Nearly every delay we see in a filing comes down to the same thing: a document that turned up late. Gathering everything upfront turns a stressful week into a straightforward afternoon.
Everyone needs these
- PAN and Aadhaar, and confirmation that the two are linked
- Bank account details, including IFSC, for any refund
- Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement, which show the tax already credited against your PAN
- Interest certificates from banks for savings and fixed deposits
If you are salaried
- Form 16 from your employer
- Rent receipts and your landlord's PAN, if you are claiming house rent allowance
- Proof of any deductions you plan to claim
If you are a freelancer or professional
- A summary of receipts for the year, and your bank statements
- Details of expenses you intend to claim against that income
- Form 16A for any tax deducted by clients
If you have capital gains
- Statements from your broker or mutual fund house
- Purchase and sale documents for any property transactions
A note on the AIS
Always reconcile your own records against the Annual Information Statement before filing. Mismatches between what you declare and what the department already knows are the single most common reason a notice arrives months later.
If anything on that statement looks unfamiliar, flag it rather than ignoring it. We can help you work out what it relates to.