Form 26AS.

How to Rectify Mismatches Between Form 26AS and TDS Statement?

A common puzzle for earners is TDS not showing in income tax portal. Soon, they also wonder about TDS not reflecting in ITR.

The gap between what was cut and what appears online is called the TDS credit mismatch. Officers may send a notice describing it as a TDS discrepancy. Luckily, you can fix everything by submitting a TDS correction request. Follow this eight-step map and you’ll be back on track in no time:

1. Sign in at incometax.gov.in – e-File – “View Form 26AS” and download the statement for the year.
2. Open your Form 16 or Form 16A and mark every entry that is missing or different in Form 26AS.
3. Write down the deductor’s TAN, payment date and amount for each mismatch so you can speak clearly.
4. Email or call the deductor and request a revised TDS return (Form 24Q/26Q) to correct their figures.
5. Ask for the 15-digit correction token and monitor status under traces.gov.in – “Defaults” – “Track Correction”.
6. After the corrected return is processed, revisit Form 26AS; most updates appear within ten calendar days.
7. Log into incometax.gov.in – “Services” – “Tax Credit Mismatch” and explain the issue, or use the “e-File – Rectification” option to attach proof such as salary slips and bank advice.
8. Finally, refresh your ITR draft, ensure every figure matches Form 26AS, submit or revise under Section 139(5), and e-verify within 30 days to close the loop.

Keep screenshots, emails and acknowledgement numbers in a cloud folder. They act as armour if a future notice arrives. Regularly peeking at Form 26AS, AIS and TIS during the year makes these rescue missions rare, freeing you to focus on homework rather than paperwork.

Why it is important to rectify mismatches

As you are aware, the Income Tax department now offers the pre-fill facility wherein all the data is automatically picked up via PAN matching. If your Form 26AS is not updated, then you have a problem in using the pre-filled facility. Secondly, when there is a mismatch, the return will not be accepted and you will have to respond online to the notice sent by the Income Tax department and explain the reasons. Such mismatches are a very common reason for delay in processing of returns. As a result the tax refund, if any, also gets held up and your money gets locked in. Remember, your tax return is an important document for a variety of purposes. Rectifying mismatches at an early stage can simplify your task.