Manas Malhotra
Not having Form 16 does not stop taxpayers from filing Income Tax Returns, as other financial records and documents can still be used for the process.
Form 16 is a Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) certificate issued by employers, showing salary paid and tax deducted and deposited with the government during the year.
It has two parts: Part A includes employer and employee details with TDS data, while Part B shows salary breakup, exemptions, deductions, taxable income, and tax liability.
Form 16 may not be available if employees fail to collect it after resigning or if employers delay or miss issuing it during exit or administrative processes.
Experts say taxpayers should ideally wait for Form 16, but in case of urgency or deadlines, filing can still be completed using other financial documents.
Without Form 16, taxpayers can rely on salary slips, Form 26AS, and AIS to identify income details, verify TDS, and ensure correct tax reporting.
Calculate total income from salary slips, cross-check details with AIS and 26AS, match all entries, add deductions, and then complete online filing and verification.
Ensure accuracy by cross-checking AIS, Form 26AS, and salary slips carefully to avoid errors or discrepancies in Income Tax Return processing.