ITR Filing Deadline Missed? Last chance to claim your tax refund.

ITR Filing Deadline Missed?
Last Chance to Claim your Tax Refund

  • TrustedTrusted by 1 Million+ Users
  • User Rating4.9 Star User Rating
  • Secure2500 Cr. Taxes Saved Already
ITR Filing Deadline Missed?
linkedin
whatsapp

Annual Information Statement: What is AIS, How to Check AIS Status, AIS Password and Feedback

Updated on: 29 Jul, 2024 03:48 PM

The Annual Information Statement (AIS) is a comprehensive summary of a taxpayer's financial details, including but not limited to TDS/TCS, interest, dividends, stock market transactions, and mutual fund transactions. It is an enhanced version of Form 26AS.

AIS provides both the reported values (as submitted by reporting entities) and the modified values (adjusted based on taxpayer feedback). If you notice discrepancies in the AIS, you can provide feedback to correct any errors or inaccuracies in the displayed information. This ensures that your financial data is accurately reflected in your tax records.

Annual Information Statements for individual taxpayers may include the following information:

  • Personal information
  • Income information
  • Deductions and Credits
  • Tax payments and Withholdings
  • Tax Liability and Refunds
  • Other relevant information like tax rates, tax brackets, tax credits, or any significant changes in tax laws that may impact the taxpayer.

In this guide, we will talk about the various aspects of AIS, how to check AIS status, etc.

What is an Annual Information Statement, AIS?

The Annual Information Statement (AIS) is a comprehensive overview of taxpayer information on Form 26AS. In addition to Form 26AS, AIS also includes securities transactions, interest, dividends, overseas remittance information, bank transactions, credit card transactions, mutual fund transactions, and demands/refunds. Taxpayers can provide feedback on the information displayed on the AIS. Under each section (i.e., TDS, SFT, Other information), AIS displays both the reported value and the derived value (i.e., the value after considering taxpayer feedback). The objectives of AIS are to:

  • Provide complete information to taxpayers, including the ability to provide online feedback.
  • Encourage voluntary compliance by allowing for seamless prefilling of returns and avoiding underreporting of income.
  • Deter non-compliance
  • In case there are errors, it also accepts feedback from the taxpayers on the information displayed in AIS.

What are the Features of the Annual Information Statement, AIS?

  • It includes new data such as interest, dividends, securities transactions, mutual fund transactions, international remittance data, etc.
  • Information duplication is eliminated, and a streamlined Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) is generated for easier return filing (pre-filling will be enabled in a phased manner).
  • Taxpayers will be able to provide online feedback on the information provided in AIS and download data in PDF, JSON, and CSV forms.
  • The AIS Utility will allow taxpayers to view AIS and provide feedback.
  • The AIS Mobile App allows taxpayers to view AIS and provide feedback on their handheld devices.
Annual Information Statement

What are the Different Types of Information Shown in AIS?

The information displayed on AIS is split into two sections:

Part- A
Part-A contains general information about you, such as your PAN, Masked Aadhar Number, Name of the Taxpayer, Date of Birth/Incorporation/Formation, mobile number, e-mail address, and Taxpayer's address.

PART- B
TDS/TCS Information: - This section displays information about taxes deducted/collected at the source. The TDS/TCS Information code, category, source of such information, description, and value are displayed.

SFT Information: - Information received from reporting entities under the Statement of Financial Transaction (SFT) is displayed under this heading. Obtaining the SFT code, Information description, and Information value is possible.

Tax Payments: - This section displays information about tax payments under several headings, such as Advance Tax and Self-Assessment Tax.

Demand and Refund: - During a financial year, you will be able to see the specifics of the demand made and the refund initiated (AY and amount).

Other Information: - This section displays details on information obtained from other sources, such as data on Annexure-II salary, interest on refunds, outward foreign remittances/purchases of foreign currency, and so on.


How to download AIS from income tax e-filing website?

AIS can be downloaded in PDF, JSON, and CSV file formats. The income tax department has also launched a free-of-cost mobile application "AIS for Taxpayers", providing a comprehensive view of AIS and enabling responses through mobile devices.

