Documents Required to File Income Tax Return in India

Before filing an income tax return, an individual should collect records covering identity and bank details, income, taxes deducted or paid, investments, deductions and any transactions that must be reported in the applicable ITR form. The exact checklist depends on the taxpayer's sources of income and the tax regime selected.

1. Basic Information and Bank Details

Keep the following information available and verify the pre-filled details on the Income Tax e-Filing portal:

• PAN and Aadhaar details, where applicable;
• current address, email address and mobile number;
• date of birth and residential status information;
• details of bank accounts required to be reported in the return, including account number and IFSC;
• details of the bank account selected for income tax refund, where a refund is due; and
• acknowledgement and copy of the previous return where useful for comparison, brought-forward losses or continuity of disclosures.

Do not share your e-Filing password, OTP, Aadhaar OTP, EVC or other authentication credentials with an unauthorised person.

2. AIS, Form 26AS and Tax Payment Records

Download and review the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS from the Income Tax e-Filing portal. These records should be reconciled with your own documents before filing.

• Form 26AS;
• AIS and Taxpayer Information Summary, where applicable;
• challans for advance tax and self-assessment tax;
• TDS/TCS certificates such as Form 16 and Form 16A, as applicable; and
• records needed to reconcile any difference between your documents, AIS and Form 26AS.

3. Salary and Pension Income

For salary income, collect:

• Form 16 issued by each employer;
• salary slips or payroll statement, particularly where Form 16 needs reconciliation;
• details of salary from more than one employer during the year;
• supporting records for eligible allowances, exemptions or relief claimed;
• pension statements and related TDS certificates where pension is received; and
• details of arrears or advance salary and the relevant Form 10E acknowledgement where relief under Section 89 is claimed.

4. House Property and Rental Income

If you own property or receive rent, keep records such as:

• property address and ownership share;
• rent received or receivable and rent agreement where relevant;
• municipal tax payment records;
• housing loan interest certificate from the lender;
• loan details needed for an eligible deduction under Section 24(b); and
• co-owner details where property is jointly owned.

Section 24(b) deals with deduction of interest on borrowed capital in computing income from house property, subject to the conditions and limits applicable to the property and circumstances.

5. Bank Interest and Other Income

Interest and other receipts can appear in AIS or Form 26AS but should still be checked against your own records. Keep:

• savings and current account statements or passbooks;
• fixed deposit and recurring deposit interest certificates;
• post office or other interest statements;
• dividend statements;
• family pension information, if applicable; and
• records for any other taxable receipts.

6. Capital Gains, Shares, Mutual Funds and Other Investments

Taxpayers who sold or transferred capital assets may need substantially more information than a simple salary return. Depending on the transaction, keep:

• broker capital-gain or transaction statements;
• contract notes and demat statements;
• mutual fund capital-gain statements;
• purchase and sale dates, values and transaction expenses;
• documents relating to sale or purchase of immovable property;
• cost of acquisition and improvement records;
• information required for indexation where legally applicable; and
• documents supporting any capital-gain exemption claimed.

7. Business or Professional Income

An individual with business or professional income should retain the accounting and tax records applicable to that activity. These may include:

• books of account, cash book, ledgers and supporting vouchers where required;
• sales, fee and purchase records;
• expense invoices and payment evidence;
• bank statements used for the business or profession;
• GST returns and related records where applicable;
• fixed asset and depreciation details;
• TDS certificates and tax-payment records; and
• tax audit report and other prescribed reports where applicable.

The correct ITR form and reporting requirements differ for taxpayers with business or professional income. Taxpayers choosing between the default tax regime under Section 115BAC and the old regime should also check the procedural requirements applicable to their category.

8. Documents for Deductions and Exemptions

The deductions available depend on the tax regime and the conditions in the Income-tax Act. The new tax regime under Section 115BAC is the default regime for eligible individuals, while eligible taxpayers may opt for the old regime subject to applicable conditions. Do not collect deduction proofs on the assumption that every deduction is available under both regimes.

The old article referred to historic Section 80D limits for FY 2012-13. Those figures are outdated. For current return preparation, use the limits and eligibility applicable to the relevant assessment year. The Income Tax Department's individual taxpayer guidance provides current assessment-year information.

9. Foreign Income, Foreign Assets and Foreign Tax Credit

Residents who are required to report foreign assets or foreign income should collect the relevant overseas bank, investment, property, income and tax-payment records. Where foreign tax credit is claimed, keep the information and evidence required for Form 67 and the applicable rules. Foreign asset and income reporting can involve additional disclosures, so the correct ITR form should be selected carefully.

10. Choose the Correct ITR Form

Do not select an ITR form merely because it was used in the previous year. The applicable form depends on the taxpayer's status and sources of income. For example, ITR-1 has eligibility restrictions, while an individual with capital gains or specified other circumstances may need ITR-2, and business or professional income generally requires a form intended for that category.

The Income Tax Department advises taxpayers to identify the correct return, review AIS and Form 26AS, reconcile discrepancies and check pre-filled PAN, address, contact and bank details before filing. Refer to the official Income Tax e-Filing portal for the form and instructions applicable to the relevant assessment year.

Quick ITR Document Checklist

• PAN, Aadhaar and current contact information;
• bank account details;
• Form 16 and Form 16A, where applicable;
• AIS and Form 26AS;
• bank statements and interest certificates;
• house property and housing-loan records;
• capital-gain statements and transaction records;
• business or professional accounts, where applicable;
• proof and details for eligible deductions or exemptions;
• advance tax and self-assessment tax challans;
• foreign income, asset and tax records, where applicable; and
• previous return and loss details where relevant.

Income tax law, return forms, deductions and filing procedures may change from one assessment year to another. Verify the current year's form, instructions and due date on the official Income Tax e-Filing portal before filing.

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