New Delhi: With only a few days left before the 31 July 2026 deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year (AY) 2026–27, taxpayers are being advised to keep all necessary documents ready to ensure a smooth and error-free filing process. Having the required paperwork in place can help avoid delays, reduce the chances of mistakes, and speed up verification of tax returns.
While many details are now available through pre-filled ITR forms, taxpayers should still verify the information carefully against their own financial records before submitting their returns.
1. PAN and Aadhaar
The first requirement for filing an ITR is a valid Permanent Account Number (PAN) linked with Aadhaar. The two documents are essential for identity verification and successful submission of returns through the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal.
Taxpayers should also ensure that their mobile number linked with Aadhaar is active for receiving one-time passwords (OTPs).
2. Form 16
For salaried individuals, Form 16 is one of the most important documents.
Issued by employers, it contains details of salary paid during the financial year, tax deducted at source (TDS), and deductions claimed. It helps taxpayers accurately report salary income while filing returns.
3. Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS
The Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS provide a consolidated view of a taxpayer’s financial transactions and taxes paid.
These documents include information on TDS, tax collected at source (TCS), high-value transactions, interest income and other financial details. Taxpayers should compare these records with their own documents to identify any discrepancies.
4. Bank statements and interest certificates
Bank account statements help taxpayers verify savings account interest, fixed deposit interest and other financial transactions.
Interest certificates issued by banks can also be useful while reporting taxable income accurately.
5. Investment and deduction proofs
Taxpayers claiming deductions under various provisions of the Income Tax Act should keep supporting documents ready.
These may include:
- Life insurance premium receipts.
- Public Provident Fund (PPF) contributions.
- Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS) investments.
- National Pension System (NPS) contributions.
- Health insurance premium receipts.
- Home loan principal repayment documents.
Keeping these records handy ensures eligible deductions are correctly claimed.
6. Capital gains and investment records
Individuals who have bought or sold shares, mutual funds, property or other assets during the financial year should collect relevant transaction statements.
These documents are required to calculate capital gains or losses accurately and report them in the appropriate ITR form.
7. Home loan and rental documents
Taxpayers claiming deductions on home loans should retain loan interest certificates issued by lenders.
Those earning rental income should also keep rent agreements, rent receipts and municipal tax payment records ready while filing returns.
Verify pre-filled information
Although the Income Tax Department provides pre-filled data in many ITR forms, experts recommend verifying every entry carefully before submission.
Any mismatch between official records and the taxpayer’s own documents should be corrected to avoid notices or processing delays later.
File before the deadline
For most individual taxpayers who are not subject to audit, the deadline to file ITRs for AY 2026–27 is 31 July 2026.
Experts advise avoiding last-minute filing to reduce the risk of portal congestion and allow sufficient time to rectify any errors, if required.
Conclusion
Keeping these seven essential documents ready can make the ITR filing process faster, easier and more accurate. With the filing deadline approaching, taxpayers should review all financial records, verify pre-filled information and submit their returns well before the due date to avoid unnecessary stress.