  • Step 1: Login to URL https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/login
    e-filing portal homepage
  • Step 2: After login, click Annual Information Statement (AIS) menu on dashboard.
    AIS tab under the service section
  • Step 3: Click on Proceed button which will redirect to AIS Portal
    Click on AIS and proceed
  • Step 4: Click on AIS tile to view the Annual Information Statement. You will have to select either of the two options: Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) or Annual Information Statement (AIS). It will also show the financial year for which AIS is being downloaded, your PAN and name.
  • Step 5: Select the format in which you want to download the AIS.
    Select the format

Alternatively,

  • Step 1: Login to URLhttps://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/login
  • Step 2: After login, click e-File menu.
  • Step 3: Click on Income Tax Return > View AIS.

Note: If the AIS is unavailable, you can contact the Income Tax Department's customer care service for further assistance.


How to Open the Downloaded AIS PDF?

If you download the PDF file, it is password-protected. To unlock the AIS PDF file, follow these steps:

  1. Open the AIS PDF file on your computer.
  2. When prompted to enter the password, type your Permanent Account Number (PAN) in lowercase letters.
  3. Then, type your date of birth or date of incorporation/formation in the format DDMMYYYY without any spaces.
  4. For example, if your PAN is AAAAA1234A and your date of birth is 28th July 1997, the password will be aaaaa1234a28071997.
  5. After entering the correct password, you can view and print the AIS PDF file.

If you encounter any issues or errors while unlocking the AIS PDF file, you can contact the Income Tax Department's customer care service for further assistance.

You can learn more about AIS by the provided FAQ by the IT department.


What is the Difference Between the AIS and Form 26AS?

Form 26AS mostly shows the information of TDS/TCS transactions made throughout the fiscal year.

A far more extensive statement is the Annual Information Statement (AIS). It covers savings account interest, securities/immovable property purchase and sale transactions, overseas remittances, deposit interest, etc. All of the data is available in aggregate and individually for each transaction.

TDS/TCS transactions, SFT information, tax payments, GST information, demand or refund, and other information are all covered by AIS.


What are the components of Annual Information Statement (AIS)?

PART A- General Information

Part-A displays general information pertaining to you, including PAN, Masked Aadhar Number, Name of the Taxpayer, Date of Birth/ Incorporation/ Formation, mobile number, e-mail address and address of Taxpayer.

PART- B

  • TDS/TCS Information: - Information related to tax deducted/collected at source is displayed here. The Information code of the TDS/TCS, Information description and Information value is shown.
  • SFT Information: - Under this head, information received from reporting entities under Statement of Financial transaction (SFT) is displayed. The SFT code, Information description and Information value is made available.
  • Payment of Taxes: - Information relating to payment of taxes under different heads, such as Advance Tax and Self-Assessment Tax, is shown.
  • Demand and Refund: - You will be able to view the details of the demand raised and refund initiated (AY and amount) during a financial year. (Details related to Demand will be released soon)
  • Other Information: - Details of the information received from the other sources, such as data pertaining to Annexure II salary, Interest on refund, Outward Foreign Remittance/Purchase of Foreign Currency etc., is displayed here.

Display of Information Reported Under TDS & SFT

Information under TDS

Information under TDS

Information under SFT

Information under SFT

AIS Preparation Steps

The following are some important steps in the information processing process:

  • PAN Population: If the given information does not have a valid PAN, the PAN will be populated based on matching Aadhaar and other essential parameters.
  • Information Display: In most cases, the reported information is shown next to the PAN holder. The information display logic for specific information such as property, bank account, Demat account, etc., intends to display information to relevant PAN holders for evaluation and feedback.
  • Information Duplication: When the same information is reported under different information types (for example, interest/dividend reporting in SFT and TDS), the information with the lesser value is tagged as "Information is duplicate / included in other information" by automatic rules.
  • Preparation of the Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS): After deduplicating information based on pre-defined rules, a taxpayer's aggregated information summary is created by information category. Under each information category, it displays the processed value (i.e., the value obtained after deduplication of data based on pre-defined rules) and derived value (i.e., value derived by considering taxpayer feedback and processed value).

AIS Correction Status Update

Starting May 13, 2024, the CBDT has introduced a new feature that shows the status of AIS corrections or feedback from taxpayers. This feature indicates if the feedback or correction has been partially accepted, fully accepted, or rejected by the source (the person responsible for uploading information to AIS).

The feedback status options include:

  1. Whether Feedback is shared for Confirmation: Notifies the taxpayer whether the feedback has been sent to the Reporting Source for confirmation.
  2. Feedback Shared On: Displays the date when the feedback was sent to the Reporting Source.
  3. Source Responded On: Shows the date when the Reporting Source responded to the feedback.
  4. Source Response: Informs the taxpayer of the response from the source regarding any required corrections.

This new feature enhances transparency by providing relevant information directly in the taxpayer's AIS. It is another effort by the Income Tax Department to streamline compliance and improve taxpayer services.


Processing of AIS Feedback

The AIS processing approach is as follows:

  • The assessee's feedback will be recorded in the Annual Information Statement (AIS), and the reported value and modified value (i.e., the value following feedback) will be displayed separately.
  • The assessee's input will be used to update the derived value (the value calculated after taking into account the taxpayer's feedback) in the Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS)
  • Information in AIS assigned to other PAN/Years will be processed and shown in the taxpayer's AIS using automatic rules.
  • If the assigned information is changed or refused, the feedback will be assessed according to risk management guidelines, with high-risk feedback highlighted for further investigation.

What to Do If There is an Error in AIS or Form 26AS?

The Annual Information Statement (AIS) includes information available with the income tax department. Under the Income Tax Act, certain entities are required to report high-value transactions to the department. The AIS will display information only after receiving it from these reporting entities. However, there may be instances where data for a particular period is not received or updated. Therefore, taxpayers must verify all related information and report complete and accurate details in their income tax returns.

Additionally, taxpayers should use the feedback mechanism to report any errors in the AIS. This is crucial, as such mismatches are considered underreporting of income unless rectified, which can lead to hefty penalties and interest.

To avoid these issues, ensure your AIS data is accurate and up-to-date before filing your ITR.


Launch of AIS app by IT department: How is it Convenient for Taxpayers?

The Income Tax department has launched the Annual Information Statement (AIS) mobile app called “AIS for Taxpayer,” which allows taxpayers to easily access their tax-related information on the Annual Information statement on their mobile phones. The app provides a simple and user-friendly platform named the "AIS for Taxpayer" app. This app is free of cost and can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The app details various financial transactions such as TDS (Tax Deducted at Source), TCS (Tax Collected at Source), interest, dividends, share transactions, tax payments, income tax refunds, and foreign remittances.

This app allows taxpayers to easily track and monitor financial transactions so that they can calculate their tax liability and ensure compliance with tax regulations. Additionally, the app allows users to provide feedback regarding the information displayed. The app makes it convenient for taxpayers to access their financial information on the go, anytime and anywhere.

To register and set MPIN for AIS for Taxpayer App on mobile, please follow these steps:

  1. Download the AIS for Taxpayers App from the app store on your mobile device.
  2. An Onboarding screen will appear where you can tab and select “Get Started”.
  3. Enter your PAN number and Date of Birth, and select your preferred login ID.
  4. Next, you will be prompted to enter your PAN and the date of your birth/incorporation/formation; check the box next to the terms and conditions.
  5. Now enter your mobile number and email ID.
  6. Separate OTPs will be shared on the primary mobile number and email address. Enter the OTPs received and click “Verify”.
  7. Now the “MPIN” page will open, where you need to enter a 4-digit MPIN and select Next.
  8. Confirm the MPIN by re-entering it in the next field.
  9. Click on the "Submit" button.
  10. Once MPIN is successfully set up, the user is registered and can log in using the MPIN.

Please Note:- The user will only have five attempts to input the MPIN correctly. If the user cannot enter the right MPIN after the number of attempts allowed, the user account will be locked for 24 hours. Hence, if you forget the MPIn password, you can use the forgot MPIN to reset the MPIN.

If you are someone who understands a little about taxes, then you can file your ITR on your own. And if you are among those who break out in a cold sweat just hearing about taxes, then the best way out is to get help from an experienced Chartered Accountant. Book Tax Consultation Now!



FAQs on Annual Information Statement

Q- How can I view the Annual Information Statement for a specific Financial Year (FY)?

The functionality of the Annual Information Statement can be accessed by following the steps outlined below:

Step 1: Go to https://www.incometax.gov.in/ and log in to your account.

Step 2: After successfully logging in to the e-filing system, click on Annual Information Statement (AIS) under the Services tab.

Step 3: On the site, click the AIS tab.

Step 4: To access the Annual Information Statement, select the relevant FY and click on the AIS tile.

Please see the Annual Information Statement User Guide in the Resources section of the AIS Homepage for further information.


Q- I need help viewing the information in some source information in AIS; what could be the problem?

If the information history in a certain AIS source information exceeds the specified size (currently 1500 records), it may not be fully visible in the portal. If you are viewing AIS (with full details), please download the AIS PDF / JSON file from the download option in the AIS tiles.


Q- I'm having trouble understanding the information in my AIS?

If you're having trouble comprehending what's being displayed in the AIS, you can enable context-specific help by following the instructions below:

Step 1: To activate context-specific help, click the bulb icon in the top right corner of the gateway panels.

Step 2: Hover the mouse pointer over the information you're having trouble seeing to see the bulb icon.

Step 3: To examine the tooltip style information description and related guidance, click the bulb symbol next to the information.

Step 4: Within the associated guide, click on keywords to get information descriptions and related guides for that term.

Step 5: To close the information description, click anywhere outside the tooltip-style window.

Please remember that the bulb indicator beneath the information will only appear on hover if the page element's information description is available.


Q- How to submit feedback in AIS?

Follow the steps below to provide feedback on active information presented under TDS/TCS Information, SFT Information, or Other Information -

Step 1: Click the Optional button in the Feedback column. You'll be sent to the Add Feedback screen.

active information presented under TDS/TCS Information

Step 2: Select the appropriate feedback option and provide the necessary information (depending on the feedback option).

appropriate feedback option

Step 3: Click Submit.
Please see the Annual Information Statement User Guide in the Compliance Portal's Resources section for more information (AIS Homepage).

Annual Information Statement User Guide

Q- What will happen after I submit the feedback?

After successfully submitting feedback on AIS information, the feedback will be presented alongside the information, and the information's changed value will be visible alongside the reported value. You'll be able to download the Acknowledgement Receipt, and the activity history tab will also be updated. In addition, feedback submission confirmations will be delivered via email and SMS.


Q- How can I modify the AIS feedback?

Once you've submitted your feedback, you can make changes to any active information listed under TDS/TCS Information, SFT Information, or Other Information by following the procedures below:

Step 1: Go to the AIS details page and look at the aggregated information by source.

Step 2: To access information/transaction details, expand specific L2 level information and click on the information that has previously been given feedback and needs to be changed

Step 3: You will be taken to the Feedback History screen, which will display the previously submitted feedback. Select Modify Feedback from the drop-down menu.

Step 4: Select the cause for the change and mention additional comments that are required.

Step 5: Click the Submit button after selecting the feedback choice.

Now, to get the Feedback Acknowledgement Receipt, go to Activity History.


Q- How does feedback change affect the AIS value, and where can I find my updated feedback?

When you browse the Feedback History of the transaction after making changes to your feedback, the amended feedback will be designated as Active. The impact of the same will be shown on AIS in both aggregated information source details and information/transaction specifics. TIS will also be updated as a result of the feedback modification.


Q- In what all formats can I download my AIS?

You can download Annual Information Statement (AIS) in PDF, JSON, CSV file formats.


CA Abhishek Soni
CA Abhishek Soni

Abhishek Soni is a Chartered Accountant by profession & entrepreneur by passion. He is the co-founder & CEO of Tax2Win.in. Tax2win is amongst the top 25 emerging startups of Asia and authorized ERI by the Income Tax Department. In the past, he worked in EY and comes with wide industry experience from telecom, retail to manufacturing to entertainment where he has handled various national and international assignments.